An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

The Bond That Consumes Us

ISBN 9781419918414
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The Bond That Consumes Us Copyright © 2008 Christine d’Abo

Edited by Briana St. James.
Photography and cover art by Les Byerley.

Electronic book Publication October 2008

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This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales
is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors’ imagination and used fictitiously.

T

HE

B

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T

HAT

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ONSUMES

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Christine d’Abo

Christine d’Abo

Chapter One

Taber enjoyed the silence of early morning. Hands clasped behind his back, he

strolled down the corridors, letting the calm of the station relax him. The sun hadn’t
risen and he could still see every star in the sky if he were inclined to such an activity.

He wasn’t.
Life had grown and changed into a steady pattern over the past two years here on

Eurus. He liked patterns, liked the predictability of knowing what to expect and how to
deal with things as they arose. All things considered, he should be content with his
situation and station on this planet. It was the perfect way to end his long and
distinguished military career.

Which was why he didn’t understand the hollow feeling that seemed to have curled

up inside his chest and refused to leave. It had been there, growing, for the last few
months. A restlessness he hadn’t felt in forty cycles, not since he’d first enlisted in the
Protectorate, was building once again. Only this time he had no way to escape. There
was no enemy to fight, no battles to be waged. He was forced to sit by and be content
with the uninterrupted pleasantness of his life. Alone.

Turning the corner, he made his way down toward the bazaar to check on the early

arrival of the merchants. Most were getting their goods laid out, ready for the first shift
of miners who’d be heading out to work. The aroma of food and drinks being freshly
prepared floated high on the air and threatened to make his stomach rumble. He hated
to admit it, but he’d grown fond of the human beverage, coffee. The bitter flavor agreed
with his palate, and he enjoyed the subtle rush of energy it gave him. He hated needing
anyone or anything, especially an artificial substance, and preferred to rely on himself
in all matters of importance. So he limited his intake of the drink and reminded himself
that dependence was another form of weakness.

This morning he would allow himself that small pleasure in the hope that it would

improve his mood. It had been several days and it was time to indulge. He was about to
make his way over to the human vendor who always seemed to know when he craved
the beverage and had his mug waiting, when something caught his attention out of the
corner of his eye. Taber turned in time to see Haylie waddling around the corner,
heading in the direction of her office. Somehow he contained his sigh and temporarily
forgot his coffee to set out and follow his friend and counterpart.

Haylie moved surprisingly fast for a woman who was fourteen months pregnant.

Even walking at full speed, Taber didn’t catch up to her until they were only a few feet
away from her office door. Without saying a word, he fell into step beside her and
quickly checked to make sure she was physically well. Kamran wouldn’t forgive him if
anything happened to his beloved mate.

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The Bond That Consumes Us

“Before you ask, I’m fine,” she said, sounding like she was anything but. “I couldn’t

sleep and thought a walk might help.”

“A walk to your office?”
“And back. It’s about a mile distance from our quarters round trip. I was hoping

this damn baby would get the hint and decide to pop out.”

Kamran had said his wife wasn’t dealing with the longer than normal gestation

period for their child. It was all guesswork, and Haylie hated not having all the answers
just as much as he did. It was one of the reasons they’d worked so well together—she
understood that unknown elements caused problems.

He also respected her for saving Kamran’s life.
“You know Sara told you to rest. It’s likely the baby will come any day now.”
Haylie ran her hands over the expanse of her belly. Taber had seen several pregnant

Briel women in his time in the Protectorate, but that was different from watching Haylie
now. Maybe because he knew her, knew how much this baby meant to both her and
Kamran, that his interest was keener. That and the fact he’d always wanted a child of
his own.

“I’m just tired of being fat,” she sighed.
“You know Kamran thinks you are quite beautiful.”
She smiled and he couldn’t help but notice the way her entire face changed at the

mention of his friend’s name.

“Yeah, but he’s in love with me. I’m still fat.”
She was about to say something else when she winced. When her face suddenly

paled, the muscles in the back of his neck and shoulders tightened, anticipating the
worst. Looking around, he saw there was no one else in the corridor who could assist
them, leaving him on his own to deal with what was happening.

“You’ve been experiencing the back pain again.” He kept his voice soft as he spoke.

The last thing he wanted to do was upset her and cause distress to the baby. “Does
Kamran know?”

Haylie stopped walking and braced her arm against the wall. Looking up at him,

she tucked a strand of her chestnut hair behind her ear. “It doesn’t seem to let up these
days. I ache all over from the time I get out of bed to the time I fall back into it. And I try
to keep it from him, to be honest. He’s worrying too much as it is.”

Taber was far from an expert in pregnancy, but he knew a few things about pain,

having spent most of his adult life in the military. Taking a step closer to her, he reached
for her back, stopping a few inches away from actually touching her. He could never
touch her without permission, no matter how close a friend she was.

“I might be able to help if you’ll permit it?”
Haylie rolled her eyes. “You know I don’t give a rat’s ass if you touch me or not.

And if you can help with the pain even a little, I’ll probably give you a big, wet kiss.”

5

Christine d’Abo

Taber couldn’t stop the small smile that reached his lips. He found himself smiling

more and more the longer he spent in the company of Haylie and her best friend Sara.
The two women had an infectious optimism while at the same time possessing the
ability to focus on and overcome extreme situations.

Thankfully, they hadn’t needed that particular type of focus in over a year—not

since they’d gotten rid of the Ecada who’d been hiding in the mines.

Bracing one hand on her shoulder, Taber pressed the other in the small of her back

and began to stroke the muscles. He could feel the tension the extra weight was putting
on her frame. While Haylie had been in top physical condition at the time of her
pregnancy, things were obviously starting to take their toll.

“I think you missed your calling, Taber.”
“Do you think Sara could use my services in med bay?”
Haylie laughed. “Shit, she could keep you busy for months.”
“Haylie!”
Taber snatched his hand away at the sound of Kamran’s voice. Straightening, he

watched his friend stalk down the corridor toward them. Guilt washed through him
and he took a step away. By the goddess, he knew better than to touch a bonded Briel’s
mate, even if his intention was only to help.

When Kamran finally reached them, he glared momentarily at Taber before turning

his attention to his wife. “I woke up and you weren’t there. I was worried.”

“You couldn’t just pop into my mind to check?”
“You’re blocking me.”
Haylie smiled and reached up to caress her husband’s cheek. “Sorry, I forgot. I

needed to get up and move. Taber was helping me with the muscle pain in my back.”

Meeting Kamran’s gaze almost made him flinch. The possessive anger that

overcame his friend now that Haylie was nearing the end of her pregnancy was a
natural biological reaction. But it didn’t make it any easier to be on the receiving end of
it. Kamran’s fists were clenched at his sides, the muscles in his jaw twitched. He prayed
Kamran wouldn’t actually hit him, forcing him to test his ability to not react to a direct
attack. Is defenses had been so ingrained into him being a Protectorate, they were
impossible for Taber to hold back. The only way to ease matters lay with their
traditional customs.

Dropping his gaze to the floor, Taber bowed his head and spread his arms wide.

“Forgive me, Administrator. I shouldn’t have approached your mate without asking.”

He stayed that way, silently waiting for an acknowledgement from Kamran. In the

tradition of their people, Kamran could punish Taber for what he’d done, but it was
highly unlikely. Despite the power of biology, there was still Kamran’s strong will, the
ambassador inside, that refused to let him take things too far. Instead, he reacted exactly
how Taber expected.

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The Bond That Consumes Us

Kamran sighed and after a moment, placed his hand on Taber’s shoulder. “I’m

sorry, my friend. I don’t know what comes over me these days.”

“It’s the bond.” He looked up and nodded his thanks. “And I know better. My

apologies to you both.”

“Oh, enough with the Briel drama. My back was aching, for fuck’s sake and you

helped,” Haylie said, clearly having had enough. “Now if you two talking trees will
move, I’m going to continue my walk.”

As Taber pushed past them, he felt the urge to smile again. A quick glance at

Kamran caught his friend rolling his eyes. Not for the first time Taber was amazed at
how many traits the couple now shared.

It hadn’t been the case for him when he’d been bonded.
“Ah!” Haylie moaned and clutched her stomach.
Kamran pushed past Taber to reach her side. “Haylie? Are you okay, shallen?”
“It’s the amda,” she whispered.
The baby.
“Are you sure?” Kamran said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. “You’ve felt

like this before.”

“Ahh!” She cried out even louder. Panting, she looked down at then over to

Kamran. “I think my water just broke.”

Taber could see a small puddle of fluid on the pristine floor around her feet.

Without another thought, Taber jumped into action. He ran to the closest communicator
panel and pressed the sensors to call med bay. “Doctor Fergus, please report to med
bay. Medical emergency.”

Kamran was half holding Haylie up. “Can you walk?”
“I…don’t think so,” she gasped out.
“This is med bay. Doctor Fergus isn’t on call tonight. One of the other doctor’s

can—”

Taber flipped off the communicator. “I’ll stop by her quarters and get her.”
Without another word Kamran scooped Haylie into his arms. Leading the way,

Taber made sure the corridor was clear, which was considerably easier than it could
have been thanks to the time of day. Despite his calm exterior, his heart was pounding
madly in his chest knowing what his friends were about to go through. After the
conversation he’d had with Sara and Davin about keeping an extra close eye on Haylie,
he knew the chances of a problem arising were greater than normal. This was the first
recorded birth of a Briel and human child, and they had to be ready for anything.

Even the possibility of death.
“Taber, run, get Sara. I’ll take her straight to med bay,” Kamran said, his voice full

of concern.

“Tell her to move her ass,” Haylie managed to grind out in between pants.

7

Christine d’Abo

Not looking back, Taber broke into a full run, heading straight for the residential

section of the station. With no one in the way, he made it to Sara and Davin’s quarters
in record time. Barely out of breath, he leaned on the door chime and waited.

The door quietly whooshed open to reveal a mostly naked Davin. His brown hair

hung down around his face and reptilian gold eyes glared out at him.

“What the fuck—” Davin started and just as suddenly stopped when he saw Taber.

“What?”

“Haylie,” he said and nodded.
“Shit. I’ll get Sara.”
“I’m up,” Sara’s voice drifted through the door. “She in med bay?”
“Kamran is taking her there now.”
Davin looked back over his shoulder at his wife. “Want me to come?”
For the longest time, Taber hadn’t trusted the Raqulian captain. But since Davin had

begun working as a trade negotiator for the colony, Taber had seen a change in the
man. And he was hopelessly in love with Sara—he’d do anything to help her. That fact
alone made it easier for Taber to accept him.

Davin still didn’t use his healing powers on a regular basis, so the fact that he was

offering to help with Haylie meant a lot.

“I know the administrator would appreciate your assistance.”
“Don’t think I can handle a little birthing, husband?” Sara pushed past them

wearing her doctor’s uniform, a med kit slung over her shoulder. “I’m not waiting, so
you better hurry and get dressed.”

“You don’t think my naked ass will inspire her?”
“Not waiting,” Sara said in a sing-song voice, already walking away.
“I’ll catch up.” Davin winked at Taber and disappeared back into their quarters.
For the second time that night Taber found himself chasing after a human female.

Sara’s shorter stride made it easier for him to catch up, but her determination to get to
Haylie kept their pace quick.

“What happened?” she asked in her no nonsense doctor’s tone.
“She was up walking, said her back was sore. I tried to massage the muscles, but it

didn’t seem to help. Her water broke shortly after.”

“Irritable?”
“No more than usual.”
“Well that sounds normal enough. Let’s hope the rest of this goes as smoothly.”
Med bay was buzzing with activity when they finally walked through the door.

Haylie let out a low groan and Taber saw her grab for Kamran as Sara reached her side.

“Couldn’t this have waited for a more reasonable hour?” Sara grinned as she

checked the monitor’s readings. “It’s looking good, hon. How are you feeling?”

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The Bond That Consumes Us

“This baby is going to kill me,” Haylie said from between clenched teeth.
Kamran squeezed her hand. “Don’t even joke about that.”
Taber’s gaze went between the couple and he couldn’t stop the uncomfortable itch

that pulled at his inner peace. These were his friends, as close to him as family, but he
wanted to be somewhere, anywhere else but here.

“There’s not going to be any dying on my shift. Now,” Sara turned and pointed at

her aid. “Rachael I’m going to need fifty micrograms of Tyraliam and a reading on the
fetal heartbeat. Kamran, I need you to move over here, but don’t let go of Haylie’s
hand.”

“Wouldn’t think of it.”
“We need to move her to the back room. Everyone set?”
Taber moved aside until his back was pressed flat against the wall. Assistants,

doctors, and other med bay personnel rolled Haylie away on a large bed to the isolation
room. The sudden quietness of the room was deafening. Seconds ticked into minutes as
he stood there, silently at attention, waiting for any word on what was happening.

Waiting.
By the goddess he hated waiting.
With a soft thunk, Davin pushed the door to med bay open. He hesitated for only a

moment when he saw Taber. “They in isolation?”

“Yes. I thought it best if I waited here.”
Davin’s lopsided grin told Taber the captain knew just how much he wanted to be

here.

“I don’t think Kamran would mind if you waited in your quarters.”
“I’d rather be close. In case there’s a problem.”
Despite his own feelings, he knew if anything happened to Haylie or the baby,

Kamran would need him here. He would need the strength of another Briel to save him
from the abyss that losing a mate would create deep inside his heart. There wasn’t
anyone else on the station but him who would understand.

“I’ll let him know you’re still here.” Davin nodded and disappeared into the back

room.

Clearing his mind, Taber waited at his self-imposed post for over an hour. It was

good practice, good discipline for him to stand like this, as he had when he was an
initiate. One of the rules a Protectorate solider lived by—never get weak, never take
things for granted. That was one law that had served him well his whole life. It had
been one of the things that had saved him all those years ago.

After another twenty standard minutes, the door from the isolation room finally

pushed open and Kamran walked slowly through. He looked exhausted, but the smile
on his face and the small bundle in his arms sent a wave of relief through Taber.

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Christine d’Abo

“My friend,” Kamran said, his voice edged with heavy emotion. “I’d like you to

meet my daughter.”

A girl.
Suddenly unable to move, he waited for Kamran to bring his little daughter over to

him. The small pink face and bright blue eyes that looked up at him almost brought
Taber to tears.

A tiny, little girl.
Somehow he found his voice. “You have been truly blessed, Administrator.”
Kamran looked up, his eyes also filled with unshed tears, and smiled. “By the

goddess, call me Kamran. You are my friend, not my bodyguard. Especially today.”
Finding a chair, Kamran sat down and gently cradled his baby in the crook of his arms.
“Please sit with me.”

Sit? How could he? Friend or no, he wasn’t Kamran’s equal. This was a man who

negotiated peace between countless words, had a mate, and now had given his people
the blessing of a daughter. Taber wasn’t worthy to sit at his feet, let alone by his side.

Not when he’d let his mate die in disgrace.
“I thank you for the honor, but no. I hope Haylie is well?”
“Still swearing at Sara. That’s why I brought Orya out here. We don’t want your

mother to teach you such words yet. Do we?”

Kamran bent down to place a kiss on Orya’s forehead, eliciting a soft mewling

sound from her. Taber couldn’t take his eyes from the baby as she reached up and her
tiny fingers batted at her father’s cheek. The feeling of restlessness uncoiled and began
to spread through his chest, clamping down on his heart. He found it difficult to
breathe, and he had to concentrate to make his lungs work with a slow, even rhythm.
He had to leave—needed to get as far away from here as possible. Somewhere where he
could escape the perfection of his friend’s life.

“Taber?”
He looked up into Kamran’s concerned eyes. All his years of perfecting his mask,

the look that kept his emotions tightly in check, threatened to crumble under the
scrutiny of his friend’s gaze.

“I need to go.” His voice was soft, calm. The last thing he wanted was to disturb the

baby.

“Go where?”
Images of Briel flashed before him, but he couldn’t return home. He would find no

solace there. And while he didn’t want to leave Eurus, he needed time to regain his
center, his calm before he could see Kamran, Haylie and their baby again. If he couldn’t
sort through this, he’d be no good to them.

No good to anyone.
“Sean has been spending too much time in the mines again. I thought I would

relieve his post for a while, give him an opportunity to rest and relax for a while.” A

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The Bond That Consumes Us

quick glance at the computer display gave him the time. “He should be back from the
mine by now. I will find him and share your good news. He will want to pay his
respects.”

Not wanting to wait for Kamran to respond, Taber walked with long, sure strides

out of med bay.

* * * * *

It took Taber longer than he expected to find Sean. The human had a way of making

himself scarce when he wanted to be left alone. It hadn’t always been that way. But
since the Ecada had invaded the colony, Sean had changed from the outgoing,
charismatic man Taber had met ten years ago upon his arrival, to a withdrawn loner.

In a way, they had more in common now than they had back then.
Currently, they stood in Haylie’s office, Taber waiting for Sean to finish filling out

an incident report. The young security office sitting behind the desk was still grinning,
had been since Taber had announced the birth of Haylie’s child.

“The team has a present for her and the administrator. We’re going to stop by once

she’s had a chance to rest,” the officer said, his voice almost cracking like a young child.

“I wouldn’t go too soon. She’s just as likely to shoot you as thank you right now,”

Taber said, keeping his voice as even as possible.

Sean turned his head and let a small smile slip. “She’s a damn good shot too.”
“Don’t I know it, sir. Thank you for the report. I’ll add it to the records.”
Sean nodded and walked out, Taber following close beside.
“Kamran must be happy,” Sean said after a minute of quiet. “Have you seen the

baby?”

The image of her small pink nose and the inquisitive look in Orya’s eyes hadn’t left

his mind for any of the past hour. The realization of how low he’d really gone, hit him
like a slap to the face when he realized just how jealous he was of Kamran.

Jealous! There was no excuse for that.
“Yes. They’ve named her Orya and she is quite lovely.”
“I take it Haylie is doing well. Not that a little thing like childbirth would slow her

down for long,” Sean said as he nodded to a group of miners who passed them as they
made their way to the bazaar.

“I expect we’ll see her back in her office next week.”
“I wouldn’t doubt it. Sooner if she could somehow convince Kamran to agree to it.”
The coffee merchant had two large mugs ready for them, no charge, in celebration

of the birth of the baby. Drinks in hand, they tried to leave the crowded area but were
delayed with almost every step. The entire station was buzzing with excitement as
people laughed, cheered and generally celebrated the birth of Eurus’ newest member.
Taber knew there was no place for him to escape the excitement, as people continued to

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come up to him, wanting him to pass along congratulations to the new parents. Each
time he nodded, occasionally trying to force a smile until he thought he would lose
what little control he had left.

“I need to get out of here before I go insane.”
Taber was surprised when he realized it wasn’t he, but Sean, who had spoken.
“Would it be wrong of me to concur?”
The former administrator tried to fight the smile but failed, dissolving into a soft

chuckle. “Too much happiness is bad for the head.”

It took them a while, but they finally managed to make their way to the corridor

that led to the residential section of the station. With fewer people there, they were able
to walk at a relatively fast pace. They were about to part ways, Sean escaping to his
quarters and Taber on his way to the observation room, when a shout caused them both
to turn.

Kamran was walking toward them at a steady pace, nodding and smiling to the

people he passed. Taber felt his heart rate increase slightly and his lowered his gaze to
the floor, no longer able to meet Kamran’s eyes directly. He’d sunk to a new low
indeed.

“Just the two people I’ve been looking for.” Kamran sounded happier than he’d

been in weeks. “I need your help.”

Taber’s head snapped up, his eyes locked on Kamran’s face, looking for any sign of

a problem. “You know I will do anything to assist.” Especially if it would take his mind
off current events.

Kamran reached out and squeezed Taber’s shoulder. “I know, my friend. And I

think this little problem is best suited to your skills.”

“I’ll leave you to it then,” Sean turned and punched in the security code for his

quarters.

“This requires your assistance as well. Can we discuss this inside?”
Sean looked from Taber to Kamran, before shrugging. “Come in.”
Taber was surprised at the contents of Sean’s home as they walked inside. He’d

never had an occasion to be in here, not in the ten years he’d known the man, which
was odd when he thought about it. An entire wall was covered with books. He’d only
seen a few in his lifetime, mostly from Kamran. Paper had been outlawed on Earth
decades ago, so he knew these were priceless. The administrator sat down on a wide
chair, scratching his hand through his hair.

“We’ve received a communication from the Damara. It seems their head of security

has been murdered.”

Sean frowned. “That’s the recreation ship, correct?”
“They’ve been in this sector for several months now,” Taber said with a single nod.

“Their captain has been giving us updates since their arrival. They were concerned

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The Bond That Consumes Us

about attacks from pirates and the Ecada and wanted us to know where they were in
case of any difficulties.”

“I fear their problem is far simpler than that. They have a murder on board and no

trained investigators.”

“Surely they have enough security staff. A second in command should be able to

run such an investigation.”

Taber wanted to ignore the request from the ship. The captain and his crew had

been adamant they didn’t need their help when they’d first arrived, and were only
interested in credits and the trading opportunities the Eurus colony could give them.
The humans in charge seemed competent if arrogant.

“The captain isn’t confident the second in command isn’t the murderer. He asked

for me to send a delegation who can act as an impartial investigator to ensure the guilty
party is caught. I would like it to be the two of you.”

Kamran locked his gaze on Taber, seemingly looking right into his very soul.

Despite his best efforts to conceal it, Kamran knew how Taber was feeling and this was
his way of trying to help. He was giving him the space he needed while at the same
time allowing him to save face by giving him an important task.

“I’m sure Taber can manage this on his own. I need to get back to the mines in the

morning.”

“You, my friend, are under orders from Doctor Fergus to accompany him.” Kamran

tossed a data pad at Sean and waited for him to read it before continuing. “She is
concerned about your exposure to the silicate and wants you to have a break. I thought
this would be better than sitting in your quarters. Though from the look of things, you
could manage to keep yourself busy with reading material alone.”

The muscles in Sean’s jaw tightened for a moment as he ground his teeth together.

Taber waited for him to argue, but instead he simply nodded once.

“Good.” Kamran stood and made his way over to the door. “I’ll let the captain of

the Damara know you’ll be on your way. They were heading back toward the colony, so
you won’t be long in the shuttle. And if you solve this crime quickly, which I have no
doubt that you will, don’t hurry back. You both deserve some time to yourselves.”

“I doubt I’ll stay—” Sean started.
“I can make it an order if you’d like.”
Sean stiffened before shaking his head. “Not necessary.”
“Good.”
Giving them a short bow, Kamran left them to return to Haylie and the baby. Taber

was left standing, staring after Sean. He looked as lost as Taber felt right now. Perhaps
this investigation would be the thing they both needed to get their lives back onto the
right path.

“Do you need time to prepare?” Taber’s voice seemed loud in the densely furnished

room.

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“Just time for a shower. I’m still covered in dust from the mine.”
A heartbeat passed. Taber turned and walked to the door. He stopped and looked

back at Sean over his shoulder.

“I’ll meet you in the shuttle bay in an hour.”
Sean looked down at the floor, nodding once. “I honestly can think of a hundred

things I’d rather be doing than spending time on a party ship.”

Taber couldn’t agree more. “But I do love the thrill of the hunt. I haven’t chased a

villain in quite some time.”

“Maybe he’ll resist arrest,” Sean said. A slow grin crossed his lips but didn’t quite

make it to his eyes.

He’d been so busy wrapped in his own emotions, Taber hadn’t paid as much

attention to his friend as he should. Something else he would keep his eyes on during
this mission.

“We can hope.”

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The Bond That Consumes Us

Chapter Two

Fallon wiped the same spot on the glistening polymer of the bar for the hundredth

time that hour and wished like hell she could get out of there. Apparently, investigators
from the Eurus colony had finally arrived and Captain Zane had wanted everyone
where they were until he knew how they wanted to proceed. Of course it was over a
three-hour shuttle ride from the Eurus colony, and everyone was more than a little tired
of sitting still. The customers who were trapped with them had enough alcohol to
inebriate a battalion of soldiers. And there were only seven of them.

The whole situation pretty much sucked.
“I can’t believe Nate is dead,” a voice behind her said.
Turning to see Lance haul in another keg of hydro beer, which she affectionately

referred to as rot gut, she saw the color had finally returned to his face. How anyone
could drink beer made from genetically modified barley that was produced in a
hydroponics lab was beyond her. It normally didn’t matter because as bartenders they
weren’t allowed to drink the stock while they were on duty. But Lance had been
slamming the beer back ever since they’d found Nate, rules be damned, and she was
going to have to pick up the pieces if he got too drunk.

She’d somehow gotten over the shock of seeing Nate’s body crumpled in the

storage room in the first hour of their confinement. Since then, she’d been trying to
come to terms with his death. Not that she’d been in love with him or a close friend or
anything, but he’d been decent to her over the years.

“Nate had a habit of pissing people off. I’m sure his murder will be solved in

twenty minutes. All they need to do is find his most recent arrest,” she said in a steady
voice, as she moved to help him unhook the old keg and maneuver the new one in
place. The last thing she needed was Lance freaking out on her again.

Fuck, she hoped the investigators could get here soon so she could finally give her

statement and be released so she could hide in her quarters for the rest of the night. She
and the idea of death didn’t get along very well.

“Probably. I just hope we get some new customers out of all this. I hear that colony

is up to over a thousand. All those miners with all that money.”

“Okay, now I know that’s the beer talking. You’re not normally that much of a

callous asshole.”

“Hey, seeing a corpse caught me off guard. It’s not like I had a love on for the man.

Besides, a fellow’s got to live and I have expensive tastes.”

Fallon dropped her chin to her chest with a sigh when Lance began to rub his hands

together. “That’s really pathetic.”

15

Christine d’Abo

“Hey, can I help it if I get a percentage of the pie?”
“You could shoot a little more my way. Maybe I could afford to get my ass back

home to Earth.”

God, she hated it out here and Nate’s death simply reinforced her feelings. Her stint

on the Damara was supposed to be easy money. Two years, three max and she would
have had enough money between her salary and the isolation bonus to pay her way
though university and buy a condo in any of the larger cities on Earth. If she’d read the
fine print of her contract, she would have caught the fact Damara wasn’t scheduled to
head back home for another six years. She could stay until the ship was due to return
and get the ride for free. But if she wanted to go home sooner, it would have to be via a
transport and come out of her own pocket. The cost would eat up most of what she’d
managed to make here, leaving her with barely enough for pocket change, let alone
money to make her dreams come true. So here she stayed, serving drinks at a bar until
her luck changed and she could get home, buy a business license and open her own bar.

Wasn’t life grand?
The soft click of the bar’s communicator caught Fallon’s attention. Flipping her

ponytail over her shoulder, she made her way to the consol and tapped a button.

“Hello, Captain Zane. How are things going?”
“Fallon.” The older man nodded his head. The frown on his face made him look

older than normal. That and the fact one of his oldest friends was now lying in the
morgue. “I wanted to let you know the investigators from the Eurus colony are on their
way down. Please give them total cooperation.”

“Of course, Captain. And once this is settled, I’m going to send you a bottle of

scotch. A real one, none of that genetically modified shit.”

“Only if you share a glass with me.” He gave her a wink.
“Are you hitting on me?” She made sure there was enough playfulness in her voice

for him to know she wasn’t letting the murder affect her. Even if it had scared the crap
out of her.

“If you were a few years older, damn right I would be. I’ll check in with you and

Lance later.”

“We’ll be here.” At least until the security lock on the door was released.
Turning as the communicator screen winked off, she saw the doors to the bar open

for the first time in over three hours. Fallon barely noticed the first two men as they
walked in. It was the third who caught her immediate and full attention. He towered
over the others, his hands locked behind his back as he walked. She watched as he
scanned the crowd, keeping his movements to a minimum. He was a solid wall of
muscle. The immediate lull in conversation and the low scraping of chairs as people
turned to face the newcomers told her that she wasn’t the only one who was surprised.
They had only had a handful of aliens on board over the three years she’d been a
member of the crew, and none had been as impressive as this man.

16

The Bond That Consumes Us

She ignored the sudden tingle that built between her legs and stood a little taller. It

had been a long while since she’d had any interest in a man, but he was a good way to
break her dry spell.

“Shit,” Lance muttered. “That fucker’s huge.”
“Let’s just play nice and maybe he won’t eat anyone,” she whispered back.
Lance coughed back a chuckle as the party made their way directly toward the bar.

Flicking her ponytail over her shoulder again, Fallon straightened up and put on her
best bartender grin as she recognized the ship security’s third in command.

“Hey, Tony. About time someone from your team came down here. Doc took the

body almost three hours ago.”

“Fallon,” Tony greeted her, his face immediately turning red. “These are the

investigators from the Eurus colony. They wanted to see where you found Nate before
they go talk to Commander Bruce.”

A very attractive human stepped forward, holding out his hand. His short, cropped

blond hair suited his leanly built frame. But when she looked into his eyes, she could
tell he had survived a lot of hardships. She’d seen the same distant look in many sets of
eyes over the years here in the bar.

“Hello, Ms. Reist. My name is Sean Donaldson and this is Taber. We’ve been asked

by your captain to investigate the murder of Nate Keaton.”

“Oh lord, call me Fallon. I’m a bartender, not an officer. I’d be more than happy to

show you and Mr. Taber where I found Nate.”

She was about to turn when the alien spoke.
“It’s just Taber.”
She’d done her best to try and ignore the seven-foot-tall giant standing in front of

her. And until he’d actually said something, she might have been able to manage it,
pretending he was nothing more than a moving wall. But there was something about
his voice, the way he said his name that made her really look at him.

He was by far the most attractive man she’d ever seen. His eyes were dark blue, so

dark they looked almost black if it weren’t for the crystal blue flecks near the center.
They were eyes that showed intelligence, sadness and strength. His black hair was cut
short along the sides of his head, with the top a bit longer. She could tell by the way he
stood, wide and confident, that he was military.

His wide, muscular shoulders were barely contained in his midnight blue tunic.

The belt around his waist would have wrapped around her three or four times. His
muscular legs were clad in snug fitting pants. She assumed it gave him free and easy
movement for when he had to chase down the bad guys. It also gave her an amazing
view of the massive thighs and firm ass.

What would it be like to have a man like that in her bed?
Somehow Fallon brought her eyes back up to his face and managed to smile. It took

a lot to make her blush, but for a moment she thought she might be as red as Tony. The

17

Christine d’Abo

thoughts of what he could do to her body with his large hands and wide, full lips made
her shiver. Maybe he’d be the type of man who would be willing to take charge in bed,
feed her craving, her desire to be controlled.

When she tried to speak again, nothing wanted to come out. Her heart was starting

to increase in rhythm and there was sudden stirring in her lower belly. All she could
imagine was him fucking her senseless. He seemed to notice her hesitation and cocked a
single eyebrow at her in question.

“We found his body back here,” Lance piped up and made his way over to the back

supply room.

Thank you, Lance.
Fallon followed quickly behind her co-worker, trying desperately to ignore her

long-forgotten sex drive. Lord, she was pathetic if it only took the thought of a large
cock and a dominant man to get her tongue tied.

“Who found him?” Donaldson moved beside Lance, carefully walking around the

holographic projection of Nate’s body on the floor. The ship’s doctor had taken Nate
away shortly after she’d discovered him but had to leave the holo until the investigation
was completed. It had given her the creeps knowing it was still in here.

“I did.” Her voice was steady, but her throat was tight. “I came in to get a refill of

Super Nova mix when I found him like this.”

The blood on the floor had just about made her puke. She’d burst out of there and

thrown her body against the bar, panting. Lance had been the one to scream when he
went in to see what was wrong.

“Did you touch anything? Move the body in any way?”
Taber’s deep voice sent another shiver down her back, and she found her toes

curling in her shoes. He moved so he was standing beside her now, his shoulder
reached just above her ear, the heat from his body warming the chilled skin of her bare
arm. God, it didn’t make sense her reaction to him, unless it was her mind’s way of
reacting to the murder. Life affirmation and all that crap.

“I know better than to touch anything,” she said looking back up into his blue eyes.

“The second I realized what had happened, I put the bar into lockdown and called
security.”

“Could you guess how long the body was in here before you discovered it?”
Taber’s gaze was locked on to hers, and she got the impression he was testing her

reactions, looking to see if she was in fact the one who’d killed Nate. The intensity in
those eyes told her trust did not come easily to him. The tilt of his head and the set of
his jaw practically screamed he considered her a suspect. She may be a lot of things, but
a killer wasn’t one of them.

Fallon turned to face him dead on and straightened to her full five feet, ten inches

and prayed it was enough to look confident, even if it was the last thing she felt. With

18

The Bond That Consumes Us

her hands on her hips, she narrowed her gaze, refusing to look away or be intimidated
by him.

“I last saw Nate when he did his early evening rounds. He always stops by around

twenty-one hundred. He chatted with both myself, Lance and a few of the regulars
before leaving out the front door. I didn’t see him return at all. The next time I laid eyes
on him, he was in my storage room, dead. That was just before twenty-three hundred.”

Taber didn’t move, but he somehow swallowed the small space between their

bodies. Fallon’s heart raced and her nipples tightened beneath her shirt when Taber’s
eyes darted, for barely a second down the length of her body.

“I believe you, Ms. Reist.”
His voice was like a caress of silk against bare skin. She managed to suppress

another shiver before swallowing hard so she could speak. “I told you, please call me
Fallon.”

“Very well,” he said with a slow nod, his gaze not leaving hers.
They stayed that way for several more seconds until she heard Lance clear his

throat. She looked to see him examining something in the far corner of the room. But
the other man, Donaldson, was openly staring at them, his eyes flicked from her to
Taber. For a moment she could have sworn he’d muttered, great.

“What’s the next step in your investigation?” She turned away from Taber,

suddenly needing the air, and carefully walked around the holo toward Donaldson.

“To ask you a few more questions, see the body and talk to the suspect in custody,”

Taber said from behind her.

“I still can’t believe you think Commander Bruce did this, Tony,” Lance said.

“Bruce is too much of a cowardly ass to actually commit a murder.”

Tony simply shrugged. “We have to follow every lead. You know that.”
“I think this will go faster if we split up,” Donaldson said. He looked at Fallon for

only a moment before turning to Tony. “Would you be able to take me to your med
bay? I’d like to talk to the doctor before it gets too late. Taber, I’ll leave the questioning
of the people here to you.”

“Hey do you think I could come too?” Lance piped up. “I’ve been fighting a killer

headache for the past hour and could use some meds from Doc.”

“I don’t think self-inflicted pain counts as an emergency, Lance,” Fallon said,

shaking her head.

Not that anyone else seemed to mind. Donaldson shrugged. “I’ll question you in

med bay then.”

And before she had a chance to think about what was happening, Donaldson

followed Tony and Lance out the door leaving her alone with Taber.

Just great. Could this night get any worse?
Not wanting to look at him, Fallon found her gaze flick down to the holo of Nate.

The laser blast had cauterized the wound, so the blood was mostly beneath his body. A

19

Christine d’Abo

small pool of it was still on the floor, the crimson shimmering because the light of the
holo. Nate had been friendly to her. If it weren’t for the ship’s strict policy against
dating co-workers, there may have been a chance something would have developed
between them when she’d first come on board, but not in recent months.

“Were you close?”
Taber’s voice had changed. It was softer than when he was questioning her earlier,

as if he recognized her discomfort. She shrugged before nodding.

“He was very kind to me. Showed me the ropes when I first came on board ship.”
“I’m very sorry for your loss.”
Looking up, Fallon wrapped her arms around her upper body. “Thanks. Could we

do this somewhere else? This thing creeps me out.”

“Of course. One of the tables?”
“Okay.”
Leading the way, she skirted the tables that held the regulars, ignoring their

questioning looks, and stopped at the far booth. Sliding along the cool seat cover, she
waited for Taber to join her. When he stood at the side of the table rather than sit, she
frowned.

“Aren’t you going to sit with me?”
“It’s not the custom of my people to do so.”
His hands were clasped behind his back and his legs were spread slightly as he

stood. The posture seemed so natural she doubted he even thought about it, his body
falling into the stance like a habit.

“I’m sorry, you’re probably going to think I’m stupid or living under a rock or

something, but who are your people? You’re certainly not human.”

“My people are known as the Briel. There is a large group of us who have built the

Eurus colony with the humans in this sector.”

Briel. Nate and Captain Zane had told her about the Briel one night when they were

off duty and they’d asked her to mix drinks at an officer’s party. They were an odd race,
fewer women than men if she remembered right, and only got turned on by their one
and only mate. She’d always thought there was something sweet about that even when
the men had laughed at the idea. A whole race who searched for their soul mates.
Unfortunately for her, it pretty much nixed her chances of getting him into bed.

Figures.
“Well, why is it not your custom? Can we do something so it is acceptable for you

to sit?”

“I can arrest you.”
When her mouth opened to protest, she noticed his lips twitch into a small smile.
“Someone should have warned me Briel had a sense of humor.”

20

The Bond That Consumes Us

Sitting so close to him, Fallon caught a hint of his scent. A light musk and

something that could have been soap made her skin tingle. She couldn’t place the spice
it reminded her of, but it was something she could become addicted to if she spent
enough time with him.

“Did Mr. Keaton have any enemies?”
Taber’s low voice sent a shiver through her. She could picture him talking like that

to her in bed after sex, his low rumbling bass vibrating through her body. Fallon let out
a sigh and pushed herself a bit farther away from him.

“He was the head of security on the ship. Of course there were people who were

pissed off at him, but I don’t think there was anyone who’d want to kill him. The most
he ever did was throw someone in the brig if they had a bit too much to drink.”

“How often would that happen?”
Without meaning to do so, Fallon let her gaze traveled up his body once more. With

Taber so close, his size was far more impressive. She had a hard time taking her eyes off
his massive legs, and she couldn’t help but wish she’d been able to see his ass, wanting
to catch another glimpse at its perfection.

“Ms. Reist?”
Her face heated again as her gaze snapped to his eyes. “Sorry. Umm, usually it

would happen a couple of times a week. Lance and I had a pretty good handle on the
people coming in, but there are always strangers showing up from passing cargo ships
and we’d have a few issues.”

Tilting his head to the side, Taber kept his gaze fixed on her face, but she could tell

he was curious about something. Her hair? Without thinking, she reached up and began
to play with the end of her ponytail.

“Are there any of these strangers in the bar tonight? Any who were in earlier?”
“No. This crew is most of our regulars. They stop by every few weeks to spend all

the money they earned. I can tell you most of their drink orders if you’d like.”

“Not necessary. Do you have a mate?”
Fallon straightened immediately, her mouth hanging open until she made a

conscious effort to snap it shut.

“Excuse me?” her voice sounded like a twelve-year-old boy’s as it cracked.
“If Nate paid more attention to you than he should have, an angry mate might not

appreciate it. Take action against him.”

“Why would you assume he was killed because of me?”
This time Taber’s gaze moved down her face lingering on her neck and breasts for a

moment before returning back to her eyes. He made no effort to hide the fact he’d just
checked her out, but for the life of her, Fallon couldn’t tell if he liked what he saw.

“You’re an attractive woman. It’s been my experience with humans that attractive

women are not alone and typically have a mate. Human males can be possessive of
their females. If yours perceived a threat, he may have acted upon it.”

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Christine d’Abo

“I’m…” What the hell to say to that? “I’m single. I mean I don’t have a…a mate.”
“I find that unusual.”
Was he flirting with her? Fallon bit the inside of her lower lip, needing the pain to

yank her out of her lust-induced insanity. Maybe Zane and Nate were wrong about the
Briel. Or maybe she was simply pathetic and seeing sexual attraction when there was
nothing but a man doing his job. She really needed to get laid.

“Well, I haven’t had much of a chance to date. Crew members are limited in the

contact we can have. Dating co-workers is strictly off limits and the types of customers
we get in here aren’t really my type.”

For a moment, she thought he was going to say something else. With him standing

in front of her, blocking out the view of the rest of the bar, she almost believed they
were alone. Her curiosity tickled her insides and plucked up her courage.

You only live once, right?
“So do you have someone back on Eurus? A mate, I mean?”
She wouldn’t have thought she’d caught him off guard with her question if it

wasn’t for the slight widening of his eyes. The rest of his body stood completely still
until he straightened, bringing his large hands to the front to clasp them there.

“Ms. Reist—”
“Fallon. Please call me Fallon.” Oh please say my name.
“My status as a mate is not relevant to the case.”
“But it’s relevant to me.”
The words were out before she had time to consider what their impact might be.

Not that she could take them back now. What she didn’t expect was for Taber to lean
forward, bracing one hand on the table and the other on the back of the booth. His body
was opened wide to her, the massive expanse of his chest spread before her, begging for
her to reach out and caress it. Fallon shoved her hands under her thighs to stop her
from doing anything stupid.

Taber leaned forward until his face was close to hers. She could see faint lines

beginning to deepen around the corners of his eyes and others framing his mouth.
Having him this close was almost more than she could handle, her body reacting with a
wave of desire stoking her from the inside out.

“What do you know of my people?” His voice was a low whisper, meant for her

ears only.

“You only have one mate and that it’s biology or something. I’d never seen a Briel

before today.”

His steady, deep breathing tickled her face but told her he wasn’t affected by her

the same way she was by him.

“I have no mate.”

22

The Bond That Consumes Us

Something in the way he said the word mate told her all she needed to know. He

wasn’t in the market and sounded like he had no interest in being there. Fallon pushed
away the disappointment that threatened to overwhelm her and instead put on her
well-practiced smile.

“No problem. I do know that your people don’t screw around with anyone other

than your mate. I’ve just been on ship too long.” Lord, she needed some space. “If you
want to interview the patrons, I can send them over here one at a time for you.”

She should have asked if she could just go back to her quarters so she could rest.

She was tired enough from working a double shift. But a part of her wanted to stay and
watch, see how Taber interrogated the others.

Hell, she just wanted an opportunity to watch him some more, even if she didn’t

stand a hope in hell of fucking him.

Taber only hesitated for a moment before pulling back, straightening to his full

height. Fallon instantly missed the heat from his body and couldn’t prevent a sudden
chill from going through her.

“Thank you.”
Those two simple words were all the dismissal she got from him. Taber moved to

the side so she could slide out from the booth seat. Taking a deep breath to calm her
overheated body, she pulled herself out, stood as straight as she could and began to
walk away. A large hand lightly gripped her elbow, causing Fallon to gasp, snapping
her head around to look at him.

“Please send them over one by one, and don’t say anything to them about what we

discussed.”

Taber’s grip was gentle, as his hand totally engulfed her arm. She normally wore a

sleeveless shirt because of the heat that usually kicked out from behind the bar. Now
she was thankful because she got to revel in the feeling of his hand against her bare
skin. When she nodded her head, he released her arm, but not before rubbing his
thumb across her skin. The touch was so quick, so gentle, for a moment she thought
she’d imagined it.

“Thank you,” his voice was steady as he dropped her arm.
“Can I get you anything?” Blowjob? Mind-blowing orgasm?
“Just the first suspect.”
Fallon spent the next hour shuttling her customers from their tables to Taber, and

then out of the bar once he cleared them. Most of the men were scared shitless of Taber
and the few women who’d been there seemed just as infatuated with him as she was.
Not that he responded.

She learned a lot about him in the hour it took for him to question everyone. She

watched from behind the bar, fascinated by his every gesture and what it said about
him. When he got annoyed, usually when one of the drunks tried to joke around with
him, Taber would let out a single deep breath and clasp his hands behind his back.

23

Christine d’Abo

When he was trying to discourage one of the amorous women, he would cross his arms
across his chest and raise his eyebrow. A small part of her was pleased that he hadn’t
done that with her.

Soon there was no one left in the bar but the two of them. Lance had called earlier to

tell her that Donaldson had cleared him and he had returned to his quarters to sleep off
his fast-approaching hangover. The bar would be closed until they finished their
investigation, so that meant she’d have at least a few days off to rest.

But what the hell was she going to do with a murder on board and her unexpected

fascination for a man she couldn’t have?

A fascination that was quickly becoming an obsession.
“It seems you’ve run out of suspects,” she said and smiled at him after the last

person left. “Not a very productive night for you.”

“You’re wrong with that assumption. I’ve eliminated all people at the site of the

crime and have gathered information on both Mr. Keaton and several parties of
interest.”

Something in the way he said the last part made Fallon put the glass down she’d

been cleaning and look at him. Taber was standing as he had when they’d first met,
hands behind his back, legs spread wide. But something was different. He seemed more
relaxed somehow. Fallon tilted her head toward the bar.

“It’s really late on ship. I doubt you’ll find anyone else to question until the

morning. Would you like a drink?”

When he didn’t answer right away, she took that as silent permission to go ahead.

Grabbing a glass, she flipped it up in the air, spinning it high before she caught it easily
in her other hand. She grinned and set it down lightly on the bar.

“As this is your first time in The Cockpit, you get our house special—The

Afterburner.”

Fallon had learned how to tend bar from her uncle back on Earth. She’d spent years

as a kid flipping bottles of water in the air until she learned how to do it with style and
accuracy. She enjoyed the fun and challenge, the showmanship of the activity. Grabbing
each bottle in turn, she put on her practiced flying bottle routine for her one and only
customer. Occasionally, she would look up at him and smile but found the eye contact
to be a distraction. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin the show with a stupid
accident.

When she was done, Fallon slid the half-full glass across the bar toward Taber and

place her hands on her hips, waiting.

“Impressive.” The single word rolled off his lips like a seductive caress.
“But you haven’t tried it yet. And you’ll break my heart if you don’t take at least a

sip.”

She held her smile in place until he reached out and gripped the glass in his

massive hand. Then she held her breath as he lifted the glass to his full lips and took a

24

The Bond That Consumes Us

sip. Her heart was pounding as she waited for the verdict to cross his face. When he
didn’t move for a moment, Fallon thought she was going to burst from not knowing.

“Well?”
“Potent.”
“I hope that means you like it.”
“I do.”
And then he tipped the glass back and finished the contents in a single swallow.

The Afterburner was a powerful drink, but after the way he swallowed what most
people would have coughed up, she doubted it had much of an impact on Taber. He
held the glass a moment longer than she’d expected before setting it down and letting
his gaze find hers once again.

“Until we find whoever murdered Mr. Keaton, I’m going to ask that you don’t walk

the hallways alone.”

Fallon took a step back and frowned. “I doubt anyone would come after me.”
Taber held her gaze as he leaned forward, pressing both his hands on the edge of

the bar. “Please Ms. Reist.”

“Fallon—”
Taber closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh. “Please let me escort you to your

quarters.”

The lust that had been building in her belly all night instantly sprung forth at the

thought of Taber being in her quarters. Her pussy grew wet and her nipples tightened,
which only deepened her desire. It was probably a good idea to be a bit on the cautious
side until they caught whoever killed Nate. And she could tell by the look on his face he
wasn’t going to give her any say in the matter anyway. Taber pushed away from the bar
and made his way over to the door where he waited for her to join him.

Tossing her towel into the laundry slot in the wall, she walked out of the bar and

waited for him to follow before she put a security lock on the door.

“No one will be able to get in now. My place is this way.”
The corridors of the Damara were never completely empty, no matter the time of

day. Even after all of the partiers were asleep, there was usually someone on duty,
moving about completing some task. But with the ship on lockdown, the corridors were
dead, making the normally jovial atmosphere of the ship eerily silent.

“The crew quarters are on the far side of the ship,” she said after a few minutes of

walking in silence. Taber didn’t say anything, so she rushed to fill in the lull with
conversation.

“Damara is pretty much a party ship most of the time. When we’re in orbit around a

planet you won’t be able to move in these halls, no matter what time of day it is. I hope
you catch the person who did this to Nate quickly so we can bring some life back to this
place.”

25

Christine d’Abo

There was a few seconds of silence before she heard Taber draw in a short breath to

speak. Fallon waited, anticipating the tingle that would race down her spine when he
did.

“I would normally never visit a ship of this nature.”
Somehow that didn’t surprise her.
“Any particular reason why not? Do Briel not know how to have fun?”
She partially turned her head so she could get a better look at her overly serious

bodyguard. For his part, Taber seemed more interested in making sure no one was
lurking in the halls than looking at her. At least she thought so until he wrapped an arm
around her waist and pulled her out of the path of a man who practically ran out of a
service doorway.

“Shit!” she squeaked, her fingers closing around Taber’s massive forearm.
“Oh, hey,” a clipped drawl came from the man. “Watch where the fuck you’re

going!”

Turning her startled gaze from Taber’s arm, she saw Lukas Ross standing here.

When he realized it was her, his body relaxed and he leaned against the doorframe. His
engineering uniform opened at the neck, exposing a large portion of his naked chest.
His dark brown eyes narrowed on Taber for a moment before he returned his gaze to
her.

“Sorry about that, Fallon. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Lukas stepped out into the

hall. “Are you okay?”

Taber tighten his grip ever so slightly around her waist before releasing her. It

wasn’t until he stepped away that she realized her hip had been in direct contact with
the side of his thigh. Looking over her shoulder at Taber, she smiled and flipped her
ponytail back over her shoulder.

“Lukas, this is Taber. He’s here from the Eurus colony investigating Nate’s death.”
Flashing his prizewinning grin, Lukas held out his hand. “Lukas Ross. I’m one of

the head engineers here on the Damara.”

Taber merely looked at his outstretched hand before nodding once. “Ms. Reist, we

should get you back to your quarters.”

“Is there a problem?”
Lukas wasn’t as protective as Nate or even Captain Zane had been, but she’d

always been able to count on him in the past. That said, he tended to overreact
whenever he thought there might be a chance someone was giving her grief.

“It’s all good. Taber wanted to see part of the ship and I said I’d point out all the

highlights before we parted company tonight.”

Not exactly a lie. Surprisingly, Taber didn’t contradict what she’d said and instead

began to walk away. Fallon couldn’t stop herself from following him, waving to Lukas
before she went.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she called to him as she jogged to catch up to Taber.

26

The Bond That Consumes Us

Fallon began to smile as they walked through the brightly lit corridor of the ship.

The bright blue lights that ran along the inside of the wall along the top cast a soft glow
on Taber as they moved.

“It’s too bad you weren’t here under better circumstances. I could show you how to

have a good time, give you a bit of a vacation.”

Taber stopped in the hallway and for some reason, crossed his arms across his

chest.

“I don’t need a vacation.”
Oh boy.
“I wasn’t implying you do. However, it’s been my experience that the people who

need to have vacations the most, deny it the loudest.” Fallon did her very best not to
smile at him, but she couldn’t stop the faint twitch of her lips as she stood there looking
at him.

He didn’t move or make any comment to continue the banter. Fallon reached up

and played with the end of her ponytail when he continued to stare at her. The intensity
of his gaze did strange things to her body, things she really wanted to explore.

“I’m sorry if I upset you,” she said when the silence got to be too much. Without

thinking, she took a step closer to him. “I guess I’ve been on board this ship too long. I
tend to tease everyone about everything. This is my room up here.”

Not wanting to prolong things and say something really stupid, Fallon marched up

to her door and punched in the security code. She didn’t immediately go inside, instead
turning to lean in the doorway so she could stare at him some more. Fuck, he was one
prime specimen of male.

“Do you know where you are staying?” She tried to keep her voice light, friendly.

From the look on his face, the last thing she figured he wanted right now was to deal
with a horny woman. “I can give you directions if you’d like.”

He surprised her when he walked up directly in front of her and looked inside her

quarters. His exotic musk washed over her again, making her head buzz.

“I’ll find my way back. Sean will be waiting for me.”
Fallon’s lungs stopped working for a moment when Taber reached down, took her

hand in his, and brought it up to his mouth. The brush of his soft lips against the back
of her hand was more erotic than had he sucked her nipple into his mouth. When her
body screamed for air, she let out a soft gasp. He lifted his gaze to hers and she forgot to
breathe again.

“You are a most interesting woman, Fallon.”
Hearing him say her name unprompted was almost enough to make her come on

the spot. His deep voice felt like silk on her skin.

“And you are the most attractive man I’ve ever met.” That damn blush returned,

prompting her to get the hell out of there. “I’ll be around if you need me for further
questioning tomorrow.”

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Christine d’Abo

He nodded, but this time it was a slow, deliberate motion. “I’m sure that will be

necessary. Until tomorrow.”

Running his thumb along the underside of her wrist for a moment, he gently

released her hand and walked away without a look back. Fallon stepped inside and
secured the lock on her door. Walking to her bed, she knew that despite how exhausted
she was, there was no way in hell she would be sleeping tonight.

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The Bond That Consumes Us

Chapter Three

Taber didn’t know what had come over him. He’d spent the night lying in his bed

thinking about Fallon and her charming smile. His cock remembered other parts of
her—her round ass that had pressed up against his thigh when the man had almost run
into her. Her breasts were full, larger than most of the other human women he knew. Di
machachta he’d had to concentrate so he didn’t stare at them and how they pressed
against the tight-fitting shirt she’d worn. He’d been forced to push away thoughts of
how they’d fill his hands if he were to touch them.

By the goddess, how was he supposed to concentrate on catching a killer when

there were so many distractions? He may be a Briel Protectorate, but he wasn’t
infallible. It had been years since he’d had the pleasure of a woman in his bed. Hadn’t
really thought too long on it—not since Calantha had died.

When he closed his eyes, it wasn’t his mate’s eyes he saw staring back at him, but

Fallon’s green gaze. That wasn’t even the correct color—they were more gray than
green. Not that it mattered because the real beauty was what he saw when he looked
deep into them.

Fallon had a beautiful soul.
His cock twitched when the image of her walking naked into the room, her long

auburn hair spilling over her shoulders to partially conceal her breasts, filled his
thoughts. He could practically see her looking up at him with those eyes, a faint blush
covering her cheeks. Taber’s hand itched, and the overwhelming desire to reach down
and stroke his shaft was almost enough to beat past his Protectorate discipline. He
fought it, just like he fought every other impulse he’d had over the last twenty cycles to
grant himself a small measure of peace.

No matter how much he may be infatuated with the human bartender, it wasn’t

worth dishonoring the memory of his mate.

He couldn’t be bonded with another woman. Unlike when Kamran and Haylie met,

there wasn’t a chance of his going mad with lust for this woman. He’d had his one
chance at happiness, one chance at a family taken away from him. Like others before
him, he was forced to live the rest of his life in solace. Something Calantha would have
preferred had she still been alive.

Pushing those thoughts away, he closed his eyes and tucked his hands under his

head and stretched onto his back on the bed. His body ached from having stood for so
long yesterday. His cock ached from having stood by Fallon for so long. What made
matters worse was the fact she seemed to be attracted to him.

What was it about her that caught his attention?

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Christine d’Abo

Other human women on Eurus had expressed an interest in him, but he’d never

reacted like this. His cock had lain dormant and he’d had no trouble sleeping. Not like
now.

Taber let out the breath he’d been holding in a long hiss. Images of Fallon refused to

leave his mind. He could see her crawling naked between his legs on her hands and
knees. Her unbound hair caressing the skin of his thighs as she slowly inched her way
up to his cock. Fallon would smile, her small, pink tongue darting out to lick his sac,
teasing the sensitive flesh before she licked a long trail up his shaft.

It was too much. More aroused than he’d been in years, Taber couldn’t hold out any

longer. He pulled his hand out from behind his head, reached down and cupped his
sac. Squeezing, he moved up to the base of his shaft and pulled his cock in a smooth
jerk.

Fallon’s mouth would be hot. She’d take his tip into her mouth and suck hard, her

tongue busy teasing the swollen head. Her full breasts would sway and bounce against
his thighs and balls, her hard nipples sending shivers of need through his body.

Taber increased the tempo of his strokes, wetting his shaft with spit to make his

hand slide more smoothly over the skin. He wouldn’t let her suck him for long. Not
when he could bury his cock into her sweet body. Feel her muscles contract around his
shaft when he’d pull on her nipples, suck them hard into his mouth.

He knew she would do the things to him Calantha never would. The things that

had made her block him from her mind during sex, refusing to talk to him about when
they were alone.

The Fallon of his dreams would let him tie her to the bed. Her body restrained, he’d

be able to give and take pleasure, teasing both of them and testing his control. Yanking
his cock hard, he imagined they’d take turns, giving her the pleasure of tying him up as
well. He yanked against the restraints, would buck against her as she straddled his hips,
teasing him, licking his nipples, biting his skin before finally, slowly impaling her
sweet, soft body on his cock.

He could hear the noises she would make in his head. Her head thrown back and

her eyes screwed shut as she pushed her body down as far as she could go. Taber
would thrust up, trying to force her to move, to ride him hard, but she wouldn’t. She’d
be the one in control, the one with the power over him. He would lie there—he’d beg.
The words would pour from him, desperate, until she’d flash him that bright smile of
hers and begin to ride his cock.

Her body would be heaven. Soft, wanting as she rode him, Fallon crying out as her

orgasm crept closer. He’d want to be in her mind, like when he was bonded to his mate,
but knew he couldn’t. Fallon wouldn’t care. She’d tease him, suck his nipples, slam her
body against his cock over and over until they were both falling toward oblivion. His
hand was flying over his shaft now, pumping it hard, needing the release.

Taber felt the rush of cum start in his balls and shoot its way up his cock until it

exploded from him. He cried out for a moment before snapping his mouth shut,

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The Bond That Consumes Us

grinding his teeth against the force of his release. Waves of pleasure rolled through his
body as his stomach and chest were covered with cum. The picture of Fallon in his
mind slowly faded, leaving only blackness until he opened his eyes and stared at the
mirror that was fixed above his bed.

When he’d first arrived in his room, he couldn’t understand the positioning of the

mirror. But now…he looked at his naked body, covered with his seed and he
understood why the humans had done it. What it must look like when there was a
couple here, making love. To see how their bodies moved together as well as feel it
would heighten their sensations.

Had Fallon made love in such a room?
As his mind slowly crawled out from the haze his orgasm produced, the image

reflected back at him slowly changed. He shouldn’t be doing this, experiencing pleasure
at the thought of a woman who wasn’t Calantha. His mate been given to him by the
goddess, blessed that they’d found each other at such a young age. But despite their
bond, that initial rush of sexual need, she’d rejected him. They were bonded but did not
enjoy the intimacy that such a privilege would allow.

Unable to look at himself further, Taber slid from the bed and made his way to the

steam shower to clean himself. He only wished he could remove the memories from his
mind as easily as he could the semen from his skin.

* * * * *

“You have a guest,” the soft words of the computer system spoke to him.
He hadn’t finished dressing, his body still damp from the steam and soap of his

shower. Wearing only his pants, Taber hesitated before grabbing his shirt from the bed
and walking to the door. It was most likely Sean, here so they could continue their
investigation.

“Computer, who is it?”
“Fallon Reist.”
He froze before his hand touched the door release. His cock twitched, threatening to

return to life. Looking down at his naked chest, he could picture his cum covering it,
wondered if she would have pushed her fingers through the fluid, teasing his skin. It
suddenly mattered to him what she thought. Was she attracted to him, or was it simply
his imagination? Hitting the door release, he silently held his breath when the door
whooshed open.

Fallon stood there wearing a tight-fitting black shirt, sleeveless like the one she had

on the night before. He watched as her eyes widened and her gaze slowly traveled over
his naked chest and stomach.

“What can I do for you, Ms. Reist?”
He shouldn’t be doing this. He knew he should have dressed completely, properly

before opening the door. What kind of life could he offer her? Pushing away the guilt,

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Christine d’Abo

he stepped away from the entrance and pulled his shirt on before gesturing for her to
come inside.

Fallon’s face was as red as her hair, but he knew she was no coward. It only took

her a moment to follow his lead, letting the door shut behind her.

They were alone.
“Umm, I’m sorry if I got you at a bad time.” She looked around the room,

examining everything but him. “I can come back later if you’d like. Actually, I think I
will.”

He reached out and grabbed her elbow before she was able to turn away. When she

looked at him, her mouth parted in surprise, he couldn’t help but stare at those perfect,
lush lips, knowing they’d feel like heaven if she sucked his cock. His heartbeat actually
increased in tempo as he ran his finger over her soft skin.

“Please stay,” his words came out low, deep.
She shivered under his touch. Good. At least he wasn’t the only one affected. All

rational thought gone, he stepped closer to her without releasing her arm. Her hair was
pulled back again, but he could still picture what it would look like covering her naked
skin. She stared at him, unblinking, and this time she didn’t look away.

“What can I do for you, Ms. Reist?” This time he spoke just above a whisper, not

trusting that he wouldn’t break the spell they both seemed to be under.

Fallon opened her mouth to say something. Stopped, and started again.
“Please, I like it when you call me Fallon.”
Don’t react. Be in control. He drew a slow, deep breath into his lungs. He liked the

way her name sounded but enjoyed saying it even more.

“Very well…Fallon. How may I assist you?”
Her gaze moved back to his chest and he watched as her tongue darted out to wet

her bottom lip.

“Captain Zane asked me to show you and Mr. Donaldson around the ship. I can’t

get into the bar until the investigation is done, so it’s not like I mind.”

Taber’s cock began to grow, liking the idea of being with her all day long. He

couldn’t let her see how she was affecting him, so he released her arm and turned his
back to her.

“That would make our investigation go far smoother. Thank you for the

assistance.”

“I didn’t mean to interrupt you getting ready. I can meet you and Mr. Donaldson

somewhere in a while if it would be—”

“There’s no need. I only require my footwear and I am ready to leave.”
He tried not to look at her as he pushed his foot into the protective boot and began

to lace it closed. He could feel her gaze on him, watching his every action as if it were

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The Bond That Consumes Us

the most important thing in the universe. For some reason, it gave him a measure of
pleasure to know she was taking such an interest in what he was doing.

“Are you in the military?”
Her question made him look up. “I am a member of the Briel Protectorate and am

the Briel chief of security on Eurus.”

“It sounds dangerous,” she tilted her head to the side as she spoke. “It also sounds

lonely.”

How easily she was able to see what others couldn’t. “I have many close friends. I

am very rarely alone.”

“But that doesn’t mean you aren’t lonely.”
It struck him that she seemed to intimately understand the difference between the

two. Nodding, he returned his focus back to the task of tying his boot.

“My present state of solitude is of my own choosing.”
“You don’t want to have close friends? People who can make you feel not so

isolated?”

She’d moved closer to him but wasn’t looking at him any longer. Her hands were

clasped in front of her body, as if she was scared to touch anything. The pants she had
on clung to her waist and hips but flared out, concealing the shape of her legs. She’d
worn a similar article yesterday, which only served to pique his curiosity. When he
stood to his full height, he moved his body into his normal military pose. They stood
and stared at each other, each taking in the details of the other.

This was so different from when he’d first met Calantha. There wasn’t the insanity,

the mind-numbing passion that had overcome them both. No, while not as wild, this
was more intense. Both of them carefully gauging the reaction of the other, testing to
see how far they dare go.

Which made him feel…unnerved.
“Have you spoken with Sean this morning?” He kept the same low tone he’d used

earlier, enjoying how it made her body shift.

“Yes. He was going to head back to the med bay to see if Doc had finished with his

autopsy. He wanted us to meet him there.”

Taber held out his arm, indicating for her to lead the way. Fallon cocked her head to

the side again, exposing the long, creamy skin of her neck and part of her shoulder,
before she turned and walked outside. Coming up beside her, he made sure to stay half
a step behind, not wanting to give anyone the impression he was attracted to her.

Because by the goddess he was.
Without pausing, Fallon turned her head to look up at him, her bright smile fixed in

place. “Have you been on Eurus long? I meant to ask you last night.”

“I came to the colony with Administrator Kamran. He was an ambassador back

then. Ten cycles ago.”

33

Christine d’Abo

“And you were on Briel before then?”
“No. I was deployed with the Protectorate. We were engaged in battles with the

Ecada for many cycles.”

“So how long has it been since you’ve been home?”
“Close to fifteen cycles.”
Fallon stopped suddenly and spun to face him. Somehow he managed to avoid

running into her.

“You haven’t been home in fifteen years?” Shock accented her voice as it echoed

loud in the hall. “Don’t you have family?”

Her face was so close to his, her mouth only inches away. All he needed to do was

dip his head a little and he’d be able to suck her bottom lip into his mouth.

“I have no family,” he spoke the words and pushed away the emotion and lust.
“I’ve only been away from Earth for three years and I can’t wait to get home.”
That crucial piece of information was what he needed to snap him from his fantasy.

They were from different places, had different needs. Nothing could come from this
unexpected infatuation on his part. It would be best if he pushed these feelings away
and concentrated on the task at hand.

After all, there was a killer on the loose.
“How far is med bay?”
He shifted his gaze from Fallon, focusing instead on the transportation tube doors

at the end of the corridor. He could feel her gaze on his neck and hear her soft sigh as
she resumed her journey forward.

“Up three levels. This tube will get us there the fastest.”
“Thank you.”
The corridors were full this morning despite the ship still being in lockdown.

Despite the danger, apparently Captain Zane saw no problem with letting people enjoy
the facilities. As they walked they passed groups of men and women laughing and
dancing, running between the shops and various recreation facilities. It was a shame
he’d been the one assigned to this case because he was the last person to take advantage
of it. Perhaps Sean would enjoy himself.

They’d just missed the tube car and were forced to wait for the next one. Taber

stood silently, his eyes fixed on a spot straight forward. Fallon shuffled her feet from
side to side, hummed a tune for a moment, before turning her head to look around the
corridor. At least five men turned to stare at her as they passed by, a few even making
some comments loud enough for her to hear—which she was apparently unaware were
directed at her. It didn’t take an expert in security to recognize the fact she was
oblivious to elements in her surrounding and the power of her own beauty. She’d be an
easy target for even a slightly experienced killer.

“I don’t want you to be alone.”

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The Bond That Consumes Us

“Pardon me?” She turned to face him, clearly startled.
From the corner of his eye, he could see she was standing there, her hands on her

hips.

“Fallon, there is a murderer on this ship. It’s not safe for a single female to be

walking around alone.” Especially one who was barely aware of the world around her.

“That’s pretty archaic thinking. I’m more than capable of looking after myself.”
A soft ding and the tube doors silently opened. Fallon marched inside, turning to

face Taber as she crossed her arms over her chest.

“Coming? Or are you going to protect the hallway?”
Her jaw was clenched tight, the muscles in her neck tense as she glared at him. Her

anger fueled his lust, and he couldn’t stop his cock from springing back to life. Keeping
his gaze locked on hers so she wouldn’t notice the growing bulge in his pants, he
stepped inside the tube and turned so he stood behind her, his back to the wall.

They rode up one level in silence, Taber needing every second to try and get his

raging desire under control. The tube compartment stopped, the doors opened and a
crowd of five young humans pushed their way inside, laughing loudly.

Somehow the distraction of the group did little to take his mind off Fallon and only

served to annoy him further. The group seemed oblivious to their presence. He didn’t
have time to react when the women stumbled against their male companions, sending
their bodies crashing backwards.

Fallon was shoved back against him, her back pressed against his stomach and

chest, her ass coming in contact with his erect cock. He heard her gasp despite the noise
of the partiers and felt her about to move away. His hand grasped her hip, holding her
in place, keeping the contact between them that he’d been longing for.

His cock grew painfully larger now that his body was rubbing against hers. She

didn’t struggle but instead pressed even harder against him as one of the males turned
and looked her over intently. When the young man’s gaze landed on Taber, he paled
and turned back around to the front.

The young group got off on the level before med bay, leaving them alone once more

in the silence. Fallon tried to pull away again, but he held her still, not willing to give up
the unexpected intimacy.

“Computer, hold,” Fallon’s voice shook as she said the words.
“What are you doing?” he said softly.
“I was about to ask you the same thing.”
Lowering his mouth to her ear, he made sure to inhale her scent deep into his lungs

before he spoke.

“I was keeping you safe.”
Reaching back with her hand, Fallon ran her fingers over his thigh, making his cock

twitch. She gasped, letting her head fall back against his chest.

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Christine d’Abo

“I thought Briel males didn’t sleep around. Don’t you need to find your mate?”
Taber didn’t want to think about Calantha at that moment. Closing his eyes, he

focused on the scents and sounds of the present. Focused on Fallon.

“There is only one woman I am interested in at the moment.”
Unable to stop himself, Taber pressed a gentle kiss against her temple. On a sigh,

Fallon reached up with her free hand and slid her fingers around the back of his neck.
He could see her hard nipples poking up at him from beneath her tight shirt. Sliding his
hand from her hip, up over her stomach, Taber lightly brushed the tips of her nipples
through the soft material.

“Oh fuck,” she moaned as she ground her ass against his cock.
“Fallon.”
She shivered in his arms, and he wished he could read her mind to learn what it

was she wanted him to do next to her. Going blind, he sucked her earlobe into his
mouth, teasing the soft flesh with his tongue.

“Do you like that?” he whispered.
“God, yes.”
“Do you want me to touch you?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Anywhere.”
With both hands he cupped her breasts and squeezed until her moans filled the

tube car. Her breasts filled his hands, the weight and size of them promised him many
hours of pleasant feasting.

“I want to suck these until you scream my name.”
“Yes.”
“Say my name, Fallon.”
“Taber.”
“Louder.”
“Taber!”
His hips thrust forward against her ass as he rolled her nipples between his fingers.

He let his face fall to her shoulder and ran his tongue along the side of her neck.

“I can smell you. How much you want me,” he spoke against her skin, licking after

each word.

She shivered, her nails curling into his neck, the sharp pain mixing with a powerful

wave of pleasure. “I want you to fuck me.”

A growl escaped his chest and he pinched her nipples even harder.
“You’ll soon learn I’m the one who gives the orders.”

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The Bond That Consumes Us

A sudden loud buzz filled the tube, causing Fallon to squeal and jump away from

him. The crackle of the communicator filled the tube.

“Is there a problem? The tube car is halted.”
Fallon’s heavy panting told him she was in no condition to talk.
“This is Taber, security chief from the Eurus colony. There is no problem.”
Or at least there wasn’t until this harkatch interrupted.
“The computer indicates Fallon Reist is there with you.”
“Hey Tony, I’m here.”
“You okay?”
There was something about the way the young security guard asked the question

that didn’t sit right with Taber. He looked to Fallon, her face flushed with passion, her
erect nipples still poking hard beneath her shirt. Some of her hair had escaped the
ponytail and framed her cheek. He wanted to touch it, feel its softness but knew he
couldn’t, shouldn’t go near her.

“I’m fine,” she let out a little laugh. “I was filling Taber in before we got to med bay.

The explanation was taking longer than the ride.”

“Okay. I’m going to start you up again.”
As if on cue, the tube began to move ahead with a gentle jerk.
“Thanks, Tony.”
Walking over to the communicator, Fallon tapped the pad, ending the conversation.
“Fallon—”
“Don’t. Please don’t say anything.”
The muscles in his neck and shoulders tightened before he laced his hands behind

his back, opened his legs and stared straight ahead. He could see her fixing her hair and
for a moment the long strands of her hair hung loose around her shoulders, down to
her waist. The length of it beckoned him to reach out and bury his hands and face in it.

No. She’s not yours.
“Taber, I—”
The door to the tube whooshed open and he walked silently outside and waited for

her to join him. The animal that drove his lust screamed deep inside his body,
desperately trying to claw its way to the surface. He clamped down on it hard, willing
his raging cock to go down.

Focus—he needed to focus on the job. Catch this killer and get the renen, the killer

off this ship.

“Med bay is this way, correct?”
He didn’t turn to face her until he knew she was walking in the direction he’d

indicated. If she looked at him with those gray-green eyes he wouldn’t be able to do the
job he’d been asked to do. He’d pick her up, throw her over his shoulder and find the
closest spot where’d he’d be able to fuck her.

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Christine d’Abo

What was wrong with him?
Thankfully, the walk from the tube to med bay wasn’t that far. When they entered,

Sean was standing beside a short man dressed in a long white coat, the doctor. When
his friend looked up, his gaze went from Fallon to Taber, causing Sean to frown.

“Problem?” Sean asked.
Not one I care to discuss with you. “Have you determined the cause of death?”
Taber hoped Sean wouldn’t question him further, at least not until he was able to

control himself better. He didn’t want to be responsible for injuring Sean.

“Hi, Doc. This is Taber, from Eurus.”
“Fallon my dear.” The older man grinned as she walked over and gave him a light

hug. “You haven’t been to see me in quite some time. Aren’t you due for your
physical?”

“Anxious to poke me, Doc?”
Taber felt his chest tighten as he balled his fists behind his back. Patience, relax. She

wasn’t his and he had no right to be acting this way. They would have their little
conversation and get to the matter at hand. This was the way of the humans and Fallon
was no different.

Except she was.
“Not at all. But I’d hate to have you removed from the ship for missing a physical.

But I don’t think our friends here want to hear about this.”

“Thank you, Doc.” Sean nodded. “What can you tell us?”
“Not much more than I knew last night, unfortunately. Nate was killed by a single

laser blast to the heart.” Doc moved around the table, rolling Nate’s lifeless body onto
his side. “See here? The wound on the back is black, the skin collapsing inward.”

“He was shot from behind,” Taber said, his voice its normal even treble.
Fallon wrapped her hands around her waist, staring at Nate. “Oh god.”
“He wouldn’t have felt a thing, Ms. Reist.” Sean moved beside Doc. “Anything

else?”

“It looks like someone had gone through his pockets. I couldn’t find anything in his

clothing, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t anything there. I also noticed something
odd about the color of his skin.”

Sean raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“He had a tan.”
“How is that odd?” Sean said, frowning.
“Because,” Taber said, taking a step forward. “He’s been on a ship in the middle of

space for the past several years.”

“And he never used the tanning beds,” Fallon added, keeping her gaze off Taber.
“I think it may be related to the cause of death. I’m running an analysis through the

computer but it will take several hours, possibly longer to complete.”

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“Thank you, Doctor. Please inform us when you have the results,” Taber nodded

and began to leave.

“Where are you going?” Sean called, walking over to him. Once he reached Taber’s

side, he looked at Fallon and lowered his voice to a whisper. “Are you okay? You’re
tense, even for you.”

“There isn’t a problem. I’ll be in my quarters. You should take some time to explore

the ship. If they feel you are enjoying the amenities rather than investigating the
murder, there is a chance we will draw the killer out, possibly attack us instead.”

Sean stared hard at him for a few minutes before shaking his head. “God damn

you’re stubborn. Even for a Briel.”

“I don’t believe you are one to criticize.”
“Maybe not, but I don’t have the attention of a beautiful woman either.”
Taber knew the second Fallon had started looking at him. The lust inside could

sense her attentions, craved it. The warrior in him though was in control. He pushed his
shoulders back and cocked his head to the side.

“You know the males of my people don’t engage in casual relationships. We could

meet our mates at any time. Now if you’ll excuse me.” Turning to face Fallon and the
doctor, he gave them a little bow. “I’ll be in my quarters if you need me.”

He walked away, choosing to use the transportation tube at the far end of the

corridor.

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Christine d’Abo

Chapter Four

Fallon pounded her fists into the heavy punching bag at the gym, hoping the

shooting pain up her arms would distract her from the fact she was beyond horny. So
far, it wasn’t helping. Damn, stupid, arrogant…Taber. Her right hook sent the bag
swinging in the air, forcing her to stop and catch it. She’d tried just about every activity
available to her at the gym, but nothing was helping. You’d think a couple of hours of
exercise would kill her arousal.

“Remind me never to get in a fight with you.”
She turned to see Sean standing in the doorway, his hands on his hips. The black

shirt had a rounded neckline that showed off the lean muscles of his neck. Sean had
pushed his sleeves up and she caught a glimpse of the well-defined muscles there as
well. He was obviously a man accustomed to hard work.

“Hi there. I just needed to…vent.”
“I see that. Want a hand?”
The last thing she wanted was to talk to anyone about what she was feeling. Then

again, this was the one person on board who could give her some insight into the man
who was driving her insane. Staring a moment longer at him, Fallon finally let a small
smile slip and nodded.

“Sure.”
Sean walked around the punching bag, dug his foot into the exercise mat, and

braced his body against it. “Let her rip.”

Not letting her mind wander to the one topic she wanted to focus on, Fallon let out

a yell and pounded her taped fists over and over into the worn bag. After five minutes
of unrelenting punches, she finally stopped, collapsing to the gym floor in a heap. Her
breath came out in short gasps and her body screamed from overexertion. Sean released
the bag and sat down beside her, cross-legged.

“Feel better?”
“Is he always like that? I mean, one minute he’s grinding his cock against me in the

transportation tube and the next he’s acting like I don’t exist.” Fallon turned her head,
gasping as she realized what she’d said. “Oh my god, I’m sorry. You probably didn’t
want to hear that.”

If it hadn’t caught her off guard, she would have found the shocked expression on

Sean’s face hilarious.

“Taber ground…made advances toward you? Sexually?”
“Don’t sound so surprised,” she muttered, looking down at her bare feet. “It just

kind of happened.”

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Sean looked paralyzed for a moment—his eyes wide and his lips clamped shut.

Fallon was about to say something when he shook his head and took a step closer.

“Look, I don’t think you realize what this means.” Sean ran his hand through his

hair. “I’ve known Taber since he arrived on Eurus. In that whole time I’ve never seen
him show any interest in any woman. Not once. And he’d had plenty of opportunities
to do so if he really wanted.”

“He told me Briel males wait until they find their mates to have…sex. Has there

ever…I mean could a Briel and non Briel be mates?”

Sean looked at her and nodded once before shaking his head. “It’s only happened

once, and biology had nothing to do with it. Plus this doesn’t seem the same. Kamran
told me he almost died when he first met Haylie. Something about needing to mate
quite quickly after they meet or the male dies.”

Taber certainly hadn’t looked like he was about to die in the tube. More like his

cock was going to rip a hole in his pants.

“God, I wish I knew what the hell was going on.” She dropped her head to her

knees and sighed.

A minute later Sean’s hand patted her lightly on her back. “I’ve given up trying to

figure out the Briel.”

“Thanks for the heads up.”
“Fallon, I don’t know what to tell you. Taber is a good man, but I think you should

stay away from him. At least until we know what is going on.”

Her entire world tilted. Everything she thought she knew about Taber was

suddenly called into question by one of his friends. She lifted her face to watch Sean go,
more confused than ever. “Thanks, Sean. You’re a good man.”

Why the hell couldn’t she hook up with a nice, normal guy like him?
She started as he seemingly read her mind.
“You don’t want me. I’m worse than Taber,” he said with a smile. “But thanks.”
Once he’d left, Fallon felt a wave of exhaustion hit her. She was tired from having

worked the double shift, not sleeping when she had a chance, and not being able to
follow through on the pent-up desire Taber had dragged out of her in the tube. That
coupled with not knowing what the hell was going on between them was enough to
push her over the edge.

She really needed a shower. Preferably a cold one.
Pulling herself to her feet, she wandered over to the steam shower and stood inside,

making sure to spend extra time to wash her hair. The automated switch cut her off
from her warm retreat, forcing her to go back out into the real world. She stepped out,
dried off and pulled on the clean shirt and opted for her skirt. She began to pull her hair
into her standard ponytail when she changed her mind and began to twist it into a
braid.

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Christine d’Abo

Taber liked her hair. She could tell by the way he stared at it in the tube and back at

the bar. She couldn’t help but wonder if he liked it up or if he’d want it down. This was
stupid! Shaking her head she finished dressing.

Things would be better once they figured out who killed Nate, the bar reopened

and Taber left to return to Eurus. She’d fall back into the daily patterns of her life, work,
what few friends she had and wait the next three years of her life away.

Returning to the gym, she saw Lukas there lifting at least a hundred and twenty on

the bench press.

“Hey. Going light today?” She sauntered over to him as he reseated the weight.
“Doc told me not to push it after I fell last month. You heading out?”
Fallon knew Lukas wanted to fuck her. He’d been more obvious about his advances

than Nate, and she’d considered taking him up on them despite the no fraternizing rule
when she’d first come on board. Lukas wasn’t really her type though, too much of a hot
head who thrived on high emotion to give him satisfaction. Even now, his gaze lingered
on her breasts, his lips parted, she knew if she even hinted at her arousal he’d be all
over her. She really didn’t want to have some shallow fuck, no matter how horny she
was at the moment.

“Yeah, I’m going to try and get some rest.”
“Nate’s death got you freaked? I can come keep you company. I have a few ideas

on how I can keep your mind off it.”

He’d never cared about ship’s policies and chased any woman who caught his

attention. And as charming as he was, he really couldn’t tempt her enough to follow up.
Fallon bent down and kissed his forehead before patting his shoulder. “Thanks, but I’m
fine.”

“Well you know where to find me if you change your mind.”
“Always. See you later.”
The path she normally took to her quarters from here wouldn’t have brought her

anywhere near the high-profile guest section where Taber and Sean had rooms. But if
she went two corridors over she could walk right past where they would be sleeping
tonight. Knowing Sean wouldn’t be there, she couldn’t help but wonder if Taber really
would hide in his room for the entirety of the investigation. For a professional soldier,
he was a coward.

Thankfully, she wasn’t.
Sean’s words still ringing in her ears, she turned and went in search of Taber. For

the second time that day she found herself standing outside his door hitting the door
chime. She knew the computer would tell him it was her, so the real test would be to see
if he would open up to her. Let her back inside the sanctity of his room.

When the door opened, she was a little disappointed to see that he was fully clothed

this time. After having been pressed against his chest, she really wanted to get another
look at the muscular expanse.

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“How may I assist you, Ms. Reist?”
Well, that was a step back, but at least he hadn’t ignored her.
“I wanted to see how your investigation is going. Were you going to question

Commander Bruce today?”

He kept his eyes high, but she had the impression he was taking in every detail of

her body. She didn’t squirm, knowing that the shirt she had put on accentuated her
body in all the right places. She’d also worn her floor-length skirt, partially because it
didn’t stick to her skin after her shower but also because she liked the way it hugged
her ass.

“We have arranged to talk to him under the supervision of Captain Zane later this

afternoon. Sean is investigating other leads at the moment.”

“And what are you going to do?” She rose up on her tiptoes and tried to peek

around his large frame into the room. “It’s past time for midday meal. I can show you a
good place to eat if you’re hungry.”

Taber said nothing, keeping his eyes on her. This is it, time for a desperate move.

Reaching out, she grabbed his hand and gave him a tug.

“You can’t come to the Damara and not eat. We have some of the best chefs in the

universe.”

Before she knew what he was doing, Taber reversed the tug and pulled her by her

hand inside his room. In a blink she found herself pressed against the wall. The door
shut, giving them total seclusion with no chance of Tony or anyone else interrupting
them.

Taber’s hips were pressed against hers, he held her wrists, pressing them against

the wall.

“Why are you here, Fallon?”
“God I love it when you say my name.”
“Why…are you here?”
She tried to pull her hands free so she could touch him, but he stopped her. Giving

up, she tipped her head back so she could read the emotions on his face. Unlike back in
med bay, she could see his struggle over his control. The fact that he didn’t or couldn’t
control himself when they were alone was a turn-on.

“Let me touch you,” she whispered.
“No.”
“I can feel that you want me.” She rocked her hips forward. “I want you too.”
“Fallon, no.”
“Please.”
Not willing to back down, she pressed a kiss against his chest. She could feel his

pounding heart through his massive ribcage. His tunic wasn’t fastened tight and she

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Christine d’Abo

was able to nuzzle her way beneath the fabric to his skin. When she pressed her lips
against the spot she’d uncovered, Taber moaned, his hips thrusting forward.

“Di machachta you’re going to kill me.”
“Let me, Taber. Let me kill you with pleasure.”
“By the goddess.”
“Please.”
His hands flew to her face and he tipped her head back. His mouth was hot, his lips

demanding as he devoured her in an unrestrained kiss. Her pussy grew damp, her clit
swollen as he ground his cock against her. Fallon lifted her leg, rubbing her foot along
the outside of his calf. When he pressed forward, his thigh landed between her legs,
allowing her to fall forward on him. Head spinning she thrust her tongue deep into his
mouth, tasting his exotic spice.

Then, he pulled back, panting in deep gasping breaths. His eyes scanned her face

repeatedly, as if he was checking for any damage he may have caused.

“More,” she begged, sliding her hands around his neck and into his hair.
He was much taller than her, which caused her body to stretch long, pressing her

breasts against his chest. Taber closed his eyes and he sucked in a harsh breath.

“If you knew what you were asking—”
“What makes you think I don’t?”
Taber leaned forward so the tip of his nose touched the end of hers, and opened his

eyes.

“Because if you could read my mind, you’d run from this room and wouldn’t look

back.”

She did look, not into his mind but into his eyes. The turmoil was clear, eating him

alive, preventing him from moving on from whatever event had cut him so deep.

“Is that what happened? A woman ran from you when she found out what you

wanted?”

“Not just a woman. My mate.”
The way he said the word was so different from before. There was pain, not

reverence, like she’d taken a critical part of his soul with her when she’d run. Fallon
tried to pull back, but she was trapped against him.

“You’re married?”
“No. She died long ago.”
God, how could she be so stupid? Taber would never cheat on his wife. She didn’t

even know if Briel could cheat, with their damn biology running the show.

“Change your mind?” his voice was a low whisper. “Ready to head back to your

bar and forget me?”

She could tell that’s what he expected her to do. But she wouldn’t, couldn’t do that

to him. Sliding her hands from his hair over his shoulders down to his chest, she began

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to tug the tunic from his body. He pulled back enough to let her drag it off over his
head.

With his upper body completely naked now, Fallon could finally explore him the

way she wanted.

“How could any woman turn her back on you?”
Dipping her tongue out, she licked the skin between his pecs, smiling when his

muscles twitched beneath the contact. Her hands found his sides and she dragged her
nails over the rows of muscles that consisted of his mid section.

“You are perfect,” she said and moaned when she ran her tongue over one of his

flat nipples. “You taste and smell and feel perfect.”

A growl rumbled deep inside his chest, a sound she realized was his prelude to

action. Taber grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her up over his shoulder. She
squealed and smacked at his back giggling until he dropped her on the giant bed in the
middle of the room.

He stood above her, his chest rising and falling with his breath, faster than normal.

She could see the impressive bulge in his pants and began to blush when she saw the
small smile on his lips.

“Are you sure you haven’t changed your mind?”
“I couldn’t sleep last night because I kept trying to picture what you’d look like

naked.”

He didn’t move and instead reached up and ran a hand through his hair.
“This is…different for me. With a Briel mate our minds are linked. I knew what she

wanted the moment she thought it. Maybe earlier. But with you…”

Fallon realized how unnerving it must be for him to explore this with someone not

from his race. God, she could barely believe she was doing this herself. But at least this
was close enough to the sex she was used to she could take the lead.

Rising to her knees on the bed, she made her way over to the edge so she could kiss

his stomach. She ran her tongue around his belly button, surprised at how close to
human anatomy the Briel were. She scraped her teeth over his skin before looking up at
him.

“It’s easy. You tell me what you want, what feels good. I’ll do the same.” She kissed

him again. “So tell me, Taber. What do you want me to do?”

She could see the tangle of emotions cross his face, feel his hands clench and

release, his thighs twitch. It didn’t take a genius to know Taber wasn’t a man who
shared his inner thoughts with anyone. For him to actually speak the words, tell her his
desires, was a true gift.

If only he trusted her.
“I want your hair to be free.”
Oh yes.

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Fallon kept her eyes locked on to his as she reached back and released the tie that

held her braid in place. She didn’t rush, using her fingers to slowly part the twisted
locks until they fell free over her shoulders and down her back. She very rarely left her
hair like this and suddenly felt very feminine, sexy.

Taber’s breath left him in a low hiss as she saw his cock bulge in his pants. Her

heart began to race, excited by the slow intensity of their seduction.

“Tell me,” she whispered.
He swallowed hard. “Your shirt. Take it off.”
Leaning back enough to give her the room she needed, Fallon pushed the shirt off

one then the other shoulder, pulling her arm out of the sleeves as she did. Holding it to
her breasts, she held it in place, waiting for his command.

“Drop it.”
The light material slipped to her waist, revealing her breasts. Taber’s groan of

appreciation sent a shiver of lust darting through her pussy.

“You are so beautiful.”
“I want to touch you,” she said and ran her tongue over her bottom lip. “Please?”
“Where?”
“Your cock. I want to suck it.”
“By the goddess, Fallon.”
She didn’t wait any longer. Reaching for his pants she undid the opening, yanked

them wide and pushed them down his hips. His cock, now free from its confines, jutted
its long, thick shaft in her face. Fallon gasped at the sheer size, her heart beating in panic
and anticipation.

“Fuck, you’re so big.”
Not wanting him to think she was intimidated, she leaned forward and ran her

tongue over his purple tip. His hand cupped the back of her head, holding her still
before relaxing enough to let her continue. This time, she sucked the head into her
mouth where she flicked her tongue over it, swirling around it. She could taste his salty
pre-cum as beads dripped from his shaft into her mouth. Taking as much of him into
her mouth as she could, she reached up and cupped his balls in her hand. They were
heavy, filling the palm of her hand completely.

Fallon pulled back and ran her tongue down the length of his cock until she reached

his balls. She sucked one, then the other, surprised by the lack of hair on his body.

Taber finally had enough, and pushed her back against the bed. The soft sheets

were cool on her hot skin, sending a chill through her, and causing her nipples to
tighten even harder than before.

The weight of his body caused the mattress to dip as he stretched out beside her.

Fallon tried not to move as Taber reached out and spread strands of her hair over the
bed, his fingers gentle as he caressed her cheek and neck.

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“I’ve never seen this color before. There is nothing like it on my world.”
“It’s auburn. And yes, it’s my real color.”
Taber cocked a questioning eyebrow at her as he picked up a lock and ran it over

his lips. “Soft.”

Fallon ran her fingers over his shoulders and partway down his back. Everything

about him was massive. But he was in complete control of it, well schooled discipline
driving him.

“I’ve never seen a man as big as you before.” She let her finger dip lower, traced the

line between the muscles of his biceps. She paused when his breathing quickened.
“What do you want?”

“This.”
He bent forward and sucked her nipple into his mouth so firmly, Fallon cried out,

arching her back off the bed. His tongue lashed the sensitive tip repeatedly, each caress
sending a jolt through her cunt, making her wet with her own cream. Taber switched to
the other breast and her sensual torture started all over again.

“Oh fuck…make me come. Oh please.”
Lifting his head, he squeezed her nipple with his fingers. “No. Not yet.”
She thrashed her head from side to side, moaning and pouting. “Please.”
“This,” he tugged at her skirt. “This is in my way.”
Fallon raised her hips high enough he was able to pull the skirt free with a single

tug. Her naked skin was hot, but the cool air of the room brought a shiver and goose
bumps on her skin. Her black panties were soaked with her juices, the scent filling the
air now that the barrier of the skirt was gone.

Taber rolled over her and wrapped his large hands around her knees. With a gentle

push, he lifted her knees up and open, spreading her pussy wide for him to see.

“By the goddess,” he muttered.
Dipping his head, he breathed in deep her aroused scent. Fallon watched his

reactions, the unchecked pleasure and concentration as he took in the details of her
body. He slid his hands along her thighs and hooked his fingers into the band of the
panties. Without asking, he gave a single tug and ripped the thin fabric, before sliding it
free with the utmost care.

Fallon held her breath and waited. Taber sat there, staring at her until she couldn’t

take any more.

“Talk to me,” she coaxed softly.
“I want to…”
“Yes?”
He looked up, this blue eyes lust heavy. “I want to taste you.”
“Oh yes. Please.”

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His eyes widened for only a moment before he adjusted his body so his face lay

between her legs. Fallon’s heart was pounding so hard now, she was scared she would
have a heart attack. She tried not to move, but she couldn’t help but roll her hips in an
effort to entice him to hurry up.

When he finally moved, his tongue touched the opening of her cunt, curling inside

her to collect her cream. The light caress made her moan, and try to squirm again. Taber
reached up with his hands and captured her hips, preventing further movement.

“You taste as good as you smell.”
Fallon bit down on her bottom lip hard, keeping her cries trapped inside. The

second time his tongue made contact he licked from her asshole to the tip of her clit,
where he flicked the swollen nub several times. Gasping, she plunged her hands into
his hair and tried to hold his head in the place she wanted him to suck the most.

“You like that?” he asked and quickly licked her clit again.
“Yes.”
“Should I continue?”
“Please! I want to come.”
Taber chuckled but sucked her clit gently. He teased and tasted as he swallowed

her free-flowing juices. Close, she was so close, but she couldn’t quite make it over the
hump.

“Fingers. Put your finger inside me.”
He slid his hand down over her hip and thigh and finally moved it between her

legs. He wet a finger with her cream before slowly pushing it inside her. The thickness
stretched her, the heavenly sensations traveling from her cunt through the rest of her
body like a slow burning heat. As he began to thrust and retreat with his finger, Fallon
wasn’t able to concentrate on anything else.

“Yes, Taber. Oh fuck that’s it. I’m going to come.”
Groaning, he licked her clit faster, pumped his finger into her pussy relentlessly

until she couldn’t contain it any longer. Her orgasm started as a rolling pulse that
exploded from her cunt until her entire body shook from the power of her release.
Fallon screamed, her fingers curled in his hair, pulling his head closer before needing to
push him away.

“Too much, too much.”
Finally lifting his head, Taber pushed his body up with his arms, so his chest was

hovering above her. His face was wet with her cream, his eyes fixed on hers. Fallon
shivered, feeling like she was under the gaze of a wild animal. One who was ready to
break free.

“Tell me,” the words were a hoarse whisper, her throat sore from her screams.
Taber slowly crawled his way up her till his face was above her. “I want you.”
Three simple words said with such conviction, Fallon couldn’t refuse. Nodding, she

waited for him to push his pants the rest of the way off, leaving him gloriously naked.

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And all hers. Lifting her legs, she wrapped them around his waist and tugged him
forward. He didn’t move at first, his eyes narrowed, his breathing shallow as he
struggled with whatever inner demons he’d been battling for years. Tugging him again
with her legs, she turned her face and placed a kiss on the inside of his wrist that
framed her head. This time, he pushed his hips forward.

Fallon bit his wrists lightly when the head of his cock rubbed against her pussy. Her

juices now covered them both, easing the journey of his shaft. When he began to
penetrate her body, her lungs constricted, a pleasant burning sensation as he stretched
her muscles wide. Inch by inch he invaded until he was in all the way, right to the hilt.
She locked her legs around his ass, holding him still until her body adjusted to the sheer
size of him.

“Am I hurting you?”
The concern in his voice was heavy. She ran her hand along his cheek, caressing his

chin and the hair along his temple.

“Kiss me.”
She didn’t know if he would or not. She could tell he wanted to, but something was

still there holding him back. Waiting, she held her breath when he lowered his head,
her eyes closing at the contact of his lips against hers.

The feel of his skin was soft, his breath sweet as it mingled with hers. He kept his

mouth closed until she licked the seam with her tongue, prodding him on further.
Finally opening his mouth to her, Fallon sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck so
he wouldn’t pull away.

Their kiss was slow, deliberate and the most arousing things she’d experienced.

Sounds seemed to stop, her mind focusing only on the places where their bodies
touched. When he slid his hips back, her body quivered with excitement, knowing the
pleasure that was about to come would push her to her limits of control. Not
withdrawing the full way, Taber waited until the tip of his cock was about to pull free
before thrusting forward with just as deliberate a motion. Thrust and retreat, in and out,
the steady motion quickly brought her arousal back into a frenzied peak.

She couldn’t stand it anymore. Dropping her feet to the bed, she braced herself and

bucked up to meet his hips on the next thrust. Taber’s rhythm faltered for a second as
he grunted and increased the tempo. Fallon broke their kiss, licking her way along his
jaw to his earlobe, sucking it hard.

“Fuck me hard. The way I know you want to.”
“Fallon—”
“Harder.”
He surged forward with a sharp thrust, pulling a moan from her.
“Harder. Let go.”
He didn’t need anymore prodding. Taber’s thrust became wild as he rammed into

her pussy, grinding his pubic bone against her clit. A second orgasm was building, one

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Christine d’Abo

she tried to hold off for as long as possible. If she could come with him—oh god, it
would be perfect.

But she couldn’t. Her excitement was too sharp, and as he reached up with his hand

and rolled her nipple with his fingers, she couldn’t take anymore. For the second time
her cries filled the room as another orgasm hit her. But this time, her muscles clenched
around Taber’s cock, milking him for all that she could.

His body tensed above hers, his thrusts wild, uncontrolled as his body shook from

the strain. His roar that escaped him as he came was soul shattering. Gasping, she tried
to hold on to him for dear life as he thrust one final time before collapsing onto her
chest. His hot, gasping breath echoed through her body as he fought to recover.

Despite the size and weight of his body, he wasn’t hurting her. She was protected,

safe from the insanity of the ship. Eventually he rolled over onto his side, dragging her
body with him as he went. His body spooned against hers, she let her mind drift off to
oblivion.

Fallon couldn’t figure out what was wrong, her mind still heavy with sleep. She

could still feel Taber’s long body curled around hers, his arm draped around her,
keeping her close. God, this was perfect. But something had woken her, pulled her from
her peace. When the computer chimed again, telling them that someone was at the
door, both she and Taber reacted.

“Stay here,” he said, pulling on his pants as he went.
She noticed he waited to yank on his tunic at the last second before opening the

door. Not wanting to be seen, Fallon buried herself deep into the covers of the bed.

“Yes,” Taber’s voice was steady, with no hint of irritation.
“What kept you?” Sean’s voice. “I was about to get security to break me in.”
“I was sleeping. What’s wrong?”
“We found another body.”

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The Bond That Consumes Us

Chapter Five

Taber walked around the bloody mess that used to be Lukas Ross, careful not to

disturb the body. The look of shock frozen on the dead man’s face told him most of
what he needed to know about the murder. He’d known his attacker, and couldn’t
believe it.

“Who found him?” he asked Sean, leaning over to peer at Lukas’ hands.
“Security realized the computer sensors weren’t monitoring in here any longer.

When they came by to check it out, they found this. Security agents Harmon and
Williams found him, called it in.”

Something in Sean’s voice caused Taber to look up at him and raise an eyebrow.

“Problem?”

Sean was staring at him, his hands on his hips. They’d asked that everyone be kept

out of the room until they had a chance to review the crime scene. Alone for what could
be the last time for the next several hours, he knew Sean was going to ask him whatever
it was that was on his mind.

“Why didn’t you come to the door when I rang the first time?”
Straightening, Taber made his way over to his friend. Only a few inches apart now,

he kept his voice low. “I told you, I was sleeping.”

“In the ten years that I’ve known you, I’ve never had difficulty waking you. I doubt

anyone else has either.”

He didn’t push too hard, but Taber knew Sean wasn’t about to let this go. A quick

glance at the body and the door, he sighed and said the one thing he knew would shock
the other man. “Fallon.”

“Ah.”
The fact that Sean wasn’t surprised told Taber a lot. He needed to do a better job at

hiding his attraction to his feisty bartender.

“What the hell is going on with you, man? Aren’t you supposed to be waiting for

your mate or something?”

“This isn’t the time. We have an investigation to conclude.”
“I’m not dropping this. Once we’re done here today we need to talk.”
A ripple of anger tinged with annoyance flashed through him. He didn’t need

permission from anyone if he wanted to have a stolen moment of bliss in his life. And
Fallon qualified as bliss. His cock threatened to come to life, forcing him to turn his
attention back to the bloody mess in the room.

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“This isn’t like before. No laser gun, not neat.” Taber turned and squatted by a

single barbell. There was blood and hair lodged into the grooves of the metal. “This
looks like what was used to kill him.”

Sean joined him, shaking his head. “Beat the poor bastard to a bloody pulp. This

was an act of rage.”

“He’s escalating. Quickly.”
“I have all the images I need to create a holo of him. We can let the doctor in for the

body.”

Nodding once, Taber stood, moving away until he found the wall and turned his

back against it and fell into his waiting pose. The action was so habitual, he barely
thought about it. He could hear the voice of his commander screaming in his head still,
even after all these years.

Protect your back.
Protect your men.
Never open yourself up to weakness.
Images of Fallon stretched naked on his bed made his insides hot—she was

definitely becoming a weakness. She’d managed to slip past his carefully constructed
defenses designed to keep him and everyone else in his life safe. He’d never even
questioned it, questioned her and why she would want to be with someone like him. By
the goddess, she was the most amazing woman he’d ever met.

“Where is she now?” Sean asked once he joined him.
The doctor and his assistant hurriedly lifted Lukas and set him on a gurney. Taber

watched them, but his mind was far from the case at hand.

“I left her in my quarters.”
She’d been less than amused that he was leaving her behind too. But she couldn’t

have been here, no reason for it at all. And at the very least she would be safe there.
That is, if she stayed put.

“What the hell is going on with you?”
The note of concern in Sean’s voice made Taber turn and look at his friend. Sean’s

blue eyes were narrowed, and his jaw was clenched. He had to suddenly fight the urge
to relax his body and lean against the wall.

“I’m not sure.”
“Did you have sex with her?”
The flare of anger was back. Not as strong as it had been when someone had

questioned him about Calantha—there wasn’t the bond in play. But he didn’t want
Sean to know about that part of his life. Didn’t want anyone to know. But he also knew
he had to say something if he wanted any hope of Sean leaving him alone. Taber
lowered his chin and dropped his voice to a whisper.

“Yes.”

52

The Bond That Consumes Us

Sean opened his mouth to say something, tried twice to find the right words. “Is she

your mate? Is this another Kamran and Haylie situation?”

At the mention of his friend, Taber couldn’t help but feel guilty at the fact he hadn’t

thought about them since arriving on the ship. The guilt and jealousy had faded in the
past day and a half, only to be replaced with his obsessive thoughts of Fallon.

“No, it isn’t like that.”
“Then why the hell are you sleeping with her? You’re not supposed to react to a

woman unless she’s your mate.”

“My mate is dead.”
The words spoken out loud to Sean somehow made the situation seem more real.

Looking over at his friend, he could see his disbelief and confusion.

“It was before I came to Eurus.”
“I had no…why the hell didn’t you tell us? Does Kamran know?”
Taber’s hands were on Sean’s biceps before the other man could blink. Panic

slammed into him hard. “He does not, nor will you tell him. Do I make myself clear?”

“Why not?”
“For my people the death of a mate is a traumatic experience. The surviving mate is

an object of pity, an anomaly that no one knows what to do with. While I have the
utmost respect for my oldest friend, and I would give my life without thinking to save
his, I do not, under any circumstances, want his pity.”

Sean’s gaze was locked on his, so Taber could see the shock and understanding. Of

all the people who could have discovered his secret, Sean was the one person who
understood the desire to keep a person’s pain private.

“Gentlemen,” Doc called out to them. “I believe we are finished here.”
Releasing Sean, Taber turned and made his way over to them. “Thank you.”
“I will give you any additional findings, but blunt force trauma is the cause of

death. Scans show his skull was crushed in a three-inch, semi-circular indentation.
Scans for drugs or foreign substances have come up negative. TOD is approximately
three hours ago.”

“Thank you, doctor.”
“I guess you should let security know to release Commander Bruce.” Doc smiled as

he handed Taber a holo cube that contained a re-creation of the body.

“Why is that?”
“Well, he certainly didn’t commit this murder. He’s been locked up in the brig since

yesterday.”

Handing the cube to Sean, Taber nodded once before looking back up at the doctor.

“What makes you think they are related?”

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Christine d’Abo

“Instinct. I’ve been on the crew of the Damara for twenty years. We’ve never had a

single murder that wasn’t explained by a bar fight or the result of a crime of passion. To
have two murders in such a short span of time isn’t normal.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. I will question Commander Bruce now.”
Doc straightened and looked from Taber to Sean. “You mean you haven’t?”
“We’ve been a little busy since our arrival,” Sean said and put the holo cube in

place and triggered the image. “I can handle things here if you want to talk to Bruce
now.”

He was slipping. A year ago, he would have been down interrogating Bruce within

a half-hour of his arrival on ship. It would have made sense to do right after viewing
the crime scene and interviewing the bar patrons. But he hadn’t. He’d been so drawn in
by Fallon, he hadn’t been able to see anything else.

By the goddess, this was his fault. Had he been focused he could have prevented

this murder.

Moving past the security agents at the door and through the small crowd that had

gathered to see what was going on, Taber turned to march down the hall toward where
he’d been told the brig was. What he wasn’t expecting was to see Fallon standing there,
leaning against the wall.

“About time. I thought you were going to be in there forever.”
She’d tied her hair back and was wearing a less revealing top, but the sight of her

still managed to suck all the air out of his lungs. Slowing his pace, he stopped in front of
her and clasped his hands behind his back.

“What are you doing here?”
The smile on her face, faltered for a second before bouncing back. “I’m just another

curious onlooker. What happened in there?”

“I can’t discuss it.”
“Oh come on, Taber.” She lowered her voice and leaned in. “I was probably with

you when it happened so it’s not like I’m going to be a suspect. Who was it? A guest?”

Lukas had been protective of Fallon and while Taber didn’t think they’d had a prior

relationship, he knew they were friends. Reaching out, he gently caressed her shoulder,
stopping to give her arm a squeeze.

“Fallon, it was Lukas Ross.”
She gave her head a shake, her eyes were wide. “What? No, I just saw him. He was

fine.”

“When did you see him last?”
“Right before we…right before I saw you.”
Di machachta. “That fits the time of death. You were most likely the last one to see

him alive.”

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The Bond That Consumes Us

Fallon brought her hand to her mouth and sagged hard against the wall. Tears

flooded her eyes and began to stream down her face. He shouldn’t touch her, shouldn’t
offer comfort, but he couldn’t help it. Taber dragged her into his arms, letting her bury
her face in his chest. Her small body shook from the gasps and her sobs, her hands
wrapped around his tunic, driving her body tight against him. He didn’t move, giving
her all the time she needed.

By the goddess, seeing her like this made his heart ache. Dropping his head to the

top of her head, he brushed his lips over her hair. She sniffed and wiped her eyes after a
few minutes until finally she calmed enough to look up at him.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice was ragged as she spoke.
“There’s no reason to apologize. Can I escort you to your quarters?”
Fallon shook her head. “I don’t want to be alone right now, if that’s okay. I think I’ll

just head to the entertainment section. Be around people.”

The idea of her wandering around the station without an escort wasn’t appealing. If

the two deaths were related, she was just as much a target as everyone else.

“I was about to head down to the brig to speak with Commander Bruce. I would be

pleased if you’d accompany me.”

He wasn’t sure she’d say yes, but after a few seconds and toying with the end of her

ponytail, she nodded. “Thanks, I’d like that.”

They walked silently down the corridor to the transportation tube, joining the small

group of other travelers. Memories of what they’d done together the last time they’d
been here flashed through his mind before he mentally swatted them away, cursing
himself for his insensitivity.

She’d just been told of the death of her friend, the second in two days. The last thing

she needed was a lust-crazed alien making advances toward her in a transportation
tube. Still, Fallon’s body swayed into his with the barely perceptible motion, her arm
bumping into his. Looking down at her, he saw a tear trickle down her cheek. Without
thinking, he reached up and brushed it away. Her startled, wide-eyed gaze brought a
small smile to his face. Before either of them had a chance to react further, the doors
opened at their level.

He followed Fallon to the brig, catching her hand before they went inside.
“I don’t want you going in to see Bruce until I’ve had a chance to speak with him.

But I don’t want you to leave either. Can you do that for me?”

“I’ll amuse myself,” she said and winked. “I’ll chat with Tony.”
“Another one of your male friends?”
“Jealous?” she said with little humor.
He raised an eyebrow.
“He’s just a friend.” Fallon turned and tapped the controls to open the door. “Let’s

go talk to the commander.”

55

Christine d’Abo

Walking into the security area revealed a small room with half a wall full of

computer screens and a doorway that presumably lead to where they kept the
prisoners. Not a very big area, but he had to assume a ship of this nature normally
didn’t have much in the way of serious crime. A young woman stood up when she saw
them approach, her eyes wide and fixed on him.

“Can I help you?”
“Hey, Jenny, this is Taber. He’s investigating the…deaths here on the ship,” Fallon

said in a somewhat steady voice. “Is Tony here?”

The other woman reluctantly shifted her gaze from him to Fallon, where she shook

her head. “He went to the latest scene. You must have crossed paths. I assume you want
to talk to Commander Bruce?”

The security officer’s gaze flicked back to him, letting it drift down the front of his

body. She paused at his groin area for a moment before looking back up into his eyes.
She smiled and tucked a piece of her short black hair behind her ear.

“That would be correct,” he kept his voice professional but curt.
“I can assist you with your questioning. If you’d like.”
He saw Fallon stiffen ever so slightly before she locked her hands together in front

of her body. It was amusing to know that he wasn’t the only one who could get a little
jealous.

“That won’t be necessary. If you could keep Ms. Reist comfortable until I return.

She is under my protection, and I would appreciate it.” He lowered his voice a tiny bit
on the last, hopefully giving her the impression that he’d be more grateful than he
really would.

If she could keep Fallon occupied with questions of him while he was talking to

Bruce, it might actually keep his bartender in one spot. Of course, he’d pay the price for
that later. The woman smiled at him and pressed a sensor on the computer pad on her
desk.

“We don’t have a lot of visitors at the moment. Bruce is the first cell on your left

when you go in.”

Nodding, he put his hand on Fallon’s back to take her aside for a moment. “This

may take a little while, but I want you to stay.”

“Why, want me to find out if Jenny is interested in a date?”
She kept her eyes averted, as an angry flush colored her face. He shouldn’t reach

out and touch her, knowing what it would look like to the other woman, but he
couldn’t stand to have Fallon angry at him. Taking her chin gently with his hand, he
tilted her head back to look into his eyes.

“Who’s jealous now?” he whispered.
Now that she was forced to look at him, she didn’t back down. Straightening her

back, she looked directly into his eyes. “Seems like you enjoyed it.”

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“I haven’t been intimate with a female since my mate died seventeen cycles ago. Do

you honestly think some random woman interests me?”

Releasing her chin, he walked down the hall toward where the commander was

being held. The outer door slid shut once he made his way inside. The brig was
relatively small compared to the one on Eurus. A total of four cells with solid doors
lined the room. In the center there was a simple table and two chairs, the primary area
for interrogation.

Taber walked over to the first cell on his left and waited for Jenny to open the door.

When she finally did, it revealed a man lying on his back, his arm draped over his eyes,
on a narrow cot along one side of the cell.

“It’s about fucking time someone showed up.”
“Sorry to have kept you waiting.”
Bruce sat up, dropping his arm to his side and putting his feet flat on the floor in

one smooth motion. He didn’t say anything for a moment, getting a good look at Taber.
He knew he would do the same in a similar situation. Size up your interrogator, see
how painful this was about to be.

Which all depended on Taber’s mood.
“Commander Bruce.” He nodded. “I’m Taber.”
“You’re Briel?”
“From the Eurus colony.”
“Captain asked for help from the colony?”
“You seem surprised.”
Bruce shrugged. “Zane isn’t one for letting outsiders into his little world. He must

feel this is bigger than a dead body in a bar.”

Taber stepped aside, holding his hand out wide, inviting Bruce to step outside.

When the other man didn’t react at first, Taber moved out to the interrogation table and
stood by one of the chairs. It took a few minutes, but Bruce eventually stepped out of
the cell, scanning the area carefully before he emerged fully.

“I’m surprised Tony isn’t here. He’s been strutting by my cell every few hours since

he arrested me. Aren’t you going to sit?”

Raising an eyebrow, Taber cocked his head and gestured toward the chair. “I prefer

to stand. Why did they arrest you after the death of Nate Keaton?”

Bruce ran a hand through his hair and down his face before leaning back in his

chair. “Nate and I didn’t get along some days. Difference in management styles if you’d
like. But I swear, while his arrogant ass drove me nuts most days, I wouldn’t kill him.”

“Tell me what you know.”
“I was doing my rounds. Things were pretty quiet as we were between planetary

sectors, not a lot of visitors on board. I got an emergency signal come in from B deck,
engineering. By the time I made it up there to check, whoever it was had gone.”

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“And when you got back?”
“Nate was dead and they were saying I was the one who killed him.”
Something was definitely wrong with the whole scenario. “Did you?”
“No! Look I had nothing to gain from his death. This is a small community. If

anything happened to Nate, I’d be their first suspect. Why the hell would I open myself
up like that?”

“Murder is hardly rational.”
“I didn’t do it!”
Bruce slammed his hand down on the table, jumping to his feet and leaned over the

table. The man was panting as he had his eyes locked on Taber.

“Commander, I’ve checked the records. There wasn’t a distress call on the logs for

that night. Nor is there any computer sensor readings indicating you were anywhere
but on the main level of the ship that night.”

“Fuck.” Bruce dropped his head to his chest and let out a frustrated hiss. “I don’t

know what to tell you. I’m being set up.”

“Who would want to do that?”
“I could rattle off a list half a fucking page long if you’d like. In case you haven’t

noticed, I’ve got a bit of a temper.”

“I want that list of names and make sure you haven’t missed any. Then we’ll see

about getting you out of here.”

Taber turned to leave as Bruce straightened. “Wait, you believe me?”
“There was another murder tonight.”
“Are they connected? If so—”
“I’m well aware that it would assist in proving your innocence. For the moment,

you’ll stay here. I suggest you get back into your cell, Commander.”

“Hey, thank you.”
Not bothering to respond, Taber waited for the outer security door to open, and

marched outside. Fallon was waiting for him, standing with her back to the wall
opposite Jenny’s desk. The two women weren’t speaking, weren’t looking at each other,
but both looked at him as he emerged.

“Where is the evidence against the Commander being kept?”
Jenny stood but kept her eyes averted as she typed something into the computer.

“We have everything in the vault and a holo of all physical evidence in the computer. I
can get it for you.”

Taber nodded. He tried to keep his gaze away from Fallon, knowing he wouldn’t be

able to hide from her emotions. When Jenny handed him the chip with the holo
information, Taber nodded once.

“Thank you. I will let you know if I require further information.”
“Yes, sir.”

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Fallon turned and walked out the door before he’d barely turned around. As he left,

he heard Jenny mutter bitch under her breath. It took him a minute to catch up with
Fallon’s determined strides. She wasn’t heading toward the crew quarters but rather in
the direction of her bar.

“Where are you going?” he asked once he fell into step behind her.
“I need a drink.”
“I thought you weren’t allowed to consume alcohol while on duty.”
She glared over at him but said nothing.
“You do realize your bar is still a crime scene?”
“Well since I don’t think you’re going to leave me alone anytime soon, I’m not

worried about touching something you don’t want me to.”

Taber looked around the corridor quickly, but there were too many people around

to do what he wanted to her. The privacy of the bar would give them an opportunity to
talk uninterrupted. He needed that time alone with her, needed it to figure out what he
was feeling. He hated confusion.

Once they finally reached their destination, Fallon stood and waited for Taber to

release the security code. He could feel her anger and frustration coming off her as
waves. He wished there was something he could do to make things right between them,
but anything he thought of seemed insufficient. While entering the bar went against
every investigation principle he knew, he also needed to help Fallon, had to keep her
safe. Taber pressed the lock, which released the door, allowing them to enter.

He didn’t say anything, watching her walk around the tables and make her way

straight to the bar. She took the longer way around though, avoided the storage room
where they’d found Nate. He knew the pain of losing her friend was still sharp, that it
would be with her a long time. He’d give anything to take that burden from her, save
her heart that hard, painful ache.

“So do Briel drink socially, or is that another one of those things you can’t do?”
There was something about her tone that set the warning alerts off in his mind.
“We can drink. Though I don’t find your human beverages very strong.”
Fallon snorted and reached behind the bar. “The Afterburner didn’t do it for you,

huh? I can fix that.”

Taber made his way over to her slowly as she pulled out four bottles of varying

size, shape and color. Her hands began to fly as she flipped bottles in the air, twirled
them around in her hands, all while pouring various amounts of liquid into the large
metal shaker she’d set in front of her. He was in silent awe of her grace and speed. Once
everything was inside, she began to shake, flip and toss the mixing container into the
air.

“Impressive.”
“Thanks. My uncle owned a bar on Earth. He made me practice for hours on end

when I’d hang out with him.”

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With one final flip, she poured the cherry-red liquid into two glasses before tossing

the mixer into a sink. The gentle thunk of the glass on the bar echoed in the quiet room.

“Bottoms up,” she said, picking up the glass and downing the contents in a single

swallow.

Taber picked up his glass, eyeing the contents for a moment before mimicking

Fallon. The rich red color had fooled him into thinking it was a sweet drink. Instead the
harsh burn of alcohol seared his throat on its way to his stomach.

“Well?” she asked, her hands on her hips.
He looked up at her and grinned. “Enjoyable.”
She stared at him for a moment before shaking her head. “I think that’s the first

time I’ve really seen you smile like that.”

“Your drink must be more powerful than I thought.”
Keeping his gaze locked on hers, he couldn’t hold himself back any longer and

made his way around the bar. Fallon didn’t move, instead pressing her back against the
bar when he reached her side.

“No customers back here.”
“Is that a ship rule?”
“Fallon’s rule.”
“What other rules do you have? I would hate to create a galactic incident due to

ignorance.”

He put his hands against the bar on either side of her, pinning her to the spot. Her

heat and her scent made him dizzy, a pleasant aphrodisiac that mixed well with the
alcohol. She had to tip her head back to be able to look him in the eye, her smile
replaced with a look of intense curiosity.

“Rule one, never upset your bartender.”
“And how do I keep her happy?” Please tell me how to make you happy.
Fallon breathed in deep, her gaze shifting from his eyes to his lips.
“Do you want me to kiss you?” he asked, his gaze searching hers for some silent

answer.

He purposely kept his voice low but dipped his head closer, allowing him to inhale

her scent more. Because of either the drink or his proximity to her, Taber’s head began
to buzz, and shivers of arousal washed over his body.

“Do you, Fallon?”
When she sighed and tipped her head back, he took that as a sign. He brushed his

lips against hers without opening his mouth. The light kiss of skin against skin made
him shiver. Coming back for a second pass, this time he made sure to increase the
contact, pressing his lips hard against her. Their voices mingled together in a moan of
pleasure, eliciting a reaction from his body. His cock grew, as he pressed his hips
against her stomach.

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“I want you,” he whispered against her mouth.
“I want you too.”
“It’s wrong. You’ve been through so much today.”
Fallon caressed his cheek before pressing another quick kiss to his lips. “I know.

Can we…just be together? No sex.”

“If you would like that, then I would not deny you.”
She shivered again as she slid her arms around his neck. “Take me back to your

room. Please, Taber.”

How could he refuse her anything when she asked him like that? Spoke to him with

longing and loneliness.

“Anything you wish. I am your servant.”
And for the first time in his life, he understood what it meant to truly love.

61

Christine d’Abo

Chapter Six

Fallon felt warm, safe and completely rested for the first time in months. Sighing,

she stretched out in the bed before rolling over to the warm spot in the bed where
Taber’s body had been. When her brain finally registered that he wasn’t there any
longer, she opened her eyes and lifted her head off the pillows.

He hadn’t gone far.
For the first time since she’d met him, he was sitting in a chair, hunched forward

staring at a data pad. Lowering her head back down, she watched him as he worked.
She assumed he was reading reports on the murder…murders. God, she couldn’t
believe Lukas was dead too. It was like someone was trying to kill off all her friends.
She knew that wasn’t likely. Both Nate and Lukas were probably just in the wrong
place at the wrong time and got in the way of this psychopath. She had faith that Taber
and Sean would be able to catch whoever it was doing it.

Taber reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose before rubbing his eyes. She

could only guess how long he’d been awake. She knew for a fact he’d lain awake until
she’d drifted off last night. He hadn’t even attempted to make love to her, even though
she could feel his sizable cock pressing against her ass. The complete control he had
over himself was amazing.

But seeing him like this, unguarded when he thought he was alone, she knew this

was the secret part of him, one he didn’t share. She actually felt a bit guilty for
watching, but she couldn’t let this moment pass. Taber leaned back in his chair, and
rubbed his hand along the back of his neck while he continued to read.

She couldn’t just sit here while he was in pain. As quietly as she could, she slipped

from the bed and tiptoed over to him. It wasn’t until she was a foot away that he turned
to look at her. He was about to get to his feet when she jumped forward and pressed his
shoulders down.

“Don’t you dare,” she said softly against his ear. “You deserve a neck rub for all the

hard work you’ve been doing.”

“Fallon, I can’t—”
“Don’t give me any of that Briel formality crap. This is me. Now sit still while I fix

those sore muscles.”

“They’re not sore.”
“Has anyone told you you’re a shitty liar?”
“No.”
“Well you are.”

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She pushed his head forward and pulled the neck of his shirt back, exposing more

of his neck. The front cut into his throat and he pulled it forward again.

“Well this won’t do,” she said and sighed. “Better take it off.”
He looked at her over his shoulder, an amused smile on his lips. “Yes, ma’am.”
In a single smooth motion, he pulled his tunic off and tossed it to the floor. With

nothing in the way, Fallon was free to explore the multitude of muscles that made up
his back. Starting at his neck, she pushed her fingers against his skin, working on the
hard knots she found. After a few minutes of constant rubbing, her fingers began to
hurt from the stress.

“You’re a very tense man.”
He grunted once. “I’ve never had someone do this for me before. It’s…relaxing.”
“I’m multitalented. I mix drinks and rub necks.”
“What else can you do?”
Many naughty images crossed her mind, all of which she’d like to do to Taber at

that moment. She had the feeling she could reveal her deepest fantasies to him and he’d
keep her safe while fulfilling them. Biting her lip hard, she quickly made up her mind.
Leaning forward, she whispered in his ear.

“I will do whatever you want.”
He turned his head to the side, looking at her from the corner of his eye. “What…do

you mean?”

Instead of trying to explain it to him, Fallon took a step back and dropped to her

knees before him, her head bowed down, eyes on the floor. She waited for several
minutes, her heart pounding in her chest, scared to death he wouldn’t understand what
she meant. Or worse, reject her.

He shifted silently in his chair, and she prayed he was facing her. When he reached

out to tip her chin up, her heart skipped a beat. His eyes were narrowed, the pupils so
wide, the color of his iris was nearly swallowed by the black.

“My mate, she rejected these notions…desires I had.” He swallowed hard. “Control,

in this manner, I crave it.”

Fallon’s heart was pounding so hard, her body began to shake. Somehow she’d

known he would be dominant in the bedroom, had sensed it the last time they’d made
love. But more than that, he wouldn’t hurt her, wouldn’t push her into a place that
would destroy the fragile part of her soul that she’d protected for years.

The last time she’d been hurt that way, she almost hadn’t recovered.
“Tell me,” she whispered.
This time, it wasn’t a game. This time she wanted, needed him to control her. Tell

her what he wanted her to do. Have the power to give or withhold pleasure from her.
Fallon didn’t move, couldn’t until Taber, her master, told her to.

“Sit back,” he said, releasing her chin.

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Obeying, Fallon dropped her gaze to the floor once more. The night before, she’d

put on one of his tunics, the sheer size of it made her feel like a child dressing in her
parent’s clothing. Now, the material was loose, caressing the naked skin underneath.

Her pussy was wet, drenched in her cream. The anticipation was enough to drive

her crazy, but she fought against it. Finally, Taber groaned and she heard him shift in
his seat.

“Crawl to me. Look at me as you move to me.”
Leaning on her hands and knees, she raised her gaze to his and made her way over

to him. When she got to his feet, she waited for his next command.

“On your knees and take your hair out of that tie. I want your hair loose whenever

we’re alone.”

Nodding, she did as he asked, pulling the tie from her hair and shaking the long

strands free. The motion pulled the tunic front open, exposing her breasts to him. Taber
stared at her, his jaw clenching.

“Pull your tunic open. I want to see your breasts.”
She complied, fighting the urge to reach out and squeeze his hard cock.
“Pinch your nipples. Hard.”
Reaching into the shirt, she found her already swollen, taut nipples and rolled them

between her thumb and forefinger.

“I said hard.”
Fallon gasped at the firmness of his command. Biting her lip she pinched her

nipples hard enough to draw a gasp from her. The pain mixed with a slow burning
pleasure as she continued to tug and pull until she didn’t think she could handle
anymore.

“Stop. Hands to your sides.”
She let her arms fall limp as she tried to regain control on her breathing. Fallon

heard him shift again, anticipation pushing her desire unbelievably high.

“Suck my cock.”
Oh yes! Moving between his legs, she saw that he’d pulled his thick shaft free from

the confines of his pants. Her mouth watered as she remembered the headiness of his
taste.

Starting at his balls, she ran her tongue up the length of his shaft. When she reached

the head of his cock, she circled the head, licking up the beads of cum that had escaped.
Like before, the taste sent her senses into overdrive, making her head spin. She had to
open her mouth wide to take the entirety of the tip into her mouth.

Taber groaned, pushing his hands into her hair, cupping the back of her head. He

didn’t direct her actions as much as prevent her from pulling away. Not that she had
any intention of stopping.

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Fallon tried to take as much of his cock as she could into her mouth. Relaxing her

throat, she was able to swallow most of his length. She reached up and began to
massage his balls and the sensitive skin below them.

“Yes,” he said, his voice coming out in a hiss. “Lower.”
She let her fingers drift lower, teasing his asshole and the inside of his thighs. His

body began to shake with each caress, and she knew she was giving him pleasure he’d
never felt before. Without waiting for him to ask, she pushed her finger inside his ass as
she sucked his cock hard.

Taber gasped, his body going rigid. Fallon didn’t stop, as she fucked his ass with

her finger in rhythm with her head bobbing up and down on his cock.

“Sha hum acte galla!”
The sound of his language said in his ragged voice made her pussy gush with her

juices. She couldn’t fight the urge to squirm, rub her clit between her tightly clenched
thighs, to get some relief.

“Stop.” His deep voice was firm. “You are not to bring pleasure to yourself. Not

yet.”

Oh god.
Fallon relaxed her thighs and went back to concentrating on his cock. She released

the head from her mouth and proceeded to lick the shaft, spending extra time on his
balls. She sucked them into her mouth, teasing the sac with her tongue until he pulled
her head away.

When he looked at her, there was a wildness in his eyes she hadn’t seen before. He

cupped her cheeks in his large hands, rubbing a thumb gently over her skin.

“Get on the bed. Lie on your back.”
Not wanting to look like she was rushing, Fallon stood and walked unhurried over

to the bed. The hem of his tunic caressed the back of her thighs, making it feel as if
Taber’s fingers were teasing her there. Reaching the edge of the bed, she turned around
to face him before pulling the shirt up enough to allow her to sit down on the edge and
scoot her body back enough so she could lie down.

“Open the tunic wider. I want to see your breasts.”
Parting the front of the shirt revealed her beaded nipples. She didn’t dare touch

them even though they were aching—not without his permission.

“Spread your legs wide. I want to see your…”
She realized he didn’t know all the English slang for their sex games. Closing her

eyes, she said the word she wanted to hear on his lips.

“My cunt.”
“Yes, I want to see your cunt. Look at me when you do it.”
The way he said the word, the low bass of his voice, sent a wave of desire through

her, making her pussy glisten with her cream. Fallon slowly opened her legs, her gaze

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fixed on his. She watched as his breathing grew shallow, his hands balled into fists on
the armrests, with each inch her legs parted.

“Wider.”
She spread them until she could go no further. And then she waited. She wanted to

look away, feeling very exposed to him at the moment, but she didn’t. It was a heady
feeling, and the pleasure she was feeling was all from Taber’s reaction to her.

After a moment, his gaze shifted from her pussy to her breasts and slowly back to

her eyes. She could see the animalistic desire flaring in his gaze and desperately wanted
it to be unleashed on her.

Taber swallowed hard, and his naked cock flexed before he spoke next. “I want you

to touch your cunt. But I don’t want you to release.”

“You don’t want me to come.”
“Yes—don’t come.”
Fuck, she didn’t know if she could prevent it. “What happens if I do?”
“You’ll be punished.”
The way he said the word punished, it sounded full of promise, full of pleasure.

With a sigh, she slid her hand down her stomach, through the curls that covered her
pussy, to let a single finger circle her clit. Damp from her cream, Fallon slicked the curls
back, giving him a better view of her clit. Careful not to concentrate her attention there
completely, she moved lower and teased the wet opening of her pussy.

“You are so wet. Is that for me, Fallon?”
She couldn’t speak, her throat so tight she had a hard time swallowing. Instead she

nodded, her body now on fire. She wanted to come so badly—she was pathetically
close. But she couldn’t. She had to wait for Taber’s command.

“I want to see just how wet. Put a finger inside your cunt.”
Fallon couldn’t stop the moan that burst from her as she pushed her finger inside.

The muscles clenched around her and she almost felt an orgasm hit her. Gasping, she
pulled her finger free and held it up for him to see.

“You’re very wet. Almost too wet. Did you come?”
Not trusting her voice she shook her head. When he pushed his massive frame from

the chair and walked toward her, Fallon’s body reacted, her pussy throbbing.

“I don’t believe you,” his low voice rumbled in the quiet room. “I can see you’re

going to require more drastic methods of control.”

Taber went over to a small, black bag that she assumed held his personal

belongings. She couldn’t see what he was getting at first, not until he turned around
and held up the security restraints.

“I have these for suspects who cause me difficulty. It lets me teach them that I am in

control of their lives. I am in control, aren’t I?”

She nodded her head.

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“Say it.”
“You’re in control!”
“Good girl. Now move back on the bed, spread your arms and legs.”
Not needing to be told twice, Fallon scooted up into position. Taber moved beside

the bed, taking a moment to stare at her before he moved. He gently picked up her
closest arm, placing a kiss on the inside of her wrist before pressing it into the cloth
restraint. He did the same with the second, this time kissing the palm of her hand. With
both her hands bound together, he secured the restraint to the metal headboard.

“You need to learn that I’m the one who can give your pleasure. Never yourself

unless I give you permission. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” she whispered.
“Louder.”
“Yes.”
“Good. You deserve a reward for being good.”
Taber bent his head and sucked her nipple hard into his mouth. Fallon cried out,

clenching her thighs together to increase the pressure on her clit. He pulled back giving
her thigh a smack. His hit was firm, sending a burning sensation that quickly
heightened her pleasure.

“Open your legs.”
She imagined he used that same tone with his prisoners he interrogated when he

needed information. No wonder they’d brought him here to find the killer. He was a
force, totally in control, used to getting what he wanted.

And now he wanted her.
“Open your legs, Fallon. I can’t have you coming.”
Unable to deny him, she opened her legs wide.
“That’s better.” He looked down at her body, a slow smile spreading across his lips.

“You are so beautiful.”

He reached up and spread her hair over the pillow, his gentle caress a contrast to

the firmness of his commands. He stopped to touch her cheek, neck, caress the hollow
at the base of her throat. She couldn’t help but twist into his caress, needing his favor.

“Seeing you in my clothing excites me.” He pushed the opening wider, exposing

her belly. “But I hate to see your body covered. It’s so perfect. I want to come over it.”

Fallon gasped and her thighs flexed. She had to fight to keep them spread open.
“But I want you inside me,” she whispered.
“And you’ll have me.” He flicked her nipple with his finger. “But I need to mark

you somehow. Prove that you’re mine. You are mine, aren’t you, Fallon?”

“Yes,” she moaned.
“Good.”

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“Please fuck me.”
“I will. And you will find your pleasure. But my way.”
She shivered but nodded. How she’d grown to trust him so much in such a short

period of time, she wasn’t sure. But she did.

Taber bent his head down again, sucking her left nipple as he teased the right with

his hand. The steady laving of his tongue over the sensitive peak was almost enough to
push her into orgasm. Concentrating on everything but what he was doing, she tried to
win the battle over her body. When he switched sides, she almost lost.

“Can I come now please?” she cried out, her body shaking from the strain.
He lifted his head for a moment, just long enough to speak. “No.”
Fallon thrashed her head from side to side, fighting to keep her lower body still.

Taber knew how close she was, lifting his head from her breast. The nipple he’d been
teasing with his hand, he pinched hard enough to distract her from the overwhelming
pleasure with a bit of pain.

“I said no.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Say my name.”
“I’m sorry, Taber.”
“Very good. I think you deserve a reward.”
He moved his body so his head lay between her thighs. Fallon’s breathing came out

in gasps as she waited, needing to feel the touch of his mouth on her clit. But when he
didn’t touch her right away, she moaned, bucking her hips up, pulling against the
restraints.

“Patience, shallen. All in good time. I’m going to lick your cunt now. But I don’t

want you to come until I say. Do you understand?”

Not come! “I don’t know if I can.”
“Not until I say so. If you come too soon, I’ll be unhappy. Do you understand?”
Somehow the threat of his being unhappy wasn’t intimidating. “Okay,” she

muttered.

When his tongue licked some of her cream off her thigh, her body twitched.
“Lie still.”
Fallon whimpered and screwed her eyes shut and tried to think of things to distract

herself from what he was doing. His tongue returned to her thigh, his gentle lapping up
of her cream slow and deliberate. She tried to ignore the sensations, tried to think about
drink recipes, navigation charts, anything. But when he moved his tongue to her pussy,
eating up the juices from her opening, she nearly lost control.

Taber practically purred as he swallowed every drop of her essence he could find.

Thankfully, he was careful to avoid her clit. There wouldn’t be a way she could stop
herself if he touched her there.

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“You are such a good girl,” he said, punctuating his words with a kiss on her pussy.

“I think you are ready for your reward. Do you want it?”

“Yes!”
“Do you want to come?”
“Oh fuck yes!”
“Then come for me, shallen. Scream my name.”
Without further warning, Taber sucked her clit hard into his mouth at the same

time he drove a finger into her pussy. It only took two thrusts and her orgasm
exploded. She screamed his name over and over, bucking her hips, grinding her cunt
against his face. He didn’t stop pumping his finger into her until she begged him to
stop.

“No more. Too much,” she gasped.
Releasing her clit, he licked up the freshly spilled cream from her pussy. Only once

he was satisfied did he rise to his knees.

“Very good. You are amazing.”
Her body was humming from the power of her orgasm, the skin feeling like an

electric current was still passing over her. She didn’t think there was anyway she’d be
able to recover from that. That was until Taber positioned his cock at her entrance.

“I’m going to fuck you now. And when I’m ready, I’m going to come all over you.”
Fallon’s heart skipped a beat. She’d never had a man talk to her like this before. Tell

her exactly what would happen and then act upon it. Barely able to nod, she managed a
small one and waited for him to act.

She didn’t have to wait long. Taber rubbed the head of his cock along the outside of

her pussy to wet it. Then, in a single thrust, pushed his way inside until he could go no
further. The groan that escaped him vibrated through her body, wakening her drained
passion. He kept his body back, resting high on his knees as he began to slowly pump
into her.

Fallon watched the muscles of his chest, stomach and hips flex and release with

each thrust into her. His eyes were closed, but she knew the intense pleasure he was
feeling. She felt it too. He moved his hands to her legs, pulling them up to rest her feet
on his chest.

The new position increased the angle for his thrusts and he was able to penetrate

deeper. Fallon moaned—her clit now trapped against him.

“Do you want to come again?” he asked the question with his eyes still closed.
“Yes.”
“Yes what?”
“Yes please, Taber.”
“That’s better. Since you asked nicely, I think I will allow it.”

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Without warning, he increased the tempo of his thrusts until he was pounding into

her fast and hard. Being so close to the end of her first orgasm, the second approached
with lightning speed. She cried out, barely getting the words out of her as she fought
her body.

“May I come please?”
“Yes.”
“Ahhh!”
She screamed again, this time her world threatened to go black. The only thing that

pulled her from the edge of oblivion was the sound of Taber’s voice.

“Open your eyes.”
Somehow she was able to comply and watched as he pulled his red, swollen cock

from her body. Slick with her cream, he was easily able to work his fist over his shaft.
He kept his eyes open watching her as he pumped himself. When at last his eyes rolled
up into his head and he squeezed them shut, she watched as a heavy stream of cum
shot from his cock to land on her breasts. Spurts continued until he finally collapsed in
a heap beside her.

Their steady panting drifted into steady breathing, their bodies slick with cum and

sweat. She didn’t care and let him pull her hard against him, kissing her shoulder and
neck with gentle reverence.

“Did I hurt you?” he asked softly as he nuzzled her neck.
“No. God no. That was amazing.”
“You were amazing. I had no idea…without the bond that two people…”
Fallon giggled at his loss of words. The man who’d been in such control only a few

minutes before, now struggling with his vocabulary. Reaching down she rubbed his
cum onto her chest with her fingertips for a moment before bringing it to her lips to
taste him. Taber watched, fascinated as she sucked her fingers into her mouth.

“Do you like that?”
She nodded and moaned softly. “You taste like you smell.”
“I hope that is a good thing.”
She giggled again, only this time he joined her, his low, rumbling chuckle shaking

their bodies. After a moment, the joy drifted away. Memories of the past two days came
flooding back.

Nate was dead. So was Lukas. Here she was acting like nothing was wrong, like

they hadn’t meant anything to her. What kind of person was she to push aside her
memories so quickly? Taber touched her cheek, frowning.

“What’s wrong?”
“You’re going to catch their murderer, right?”

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He didn’t answer her right away, instead pushing his body up so he rested on his

elbow. Fallon rolled to her back, looking up into his eyes, needing him to tell her the
truth.

“Do you trust me?”
His question sounded odd considering what they’d just done. Instead of

questioning him, she nodded. She began to play with the skin on his forearm, running
her fingers up and down the length of his muscles.

“Fallon, I promise you this. I will find the person who murdered your friends and

bring them to justice.”

The weight that had been sitting on her heart since she’d found Nate immediately

lightened. She knew it wouldn’t go away completely until the murderer was caught.
But she knew Taber, knew he didn’t make promises he couldn’t keep.

“Thank you,” she whispered. Then something else hit her. “You’ll leave once you

solve the crime, won’t you?”

“Eurus is my home. I’ll be returning with Sean.”
He paused, and for a moment she thought he might say something more. Ask her to

come with him. Instead he caught a piece of her hair and twirled it around his finger.

“Well, I hope you won’t catch him too quickly, but before he strikes again.” She

smiled but felt a heavy weight fill her stomach. “I’m going to get cleaned up and head
home. I don’t want to slow down your progress.”

Fallon slipped from the bed, leaving Taber to frown after her.

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Chapter Seven

Captain Zane was still yelling at Taber and Sean ten minutes after they’d entered

his office—not that it wasn’t warranted. Taber could understand the other man’s
frustration at the lack of progress.

“Not only have we been forced to release our only suspect in Nate’s death, there’s

another body! Do you two intend on doing anything while you’re on my ship?”

Sean leaned forward in his seat, leaning slightly on Zane’s desk. “I assure you,

Captain, we are doing everything we can.”

“It’s obviously not enough.”
The older man’s face was red, in stark contrast to the mass of white hair on the top

of his head. Taber remained standing, his hands clenched behind his back in fists. His
normal control was slippery, moving out of his grasp as soon as he thought he had it in
place. It was not like him, and caused a major distraction in his thought process.

He’d be as angry as the captain if their positions were reversed. Angrier if he knew

about Taber and Fallon, and how much time he’d spent with her instead of chasing the
murderer.

“Captain, I have a theory about the murders,” Taber said only once it was clear the

captain was calm enough to hear it.

“And what might that be?”
Taber had spent most of the night thinking about the case once Fallon had slipped

away and returned to her room. He’d tried to follow her, to make sure she got home
safely, but she wouldn’t hear of it.

“God, the last thing I need is for the general populace to think you have a crush on

me or something,” she’d said. “I still have to live and work with these people when you
leave.”

He hadn’t like the way she’d said the last part, keeping him up the rest of the night.

But it had allowed him to draw the one and only connection between the two men.

“Captain, I think this murder is targeting men who are close to Fallon.”
Sean twisted in his seat to look back at him. “Are you sure?”
“The only other option is that their deaths were completely random. With the

coincidence that they were both interested in pursuing a relationship with her. We’ve
checked every other angle—it’s the only thing that makes sense.”

“There must be another explanation. Fallon’s been on ship for over three years now.

Nate and Lukas longer than that. Why would this be happening now?”

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“It’s possible, Captain. I trust Taber’s instincts in the matter.” Sean revealed nothing

in his expression that would indicate he was referring to anything other than Taber’s
investigative skills.

“There could have been a recent event that triggered the perpetrator, pushed him

over the edge. A trauma that has caused him to fixate on Fallon. Possibly with the intent
of getting rid of what he perceives as competition in a bid to win her over.”

Captain Zane stared at Taber for a long minute before shaking his head. “I find it

hard to believe that Fallon could be linked to this. Even incidentally. Every man on this
ship has lusted after her at one point or another. That would mean a lot of potential
suspects.”

“We will continue to follow other avenues of the investigation, but I want to ensure

Ms. Reist is protected until we catch whoever is responsible.” Taber kept is tone flat, not
wanting to give any indication that Fallon meant more to him than any other person in
the investigation.

“We know your security resources are limited on ship,” Sean added. “It might be

easier if she stays in her quarters as much as possible. Or if Taber is ready to release the
crime scene, we can reopen the bar and allow her to work. That way she’ll be in full
sight of us, without her feeling trapped. She’d need an escort whenever she is moving
about the ship though.”

Zane sat back in his seat and rubbed a hand down the front of his face. “She’s going

to kill me if I agree to that.”

“We can tell her. That way once the investigation is over, there will be no ill will

directed toward you,” Taber said, knowing full well Fallon would be furious when she
found out it was his idea to keep her protected.

The captain stood up and held out his hand for Sean to shake. “I appreciate that.

Our little rocket booster will tear a strip off me when she finds out.”

“We’ve noticed she’s very passionate about her beliefs. Isn’t that right, Taber?”
A sudden surge of anger flooded his system when Sean turned and looked at him

with a subtle but smug look. He cocked his head to the side and stared at his friend and
simply nodded once.

“Re-open the bar. That will at least make the people stuck on this ship until the

investigation is done happy. It’s a pleasure ship after all. If there isn’t drinking, fucking
and fighting then we’re doing something wrong.”

“Of course, Captain,” Taber bowed, trying to ignore the comment about fucking.
“Let me know the second you hear anything or have another suspect. I want to

come down and see the bastard myself.”

Taber and Sean left shortly after, walking side by side until they reached the

transport tube. Once they were inside and the doors slid shut, Taber grabbed Sean by
the throat and threw him up against the wall. Surprisingly, Sean didn’t react with
anything other than a look of curiosity.

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The beast inside him who’d been under tight control for years rose up with a roar.

Taber’s hand began to shake as he squeezed Sean’s throat. His heart was pounding and
there was nothing he wanted more at that moment than to kill something. The fact Sean
wasn’t struggling, fighting back in any fashion, quickly quelled his temper, allowing
him to get control. After a moment, he released Sean, allowing his body to slide back to
the floor.

“If you again hint at a relationship between Fallon and myself, I will beat you.”
Unlike other humans, Sean didn’t retreat. Reaching up to rub his neck, he kept his

eyes fixed on Taber’s.

“Is there?”
“What?”
“A relationship between you? Because quite frankly, I’ve never seen you act like

this before.”

By the goddess he wanted nothing better than to steal Fallon back to Eurus and

keep her locked in his quarters forever. But what kind of life could he offer her? She
wanted to return to Earth, not live the rest of her life with an alien on a colony as far
away from her planet as humans have managed to get. No, when they caught whoever
killed Nate and Lukas, he’d leave Fallon to her life. Hopefully with some pleasant
memories.

“She’s shared my bed. Nothing more.”
“That isn’t nothing.”
“Do not…continue this line of conversation.”
Wisely, Sean didn’t pursue the matter further. The transport tube opened and the

two stepped out as if nothing had happened. Taber turned and walked several steps
away before Sean called out.

“Where are you going?”
“To release the crime scene. The captain was right about that. We need to let these

people get back to their normal routines,” Taber said, scanning the corridor before
continuing. “We need Fallon to get back into her normal life as well. It will be the
easiest way to draw the killer out.”

“You still think this nut job is after her?”
Taber nodded. “We need to review all personnel files to see if there might be a

recent event that could have triggered a psychotic break for someone.”

“That will take time. Maybe I can send them to Eurus? Sara and Davin could get

through them faster than we could.”

“Agreed. Once I release the bar I’ll begin to review the security computer records

around that sector.”

“What about Fallon?”

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Taber felt his stomach clench at the thought of putting her in the path of danger.

While she wasn’t a coward and was more than capable of looking after herself, she
wasn’t a Haylie either. He wasn’t even sure if she knew how to fire a laser pistol.

“I’ll let her know she is free to return to work as long as she has an escort approved

by one of us. I don’t want our killer to get close to her without our knowledge.”

There was something in Sean’s eyes that sparkled, but when he spoke, there was no

hint of humor. “She better stay by one of us then. We’re the only ones we can be sure of.
At least for the time being. I’ll let you take the first watch.”

Without another word, Sean left for the communication room.
The fact that he was right only served to further annoy Taber. They couldn’t trust

anyone else on the ship. Not until they heard back from Sara and Davin on the records.
The idea of Sean spending even a little time with Fallon alone was enough to send his
inner world into dark chaos.

Changing his destination mid-stride, Taber made his way to Fallon’s quarters. But

once he was there, he rang the sensor several times and realized she wasn’t there. There
were two possibilities—she either didn’t want to see him, or something was wrong.

Using the security clearance Tony had given him the day he’d arrived, Taber

opened her doors and went inside her quarters. Everything was neat and tidy. Data
pads were piled up on a table, stories she told him she liked to read. Everything was
exactly where it should be—except for Fallon.

Leaving her quarters, he made his way to the only other place he could think she

would be. The doors to the bar were wide open and he was only one of many who
trickled through the door. He caught sight of her mixing a drink, smiling at the
increasing crowd congregating the bar.

Zane must have contacted her and told her the good news. The old bastard moved

quickly—so did Fallon apparently. She looked completely relaxed and totally in her
element.

Anger, fear and a heady dose of relief made it hard for him to move away, but he

forced himself. Rather than approach her, he made his way to the far corner of the bar
and stood in the corner. He’d have to let Sean know that he wouldn’t be able to review
those computer records until tomorrow. He had a feeling Fallon wasn’t going anywhere
for quite a while.

For her part, Fallon seemed to ignore his presence. He knew she was aware of him

by the way she let her gaze skip over that corner of the room while letting it drift
everywhere else. That and the fact that Lance kept staring from Taber to Fallon every
time he came out of the supply room. Not that he approached Taber either.

They were all doing an excellent job at ignoring the painfully obvious.
The bar began to fill to capacity as the night went on. Captain Zane had lifted the

ban on crew members drinking for the night, giving everyone a chance to meet and
mourn the loss of the crew members. Even the few guests who’d been trapped onboard

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were participating in the festivities. As he looked around the room, the whole situation
seemed odd.

Someone pulled up a picture of Nate and Lukas on the vid screens. He’d heard

people say the word “wake” several times, and he gathered this was becoming a funeral
of sorts. He’d never seen humans mourn for their dead in the fashion before.

It was nearly twenty-four hundred hours before Fallon finally stepped out from

behind the bar. He watched the sway of her ponytail as she walked through the crowd,
speaking with the groups of crew members as she went. Every time she would lean
forward, her round bottom would catch his attention, making him want to grab her by
the hips and grind his cock against it.

Taber forced himself to look away, focusing instead on a spot on the far wall. He

watched Lance for a few minutes mix drinks, though not with as much flare as Fallon.
When she finally reached his side, he watched her press her back against the wall,
crossing her arms across her chest.

“Enjoying the wake?” she said in a tone that betrayed nothing.
“A form of human burial rite I take it?”
“You don’t have wakes on Briel?”
“A party to celebrate death? No. But I find myself wondering if this isn’t a better

way than ours.”

He felt her eyes on his face but he resisted the urge to look. Instead he scanned the

crowd for anyone who might be taking a particular interest in their conversation.

“It’s more of a celebration of life than death. Why, what do your people do?”
The faces before him blurred together until he was no longer seeing anyone. His

mind flashed back to the day of Calantha’s larial ceremony. While they may not have
had the closest of bonded relationships, a part of his soul had gone with her the day of
her passing. It had taken him a very long time to emerge from the black place he’d
descended to after that.

“It depends on who has moved on to be with the goddess. If it is a friend, sibling or

parent, the mourner helps carry the body to the sea. Their body is burned and the ash is
carried away on the wind. It’s actually quite beautiful.”

There was a long pause, the noise from the crowed bar filling the silence. Taber felt

Fallon’s body sway closer to him, her shoulder brushing against his arm. She cleared
her throat, the sound somehow penetrating through the noise.

“Taber?”
“Yes?”
“What do you do if the person who died is your mate?”
Somehow he knew she would ask. Knew she couldn’t let the matter drop until she

found out all she could about him. Slowly, he turned his head to look into her beautiful
blue-green eyes. They were almost the color the sky had been the day of Calantha’s
larial. Almost.

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“Friends and family of the surviving mate gather around him or her to ensure they

are well. Many have taken their own lives, thrown their bodies on top of the pyre to die
with them.”

Her eyes widened considerably, but she didn’t say anything. The noise in the room

seemed to fade into the background as he spoke these words to her.

“If the mate doesn’t pursue such a drastic measure, then they are taken to a ti mara.

The closest thing in your language is monastery, though ours isn’t for the same
purpose. It’s a place where the mate can be alone to deal with his or her grief. The
island where the ti mara is located is quite beautiful.”

“How long were you there?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Taber’s heart pounded in his chest, and his throat tightened. He had to look away,

letting his eyes drift back over the crowd.

“Too long…and not long enough.”
The spell they had been under was broken when a drunken couple tripped and

stumbled into Fallon. She let out a small squeak as she fell forward, her arms pin-
wheeling as she tried to catch her balance. Taber’s arms were around her waist, pulling
her hard against his chest.

“Shit,” she yelped. The couple continued on completely oblivious.
“Are you hurt?” Taber asked, his lips close to her ear.
She shivered in his arms before he set her gently back on her feet. Fallon stepped

away quickly, her hands drifting to her sides, rubbing where his touch had been only
moments ago.

“I’m fine. I better get back to the bar.” Fallon paused, biting her bottom lip and

looking up at him. “Are you going to be here all night?”

While he knew he shouldn’t, that anyone who knew his people would know the

significance behind the act, Taber couldn’t resist. He turned to face her, giving her a
deep bow. “Until you are done for the night. I will be escorting you back to your
quarters.”

She paused for a moment, a curious look on her face before she nodded and

returned to work. He kept his eyes on her the entire time until he knew she was safe
back behind the bar.

“Fallon okay?”
Taber turned to see Jenny, the female security officer from earlier standing beside

him. She was no longer in uniform, instead wearing a loose-fitting green shirt and tight
black pants. Her black hair rested loose on her shoulders, part of which fell forward to
cover half her face. She tilted her head to the side, exposing her neck, looked up at him
and smiled.

It was obvious the woman was trying to catch his attention. He’d seen other women

perform similar displays in the past. But unlike Fallon, Jenny’s actions did little to stir
his emotions.

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“Fallon is fine. She’s returned to work.”
“And are you working? I’ve noticed you haven’t done much in the way of moving

around.”

Jenny brought a drink up to her lips and took a long sip out of a straw. The red

coloring she’d put on her mouth was bright red and made her pale face seem even
whiter. The fact that she’d been paying enough attention to him to notice he’d barely
moved meant others would have noticed as well. Perhaps even the killer.

“While this wasn’t a planned event, I’m here to ensure this wake went forward

without any disruptions. The crew of this ship deserves to mourn their losses.”

“Yeah, Nate was a great guy. I’m going to miss him. And while Lukas was a pain in

the ass, he didn’t deserve that.” Jenny frowned and stared into her drink for a moment
before looked back up and smiling. “So when will you be getting off duty? I can’t
imagine you Briel work twenty-four hours a day. I can show you around the ship. I
know some great spots.”

Jenny took a step forward, and reached out and picked off something invisible from

his sleeve. Taber made sure to keep his body still, not reacting to her in any fashion. He
did look from the spot on his arm where she’d touched him and back into her eyes,
raising his eyebrow. To her benefit, Jenny blushed and took a step back.

“I thank you, but I have many duties to attend while I’m on ship. I’ll be returning

back to the colony once the murderer has been caught.”

“I’d love to visit Eurus someday. I hear it’s beautiful.”
“Indeed.”
Taber returned his attention to the crowd. When he looked up, he saw Fallon

standing behind the bar, staring at him. For once, he couldn’t read her expression, so
instead he simply stared at her.

“Well, I better get back to the party. I hope the captain doesn’t work you too hard.”
“Thank you.” He nodded as Jenny disappeared back into the crowd.
The rest of the night continued without incident. No one approached Fallon for

anything more than a drink or quick conversation. Nothing out of the ordinary
occurred, and the wake began to wind down as the computer announced the
approaching the ship’s equivalent of dawn.

When only Fallon, Lance and himself were left, Taber left is post and began to pick

up several chairs that had been knocked over, as well as empty glasses.

“Hey, thanks,” Lance called out when he saw what Taber was doing. “If life in

security ever gets boring, we could sure use another set of hands here.”

Taber let out a sigh and shook his head. “I prefer the tedium of the security office to

the hectic pace you two keep.”

“Well no offense, you’d make a shitty bartender.” Lance stacked four glasses

together as he wiped down a table. “You need to be able to make conversation with
people that will keep them coming back for more.”

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“Conversation isn’t, what is the expression, my strong suit?”
Lance chuckled. “Yeah, I picked up on that.”
Taber was sure to keep his eyes averted from Fallon, who was currently busy

behind the bar restocking the bottles they used to mix the drinks. Instead, he stayed
near Lance, nodded when necessary to acknowledge the progression of the one-sided
conversation. It was only when Fallon yawned and Lance began to rub the back of his
neck that he clapped his hands together, getting both their attention.

“I believe it is time I escorted you both home.”
“Both?” Fallon’s voice was nearly as loud as Lance.
“Of course. It would be irresponsible of me to allow anyone to walk unescorted

with a murderer on ship.”

The real reason lay with the fact Lance spent as much time with Fallon as any man.

It was possible if the killer really was targeting the men in her life, that Lance would be
high on that list. Or he could be the murderer. Expecting more protest, he turned to face
them and crossed his arms across his chest.

“I trust there won’t be any arguing?” He punctuated the question with a raise of his

eyebrow.

Lance looked at Fallon and rolled his eyes. She let her gaze skirt from her friend to

Taber and quickly to the floor.

“Not that I don’t appreciate the offer, but it seems a bit ridiculous—”
“Lance, just let him,” Fallon said with a sigh. “It’s easier than trying to argue with

him.”

Taber nodded. “Excellent. Now I believe we should be off. You both look ready to

collapse.”

Thankfully, Lance’s quarters were closer to the bar than Fallon’s. That would give

him precious extra minutes to be with her alone, even if she didn’t talk to him. Taber
needed her, and that need was becoming more acute each day.

Upon reaching Lance’s quarters, Taber checked inside to ensure no one was waiting

for him.

“Is it clear, crazy over-protective security guy?” Lance said with a chuckle.
“You are safe. Secure your door once we leave.”
“Night, sweetie,” Lance leaned over and gave Fallon a hug. “Don’t let this guy boss

you around.”

“I never do.”
Taber felt the surge of anger return, only this time it was more difficult to push it

away. He had to physically walk a short distance down the hall to give himself the
space to calm his nerves.

“You okay?”

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A shiver ran down his back at the sound of Fallon’s voice. His heart pounded so

loud and strong, he was sure she’d be able to hear. When they’d made love last night,
when she’d let him control her desires, his connection to her strengthened. She was his
and he’d kill any other man who touched her in that way. Somehow, he didn’t think
she’d want to hear those words from him. Swallowing, he looked at her and nodded.

“Let me get you back to your quarters.”
They walked in silence until they reached her door. Taber waited for her to release

the door lock, before gently nudging her aside and walking in first.

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you’re checking my place. You did it for Lance

after all.”

“I would do the same for anyone who is in danger.”
“Even Jenny?”
He stopped mid-stride and turned to look at her. She was busy rearranging the data

pads on her desk. The neat pile now in total chaos.

“If I thought a serial killer was targeting her, then yes, even Jenny. Would you

expect me to do anything else?”

His question seemed to catch her off guard. She looked up, her lips parted slightly,

as if she were getting ready to be kissed. The thought made his cock hard, which he
didn’t bother to try and hide.

“Well?”
She shook her head. “No. Knowing you the way that I do now, I would be shocked

if you didn’t do everything in your power to help someone else.”

“But you didn’t like me talking to Jenny. You’re scared I would take her to my

bed—fuck her the way I did you.”

It wasn’t a question. He’d watched her after, had recognized the look of frustrated

jealousy she’d been trying hard to hide. She was in as much torment as he was—neither
of them willing or able to do anything about it. Their discomfort went beyond sex, with
no easy answer.

“I’ll leave you to your rest. I will be just outside your door for what little remains of

the night and for the morning. Don’t open the door unless you check who it is, and
either I or Sean is there.”

Fallon simply nodded. “Thank you.”
“Sleep well.”
Taber stepped outside her door, locked his hands behind his back and prayed his

mind would ignore the fact the woman he wanted more than his bond mate was
sleeping only a few feet away—and he couldn’t have her.

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Chapter Eight

Fallon had somehow been able to sleep. It was weird because she didn’t think she

was going to be able to. The only thing that had helped was the fact she knew Taber
stood just outside her door, there to protect her.

Now, she’d never been much for the whole damsel in distress routine, but she had

to admit there was something appealing about it. Especially when her knight in
shinning armor was a seven-foot-tall, alien wall of muscle who took great pleasure
dominating her in the bedroom. Still, she knew there was a lot more to Taber than the
ability to keep the monsters away at night. And it was that part that had captured her
attention.

Hers and mostly every other hot-blooded female on the ship.
She’d spent most of her conversations at Nate’s wake answering questions about

Taber. Both men, but mostly women, wanted to know everything she had on the
mysterious Briel standing against the wall. Though funnily enough, it was only Jenny
who’d had the balls to actually approach him. The woman had the sensitivities of an
asteroid when it came to moving in on someone else’s man.

Fallon checked with the computer and, yes, the alien in question was still standing

outside her door. Even though she’d slept for five hours, she doubted he’d taken a
break or allowed Sean to cover his post for him. She’d seen the flash of anger on his face
when Lance had hugged her in the corridor. The ferocity of it had caught her off guard
but told her more about him than any conversation ever could. He’d somehow claimed
her as his own but wasn’t quite willing to tell the world about it.

The funny thing was she felt the same way about him.
She’d been ready to jump across the bar and strangle Jenny to within an inch of her

life when she’d seen her flirting with Taber. It was completely unlike her to react like
that. She’d had boyfriends in the past who’d been worse flirts than Taber, and it hadn’t
risen more than her eyebrow.

What it had done for her tonight was make her realize she couldn’t dismiss her

feelings for Taber as easily as she thought she could. Whether she liked it or not, she
needed to try and see where things could go between them, or else she’d always regret
it. That was something she wasn’t prepared to do.

Standing, she walked over to the door, took a deep breath and pressed the release

button. Taber turned his head just enough so he could see her out of his peripheral
vision.

“Good morning,” he said, a slight note of exhaustion in his voice.
“Good morning. When did you last sleep?”

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He paused, frowning, before he straightened his back. “Forty-six hours ago.”
Holy shit! “That was before we…”
“Were together. Yes.”
Without waiting, she hooked her arm around his and yanked hard in the direction

of her quarters. “In. Now.”

“Sean will be by to relieve me in two hours. I will rest then.”
“No, you’ll come in here now, I’m going to lock the door and you’re going to sleep.

Forty-six hours is insane. Even for a Briel, I’m sure.”

She didn’t think he was going to listen at first, but after a few more tugs, he allowed

her to pull him inside. Clearly, he was tired. She could tell by the way his shoulders
sagged forward just an inch or so. His normally sharp gaze was sluggish, focusing on a
spot a bit longer than he needed to. Still, he was strong, alert, and she knew if someone
broke her door down at that moment, Taber would be more than ready to take them on.

“When was the last time you ate?”
Looking down his muscular frame, she was surprised he didn’t eat every few

hours. It must take a shit load of working out to keep in that kind of shape. Come to
think of it, she’d never seen him in the gym.

Just the once—investigating Lukas’s death.
“I ate before seeing Captain Zane, yesterday morning.”
“Do you normally treat yourself this crappy?” How the hell did he live for so long

without dying from neglect?

“Only when I’m working.”
“Don’t you work all the time?”
A small smile crossed his lips at her comment.
“That’s what I figured. Okay, I want you to sit down,” she said, giving him a shove

toward the one comfortable chair she had in her entire place. “And I’m going to get you
something to eat before I put you to bed.”

“Fallon—”
“Don’t even start. If you want me to stay in my quarters, and I assume you do,

based on your stalking me last night, then I suggest you let me mother you a bit.”

That seemed to catch his attention and he let her push him into the chair. Leaning

over the back of his shoulder, she licked the ridge of his ear. “Good boy.”

He chuckled. “I thought I was the one who gave the orders.”
“Not when you’re being stupid. Now, do you have any allergies that I should be

aware of?”

“Allergies?”
“I’m about to make you an Earth classic and I want to make sure I don’t end up

putting you in med bay. Is there anything you can’t eat?”

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Taber sighed, letting his head fall back against the back of the chair, which moved

his cheek against hers.

“I can eat anything you make.”
“Excellent!” Fallon pushed away from the chair, just escaping his reach with a

giggle. “Ha! I’m too fast for you.”

“Care to test that theory?”
“Only after you’ve been up for another fort-six hours. How the hell can you go that

long without sleep?”

There was a long pause as Fallon pulled out a jar of peanut butter from her storage

cupboard. For a moment, she thought he may have fallen asleep and all her efforts
would be for nothing. She was about to call for him when he finally said something.

“I stayed awake once for fifty-two hours. It was in the war.”
Good god! “Were you in battle?”
She made short work of the sandwich and grabbed some nutrition bars and a

couple apples for good measure. Before she rejoined him, she yanked the tie from her
hair, letting it fall free around her shoulders. He’d wanted her hair free when they were
together and she wanted him to stay put and rest. If that meant distracting him to do it,
she was all for it. Walking out, she placed the simple feast on the table at his side.

“Here you go. Best peanut butter sandwich this side of Earth.”
Taber started at her before focusing on the meal, his eyes locked on the plate with

the sandwich. He swallowed hard, finally looking up at her. Fallon forgot to breathe
when she saw the unshed tears in his eyes. Crawling onto his lap, she gently caressed
his cheek.

“Are you okay?” she whispered, touching her hair. “Did I do something wrong?”
Nodding once, he gave her a small smile. “Yes, I was in battle. It was the first time

I’d seen combat like that. I’d only been in the Protectorate for a few months.”

She reached over and grabbed the sandwich off the plate and held it to his mouth.

“You need to eat something. So open.”

He actually looked shocked at her actions. “You made this with your own hands?”
“Of course.” She grinned at him. “Like I said, best peanut butter sandwich out

there. I mean, the jam isn’t as good as what you can get on Earth because I had to make
it myself. And the hydroponics bay can’t quite get the strawberries to turn out right—”

Her gasp was swallowed by his kiss. It took a second for Fallon’s brain to clue in to

what was happening, before her whole body responded. Closing her eyes, she relaxed
against his chest, opening her mouth fully to his. It wasn’t like their crazy, lust-driven
kisses from before. This time something had changed. He was less demanding with his
lips, more gentle with his touch. When he finally broke the contact, neither one of them
moved immediately away.

“What was that for?” She pressed another quick kiss against his lips.

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“On my planet, it is a high honor for a female to make a meal for a male. An even

greater honor if she feeds it to him by her hand.”

She couldn’t help the smile on her face. “Well, it is an honor, Taber. You are a most

amazing man.”

Shifting in his arms, she brought the sandwich to his mouth and waited. He paused

for only a second before taking a large bite and beginning to chew. A part of her was
anxious to know what he thought of it, probably the same part that loved the fact a
simple sandwich had turned into something bigger.

Because she realized she really did want bigger from him.
“So, do you like it?”
“It’s delicious.” He pulled her hand closer and took another bite.
“Good,” she said and kissed his forehead. “I actually have another whole jar of the

peanut butter and a bit more bread, but I’m almost out of jam. My next batch of berries
won’t be ready until next month.”

“I will have to ask the Eurus hydroponics bay to add some of these berries to their

grow list.”

When he had only a thin strip of crust left, Taber reached up and held her by the

wrist, preventing her from moving back. He put both the bread and her fingers into his
mouth, sucking off the jam that had spilled over the side of the bread. The intimacy of
the action sent a shiver through her, her nipples hardening at the thought of being
sucked. A blush heated her face and she quickly looked at the table.

“Do you want something else to eat? I can make you something else.”
Taber cupped her cheek and she couldn’t help but lean into his hand. His thumb

caressed her skin as his large hand held her.

“No. Thank you,” he said in a shaky voice.
“You are very welcome.”
He pulled her against his chest so her head rested on his shoulder. The position felt

natural, comfortable, as if she’d done it a hundred times in the past. His body relaxed
under her, and she cuddled in closer when he wrapped his arms around her.

“You asked about the battle I’d been in.’
“Only if you want to talk about it. I can imagine it wasn’t pleasant for you.”
His hand began to trace a lazy line along the top of her shoulder, tangling in her

hair as he went. She thought his eyes were open, but she didn’t want to move to check,
inadvertently break the fragile mood in the room.

“I was very young when I met Calantha. Barely old enough to have a mate, let

alone know how to make her happy. When she…died, I was nearly lost. I joined the
Protectorate, hoping it would chase away the feelings.”

Fallon reached up and caressed the base of his throat. “What feelings?”

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He swallowed hard before resting his chin on her head. “Guilt, anger. I was young

and my mate was dead. I had nothing to lose, so it made me the perfect soldier.”

“Did anyone know? That your mate was…” she struggled to find the right word.

“That she was gone?”

“Only my commanding officer. It was during that battle, my last with the Ecada,

that he found out.”

Taber stopped talking, his hand paused mid-caress on her shoulder. She was dying

to know more, find out all she could about him, but she knew better than to push.
Getting people to talk was as much of an art form as mixing drinks. She didn’t have to
wait for long.

“We engaged the Ecada on one of our outer colony worlds. We’d pushed them back

to a mountain, but they managed to find some tunnels and had dug in deep. They were
still able to use their psychic abilities to confuse us. Most of the men were able to fight
it, but I was too…new. I was trapped in a bunker with my commander. “

His hand began to move again, only this time the lazy pattern wasn’t as relaxed.

Fallon waited, listening to his heartbeat slowly begin to increase in rhythm.

“When the group of Ecada that had us pinned down began to mess with my mind, I

went crazy. I started to attack my superior, nearly killed him.”

“Shit.”
“He was stronger, more experienced than I was. But I thought he’d stolen my mate,

taken her and killed her.”

“Oh Taber.”
He gave her a gentle hug. “I don’t need your pity. It was a long time ago and

something that helped me to move on.”

“Okay.”
Sitting up in the chair, Taber pressed a kiss against her temple. “I shouldn’t talk of

these things. I’m sure you don’t want to hear about them.”

Fallon sat up and smacked his shoulder with the back of her hand. “If you don’t tell

me what happened, I’m never making you another sandwich.”

He gave her a tiny smile and nodded. “I tried to kill my commander with my knife.

That’s how the Ecada killed so many of us. Confused our minds so we didn’t know who
the true enemy was. But the commander was strong, easily forced me to the ground.”

It was hard to imagine anyone being stronger than Taber.
“What did he do?”
“He knocked me out and dragged me to safety. Once I woke, he forced the story

from me. Similar to what you are doing to me now. He would have approved of your
methods. Once he found out about Calantha and what had happened to her, he helped
me get over the pain.”

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She realized there was only one way his commander would be able to do that.

“He’d lost his mate too?”

Taber nodded. “He told me that life was different without your mate, but it was still

life. Other people would come along who would make it worth living, worth
protecting. I wish he was still alive so I could tell him he was right.”

The look in his eyes told her all she needed to know. Taber wanted to make love to

her right then. And she really, really wanted to. If it wasn’t for the fact he’d been up
longer than any person, or alien, should be, she would have been all over him.

“Thank you,” she said and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “I know you don’t tell many

people about your past. It means a lot that you would share it with me.”

“You are only the second person who knows about Calantha. And Sean only knows

because of our relationship.”

Her heart began to pick up its rhythm. “We do, don’t we? Have a relationship?”
“I believe we do.”
Fallon leaned closer but kept her lips from brushing his. “That gives me special

powers over you, doesn’t it?”

Taber nodded, eyeing her mouth.
“Good. Then I won’t feel guilty ordering you to my bed. I intend to watch you

sleep.”

“Sleep?”
This time she grinned. “Yes, sleep. If you get some rest, then I promise when you

wake up, I’ll wear you out.”

“And how do you intend on doing that?”
He reached over and brushed her hard nipple through her shirt. Fallon sucked in a

breath but didn’t pull away from his touch. “That’s not very fair.”

“If I am to sleep in your bed, then I would hope you could at least give me some

pleasant dreams.”

Impulsively, she reached down and grabbed his cock. “I said I wanted you to sleep.

Not be up half the night with a hard-on.”

“Hard-on?”
“You can’t tell me you haven’t heard that particular human idiom before.”
He offered her a little shrug as he pressed his hips forward, forcing his cock further

into her hand.

Fallon had to fight for control. She knew if she showed any sign of weakness, he’d

dominate her and she’d be a willing participant. And the mere thought of that was
enough to make her come on the spot.

“No you don’t. Bed. Rest first, then we play. Consider it incentive.”
“Yes, ma’am.”

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She slipped from his lap, missing the warmth of his body as soon as she did, and

held out her hand. Taber took it and allowed her to tug on his arm several times before
he finally rose from the chair.

He’d never been in her bedroom before. It wasn’t a large room, but it felt even

smaller with his massive frame taking up every inch of spare space. For a moment,
Fallon wasn’t sure if her bed would be large enough for him. The crew typically didn’t
have as large lodgings as the guests. But when he lay down, his feet hung over the edge
only a few inches.

Fallon got a blanket from her locker and brought it over to him as he pulled his

tunic off and tossed it aside. She froze and stared at him, still in awe of the perfect
muscles that sculpted his body.

His eyes met hers and he smiled. Not a wide grin like most men offered her. This

was a smile that was distinctly Taber. Small, subtle and most definitely in control. She
watched as he rolled to his side, propped his head up with his hand and patted the
empty space beside him.

She waited for him to say something, which he didn’t. This command was a silent

one. With a rise of his eyebrow, she knew all she needed to know. If she wanted him to
sleep, she had to sleep with him. Sighing, she crawled back into the bed she’d left only a
short time ago. At least she didn’t have to bother changing today.

Once she’d settled in on her side, Taber’s massive arm was draped over her waist,

pulling her tight against him.

“At least this way I know you’re not getting into trouble.”
She lightly shook her head. “What about Sean? Shouldn’t you tell him not to

come?”

“Forgive me. A small untruth so you wouldn’t worry about me.”
“He was never coming?”
Her flash of indignation quickly burned out. Fallon tried to turn to face him, but his

arm held her tight. Instead, she turned her head as much as she was able to try and face
him. “Why?”

His body stiffened. It was such a tiny motion anyone else would have missed it. But

she was becoming tuned in to his actions, knew when something was bothering him
almost as soon as he knew. And the idea of another man, even a friend, being close to
her bothered him.

“Are you scared I will change my mind? Shift my affections toward another man?”
“For a woman who professed to want me to go to sleep, you are doing your best at

keeping me awake.”

“Sorry.”
But Fallon couldn’t turn her mind off. Thoughts and implications whizzed through,

the meaning of each cloudy to her. She kept her body still and tried to ignore the
behemoth lying beside her.

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“Stop.” His words were a low murmur by her ear.
“Stop what?”
“I won’t be able to sleep with your mind…buzzing like that.”
“You can hear my thoughts?”
Momentary panic struck her but faded quickly when he chuckled.
“Only bond mates have that ability. I simply meant your body is rigid, and I know

that mind of yours is working on some sort of problem.”

“I was actually thinking about you.”
In a fast, but smooth motion, Taber had her on her back and was leaning over her.

He moved his leg so his knees pinned her, and he rested an arm on either side of her
head.

“And am I a problem for you to work out?”
His voice was that seductive rumble again. The one she couldn’t resist. Her pussy

clenched as it grew damp. Still, she tried not to move, not to show him the effect he had
on her. She looked at his face, wanting to reach out and caress the hard line of his jaw.
His black hair was rumpled, but she liked it that way. Messy, chaotic.

“I asked you a question, Fallon.”
That voice, that tone. She looked away, biting her bottom lip. She’d never thought

about sex in this way. But when she was with him, the idea of his dominating her,
unleashing and controlling the chaos inside her was thrilling.

“Am I a problem?”
This time he leaned in, bringing his lips to hers but hovering just out of reach. Holy

shit, she wanted to kiss him—to be kissed by him.

“You’re nothing I can’t handle,” she finally whispered.
A low growl rumbled from his chest, sounding very much like distant thunder

before a storm. His blue eyes sparkled, all trace of exhaustion gone, pushed away in
favor of his building desire.

“You need your rest,” she protested weakly. She knew she’d do whatever he told

her to.

“I’ll rest later. Right now…”
His kiss wasn’t gentle—he tried to claim her with his mouth, mark her as his. Taber

sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, his tongue teasing her with short licks. Pulling
free with a smack, he bent his head to her ear and sucked her lobe into his mouth as
well.

“You are mine.”
His words sent a shiver through her. Never had anyone wanted her, not like this.

Not Nate, Lukas, no one. Fallon scraped her nails over his arms and shoulders until she
found his silky black hair. Taber nipped at her ear, this time pushing her head to the
side, exposing more of her neck.

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“Do you understand, Fallon? Mine. I won’t allow any man to hurt you, touch you

sexually.”

Oh god.
“Say you understand.”
“Yes.”
“Yes what?”
“Yes, Taber.”
He groaned. “By the goddess, say my name again.”
“Taber.”
His lower body was still clothed, but that did little to hide his erection. Fallon felt

his hard cock against her hip, thrusting against her in a steady rhythm. When she tried
to reach for it, he grabbed her hand, holding her still.

“No. This time I want something different.”
“Anything.” Just as long as she could make love to him, she’d do anything.
“Get up.”
The idea of leaving him, leaving the bed, sent a momentary bolt of panic through

her. But she trusted him. Her feet hitting the floor, she stood, turning to face him. He
didn’t move or say anything for the longest time. Unlike any other man she’d been
with, she didn’t question or tease him. Instead she waited, knew that when he was
ready, they would explode together in pleasure.

“Strip.”
That single word, his firm command, almost made her come on the spot. She

wanted him so badly, Fallon nearly tore the flimsy cotton material from her body.
Thankfully, she slept with very little clothing on. Then she watched as he stretched out
on his back, taking up most of the bed. For a second, she didn’t know what he wanted
her to do.

“I want you to straddle my face. I want to taste your cunt.”
A trickle of her cream rolled down her leg as her lungs constricted. Despite all the

sex she’d had, very few men actually went down on her. And while Taber had before,
this somehow seemed different.

Different and very exciting.
Fallon had to use the headboard for balance as she knelt on the side of the bed,

before swinging her leg over the side of his face. She was more exposed than ever
before in this position—naked, straddling his face, giving him a complete view of her
body.

Taber sucked in a deep breath, closing his eyes as he did. She couldn’t help but

stare at him, watching the subtle expressions dance across his face. But when his eyes
met hers, she knew that privilege was about to be taken away.

“Look up. Close your eyes. I want you to feel.”

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She wanted to protest but didn’t. Fallon closed her eyes first before lifting her head

up. Not being able to see what he was doing somehow made the experience more
thrilling.

It also caught her off guard when his tongue darted out to lick the side of her inner

thigh where her cream had dripped.

“Is this for me? Di machachta, you’re so wet.”
Fallon cried out when his tongue touched the opening to her pussy. The slick

passage clenched, despite being empty.

“So very good. And mine.”
That word again. It got under her skin, into her blood. But she couldn’t think about

what it meant, for her, for them. Not when Taber was licking her, eating her very
essence and going back for more.

He reached up and cupped her hips, holding her steady. She couldn’t move now,

couldn’t see. It was making her frantic.

“Please, Taber.”
He licked around her clit but didn’t come close to where she wanted him to be.
“Please what?”
Of course he would make her say it, be blunt with her needs. Fallon sucked in a

breath, tipping her head back. “Please lick me.”

“I believe that is what I’m doing.”
“No.”
“No?”
“My clit. Suck it into your mouth.”
He chuckled. “I am in control, little one. And I will do what I want, when I want.”
As if to confirm what he’d said, he licked her from her wet opening and around her

clit without touching it. A sob escaped her, one she didn’t bother to hide. “Please.”

The sound of her sob must have made an impact. Without warning, he sucked her

clit fully into his mouth, flicking his tongue over the swollen tip.

“Oh fuck!”
She squeezed the headboard, her head falling forward against her chest. Refusing to

open her eyes, she focused solely on the sensations he was stirring in her. Her breasts
were tingling, her nipples almost painful, they were so hard. Still she didn’t touch them.

As if to prove he really was as much in tune with her as she was with him, Taber

slid his hand from her hip and over to her breast. He cupped it and squeezed before
concentrating on the nipple. Fallon couldn’t stop her hips from bucking when he did,
grinding her cunt against his face.

Taber moaned, moving his mouth back and forth in perfect time as he tugged her

nipple. Fallon was gasping within a minute, knowing she wouldn’t be able to take
much more.

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“Oh god…Taber…I’m going to come.”
He pulled his mouth back, releasing her clit with a pop. Fallon cried out, trying to

grind her pussy against his face, but he held her hips still.

“Not yet,” he said, placing a kiss on the inside of her thigh.
Fallon’s body shook from her lack of orgasm, a pout fixed on her face. She was

about to beg again when he finally moved his hand. Taber wet his index finger with her
cream, careful not to brush her clit, and moved it to her ass. He poked the tight entrance
repeatedly until the tip of his finger pushed through the tight ringed barrier. Fallon
sucked in breath, her eyes going wide.

“Do your people,” he asked as he continued to push his finger in and out, slowing

spreading her ass. “Like to try new things?”

Fallon nodded her head as she began to rock her hips in time with the slow thrusts

of his hand.

“Have you ever had a man here before?” In, out. In, out. “Put his cock here? Fuck

your ass?”

The harshness of his words made her shiver with anticipation. She knew she

couldn’t lie to him. He’d see it before she’d spoken the words. So she looked down at
him, into his deep blue eyes and nodded.

“Yes, a man’s fucked my ass before.”
“Did you like it?”
“Yes.”
He groaned. “I’m going to fuck your ass. You’re going to forget every other man

before me.”

She nodded again, her voice suddenly useless. The ragged rise and fall of his chest

beneath her body told her all she needed to know—he was barely on the edge of his
control.

“There is something I need to finish first,” he said, and for the first time since she’d

met him, he grinned a wide, devilish smile.

Fallon was about to say something when he clamped his mouth on her clit and

sucked it back into his mouth. She cried out, squeezing the headboard but keeping her
gaze locked on him. He flicked his tongue over her clit so fast, she thought she wouldn’t
be able to keep up, might lose the orgasm before she reached the end. But she didn’t.

Taber pushed his finger deep into her body as the first pulse of her release hit her.

She couldn’t move at first, her entire body freezing from the force of the pleasure. Her
legs shook, her body broke out in a sweat until her screams of pleasure were ripped
from her throat.

Then she couldn’t stop.
Her voice was raw by the time Taber sat up, lifting her body as he went. He gently

pushed her back against the bed. Even after she was completely spent, he continued to

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lick and kiss her pussy, his finger working her tight ass. When he lifted his head to look
at her, Fallon was shocked at the raw animal lust she saw burning in his eyes.

“I’m going to fuck your ass.”
She moaned at his possessive tone and spread her legs wide.
“No. I want you on your knees.”
Yes, that would be better. She somehow made her body move, positioning her body

so he could climb up behind her. He didn’t seem to move at first, instead rubbing a
hand down along her back and over the swell of her ass cheeks.

“So very beautiful,” he murmured.
“I want you so bad,” she said, shaking her ass slightly.
He spanked her cheek, making her yelp. The burning tingle worked its way deep

inside her, firing her pussy.

“That will be a game for another day,” he said chuckling.
Taber rose to his knees behind her and positioned his thick cock at the opening of

her ass. He was wet from his spit and her cream, so when he pushed the head of his
cock forward, it slid easily.

Damn, he was big. For a second, she didn’t think she’d be able to take him all. She’d

only had a man fuck her ass a few times, and none of them was as impressive as Taber.
He didn’t rush things by pushing too fast or too hard. For every inch he pressed into
her, he gave her a chance to adjust to his size. Then he’d continue on. When he was
finally in her fully, he stopped moving, his hands locked tight around her hips.

“Sha tama re do kima.”
“I hope that means you like it.”
“You are so tight.”
He pulled his hips back until he was nearly all the way out, then he pushed back in.

There was no resistance from her body, allowing him to easily fill her. He was so large,
Fallon felt her body tingle deep inside as it adjusted to his cock. The warm pressure
began to fire her pussy again, making her wet and horny.

Taber released her hips, leaning forward so his chest pressed against her back. He

snaked an arm around to her front, his fingers searching out her clit once more.

“Come again,” he whispered against her ear. “I want to feel you, smell you come

again.”

The words, his tone, stirred her. He was demanding and caring simultaneously. A

master and lover—hers. He kissed her neck, licking her skin. He buried his face against
her shoulder, his ragged breath heating and cooling her.

Fallon’s body began to quiver as he synchronized the thrusts of his cock with the

teasing of his fingers on her clit. He was nearly frantic in his motion, the smoothness of
his thrusts becoming jerky as he got close to his orgasm. She knew he wouldn’t come

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before her. So instead of fighting it, she let him work her body into a frenzy. It didn’t
take long.

“Taber!”
“Yes, that’s it. Come all over my hand. By the goddess, you’re perfect. Now,

Fallon.”

He squeezed her hard against him as her second orgasm overcame her. Her body

clenched and her ass constricted around his cock. He roared, pounding mercilessly into
her. His arms locked around her, Fallon absorbed his every motion. She could feel him
come into her ass until he finally stopped.

When they collapsed together on the bed, their bodies were tangled together.

Taber’s weight pressed her into the mattress until he shifted to the side without leaving
her completely. He continued to kiss her neck long after the glow of their orgasms had
gone.

“You’re ruining me for other men.” She kissed his forehead. “What am I going to

do when you leave?”

Taber stilled his body, slowly lifting his head to look into her eyes.
“Why don’t you come with me?”

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Chapter Nine

“What?”
Taber could tell by the confusion in her voice that she was almost as surprised as he

was. He wasn’t sure where the words had come from, but he wasn’t about to take them
back.

“When the case is done, you could come back to Eurus with me. We do have

several nice bars that would love to have you.”

Her body stiffened in his arms, telling him all he needed to know. She didn’t want

him—not as a mate. He pushed the crush of his emotions down hard and fast, making
sure no sign of them would be reflected on his face. It mattered more than he wanted to
admit, but the last thing he wanted to do was to let Fallon know he was hurt.

“It was only a thought. Not one that requires an answer,” he said softly, and shifted

onto his back.

His body was drained of energy. Despite his earlier protests, he really did need to

sleep. Sean was only a call away and would be willing to keep watch over Fallon until
he had a chance to rest.

Sitting up, Taber reached for his pants and began to put them on.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
The indignant tone in Fallon’s voice made him freeze and look at her over his

shoulder.

“I was getting dressed.”
“No, you are going to sleep.” Fallon snatched his pants out of his hands, scooted

out of bed and held them behind her back. “I don’t plan on giving these back until you
rest.”

The sigh that escaped him was unexpected but helped relieve the turmoil building

inside. “Fallon, I intend to sleep. In my quarters.”

“I don’t think so. You’ll get back there and start working on some report or

something. The only way I can be sure that you’re getting your rest is to see you
sleeping with my own eyes.”

Taber swung his feet to the floor, stood and made his way toward her, but she was

too quick. Fallon bolted out of the room with a giggle, taking his pants with her.

“Fallon!”
“Don’t make me do something drastic.”
“Give those back.”

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For the first time in his life, Taber ran for fun. Fallon’s laughter became infectious as

she dodged him, leaping over a couch and tipping over a chair. By the time he managed
to trap her in the cooking quarters, he was laughing as hard as she was.

“I warned you,” she said, gasping for air. Fallon opened the garbage chute and held

his pants over the open trap. “One more step and they’re compost.”

Taber’s heart was pounding both from the excitement of the chase and the sheer

beauty of seeing her like this. Holding up his hands, he took a step back, not willing to
test to see how serious she was.

“I surrender. I will crawl into your bed and will sleep.”
“Good,” she said with a grin. “I plan on keeping your pants hostage until I’m

satisfied you’re fit to return to duty. Now shoo.”

To punctuate her point, Fallon dipped his pants lower into the chute. Shaking his

head, he walked back to her room.

“You have a nice ass,” she called from the kitchen.
“So do you. Maybe when I wake up, I’ll fuck it again.” When he didn’t hear a

response, he chuckled. “I’ll take that as permission.”

“We’ll see.”
Fallon didn’t enter the bedroom, which was for the best. Despite how tired he was,

seeing her naked body again wouldn’t encourage him to sleep. Instead, he crawled
under the covers, curling his legs up so he’d fit into her small bed. Closing his eyes, he
breathed in Fallon’s scent that clung to her pillows. It calmed him yet fired his soul. For
the first time since Calantha, he wanted a woman. In a short time, Fallon had become
more important to him than anyone else, save Kamran. And while he’d lay down his
life for his friend, if Fallon asked him to walk away from that duty, he wasn’t sure what
he’d do.

With his mind turning over endless possibilities in his head, Taber drifted to sleep.
Dreams that he’d been able to ignore for years resurfaced. The fact he knew he was

dreaming but unable to wake made the entire experience unnerving. He was walking at
his home on Briel, the soft grass under his feet. His home was by the sea, where he
could watch the purple waves crash against the white sand. It had cost him a lot of
money and many favors to obtain the property, but he knew it was what Calantha had
wanted. He’d done everything in his power to make her happy, but it was never
enough.

He walked through the house, looking for something. He caught a glimpse of

himself in a mirror, frowning. What was I was looking for? Poking his head into each
room, he spent little time in any one place.

Finally, he walked outside into the back yard, away from the sounds and smells of

the sea. There maylins were squawking in trees as he approached the clearing where
Calantha liked to meditate. Even as he approached, he could feel her clamping down

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harder on the barrier she’d erected in her mind to keep him out. When he finally
walked through, he saw her, sitting alone in the middle of the clearing.

Taber walked beside her, but did not sit. She wouldn’t permit it.
“What are you doing today, my mate?”
Even knowing this was a dream didn’t stop the unease, the rising panic from

building in his chest when she didn’t answer. Calantha simply looked up at him, and a
single tear rolled down her cheek. Taber squatted before her, careful not to touch her.

“What is wrong?” he whispered, wanting to brush her tear away from her perfect

face.

Her black hair was loose around her shoulders, falling like a black sheet over her

blue tunic. Taber saw the turmoil in her silver eyes, but there was something else,
something more. Knowing she wouldn’t like it, he pushed hard against her barrier,
hoping she’d let him in for once.

“You know I can’t stand to be in your mind or have you in mine,” she said in her

typical clear and cool voice. “Do not try to push because you perceive weakness.”

“I simply want to help you. You are in obvious pain.”
Taber captured her hand in his, but his dream version of Calantha reacted the same

way as the real one had. She simply stared at him, holding her hand limp until he let it
drop to her lap. Only once he’d released her did she straighten her back and look him in
the eyes.

“I am glad you are here, Taber. It will give me the opportunity to say what I need

to.”

She never called him anything but his name.
“Yes, my mate.”
Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out an empty, small black vial. It appeared to

have held some sort of liquid, the remnants of which still clung to the inside of the
bottle.

His hands began to shake as he looked from the bottle to her, his mind already

knowing the answer, praying for a different outcome.

“What was in this?”
“Hiva.”
Poison. A deadly and fast-acting one, with no antidote.
Taber felt sick to his stomach, his body growing numb with each passing moment.

The last he’d spend in the company of his mate. He swallowed hard and somehow
forced himself to look her in the eye.

“Why?” His voice came out little more than a breath.
Instead of telling him, she dropped the mental barrier that had kept them apart for

the two years of their bonding. Pain, loneliness, despair hit him first, knocking him to

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the ground. As he sat there, gasping, her feelings of disgust and revulsion, ending with
relief, seeped into his mind.

“I’m sick, dying. I want to choose the method of my ending.”
Stunned, he reached out for her hand, only to have her jerk it away. He’d known

her mind had always been chaotic, but an illness explained so much.

“What is—?”
“Zardin’s disease.”
By the goddess…
He reached for her again, but she cried out and jerked her body away with what

little strength she had left.

“Don’t touch me! You always want to touch me.”
“Calantha, please?”
“No! The things you wanted to do to me, Taber, have me under you in our bed,

disgusted me. I would rather die than have you get close to me. I’m glad the end is here.
There will be no more pretending.”

He knew it was the illness that was making her say these things, but it cut deep. He

had no doubt there was a kernel of truth in what she said. Tears streamed down his face
as her mind darkened, their connection fading to black. The poison worked fast, making
what little time they had left precious but slipping quickly away.

“If I had known, I would have blocked those thoughts, hidden those feelings from

you,” he said, somehow his voice coming out steady. “I love you. I could have helped.”

“No, you don’t love me. Biology determined we would fit. Hormones and

pheromones—not love.”

Calantha’s body swayed and she had to steady herself with her hand to keep from

falling over. She blinked several times, and he could feel that she was fighting the
inevitable.

“We could have found another way. I don’t want you to die.”
“This was about me, not you.” For the first time since their bonding, Calantha

reached out and touched him. Her fingers brushed the back of his hand, softly. “You’ll
be happier when I’m gone.”

“I’ll die.”
“No, you’re strong.”
“Cala, I’ll die.”
In a rush, blackness threatened to overtake him. For a moment, he almost let it take

him, let it suck him deep into the abyss with her. But Calantha pushed back, even in
death refusing to have anything to do with him. It was the incentive he needed. Taber
fought against it until finally he was able to open his eyes.

The grove where Calantha had killed herself was gone. Instead he stared up at the

stark white of a starship’s ceiling. He didn’t move, his heart pounding in his chest and

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his hands clenched into fists at his side. It took him a full ten minutes to convince his
body to relax, that the dream and his mate were long gone.

When he was finally able to push his body from the bed, the first thing he noticed

was his clothing folded in a neat pile on a chair next to him. Fallon had returned his
pants and taken the care to make sure nothing was wrinkled. Taber reached out and
caressed the material, trying to capture some of the kindness that had gone into such a
simple act. Something Calantha had never done for him.

There was a low murmur of voices from the other room. One was Fallon—the other

Taber didn’t recognize. Dressing in record time, he paused only long enough to fasten
his blaster to his side before walking out into the main living quarters.

Fallon was smiling at a man sitting in a chair, his back to Taber. But when she

looked up and saw him standing there, her face lit up. There was something in that look
that chased away some of the blackness of his dream.

“Hey, you’re awake.” She beckoned him over. “I ordered my bodyguard to have a

nap. The poor guy was exhausted.”

Commander Bruce stood up, turned and faced Taber. The smile on his lips looked

sincere but was in stark contrast to the look of distrust in his eyes.

“Hello, Chief Taber. I hope you are well rested.”
The hair on the back of Taber’s neck rose, but he managed to keep his reactions in

check. Instead, he nodded to the commander once before making his way to Fallon,
taking up his post behind her chair.

“I was telling the commander how helpful both you and Sean have been,” Fallon

said, looking up at Taber. “I know I feel a lot safer with you being on the ship.”

“Thank you, Ms. Reist.”
“I am thankful you convinced them to let me out of the brig. I was feeling rather

useless.”

“Well, I’m glad too,” Fallon said, patting Bruce’s hand. “I don’t think poor Tony

was able to keep up with everything.”

“Tony will regret putting me in the brig in the first place.”
There was no hiding the anger in his voice—the commander intended to make his

subordinate pay for overstepping his bounds. The mood in the room changed and
Fallon shifted repeatedly in her seat. He needed to get Bruce out of here and away from
her.

“Fallon, did Sean contact you while I was resting?”
She stood up quickly and turned to face him. Her smile seemed to cover most of her

face as she nodded. “Yes, he asked me to tell you he needed to talk to you. It was about
the files you asked him to review. I believe he was using the communicator near the
archives.”

“It sounds like you two are busy.” Commander Bruce stood, his body rigid. “I will

leave you to your duties.”

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“Please stop by again,” Fallon reached out and rubbed his arm. “It’s been too long

since we’ve chatted.”

Bruce looked at Fallon, and for the first time since Taber had arrived there, the other

man gave a genuine smile. “I will indeed.”

Once he was gone, Fallon walked over to Taber and cupped his cheeks with her

hands. She pulled his face down so they were eye to eye.

“Well you look more rested. How do you feel?”
“How long was the commander here?”
“Not long, and you’re changing the subject.”
Taber pulled her body to within a few inches distance, immediately warmed by her

heat and lulled by her scent—soft and fruity. Very much like the strawberries she grew
in the hydroponics lab.

“I will feel better when I know you are safe.”
Fallon took another step closer, bringing their bodies into contact. The temptation

was there, and certainly harder to resist than it had been when they’d first met. But he
had to fight it. Fallon didn’t want a life with him—she’d made that clear in her reaction
to his offer. And he was well aware of the potential consequences of what could happen
if he pushed her too hard. He couldn’t bear to be the cause of anything bad happening
to her.

Not like Calantha.
“When is Sean expecting us?”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.” No. “If Sean found something, then I need to speak with him.”
Fallon sighed, taking a step back. “I can take you to the archive room. I have some

time before I need to start back at the bar.”

She went to collect a few things and all Taber could do was watch. Her amber hair

wasn’t pulled back and it flowed over her shoulders in soft waves. It was in stark
contrast to Calantha’s straight black locks, and infinitely more beautiful. He clasped his
hands behind his back and looked straight ahead—blocking all thoughts of his dead
mate from his mind.

“I find it odd that a ship of this reputation has so few customers on board.”
Fallon chuckled. “I think it’s great. This place is usually crawling with crazies. Men

hitting on anything that moves. Women jumping on the men as they walk by. It’s
usually a hedonistic wonderland. And I work here.”

“I thought you enjoyed it.” If she didn’t, then why would she not accept a life with

him on Eurus?

“Oh I do, don’t get me wrong. But it gets a bit old after a while. I’ll be happy when

I’m able to get back to Earth and open my own bar. Ready?”

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Taber took a moment to really look at Fallon. She practically glowed, her pale white

skin shimmering in the dull lights of the room. Her lips were pink, full, like she’d been
kissed recently. A stab of jealous rage flashed through him until he realized it was
probably a result of their lovemaking and not from Commander Bruce.

It had better not be, or there’d be a third murder on this ship.
As they walked through the halls, Taber noticed quite a few more people in the

corridors. Young men, older men, all looking excited to be here and all freshly
showered, were staring at Fallon as they walked by, grinning at her.

“Where the hell did these guys come from?” She whispered the question that was

circling around in his head.

“Let’s find out. Sean will know.”
The trip to the archives took longer than Taber expected, and even Fallon was

cursing by the time they reached it.

“This means the bar is going to be a fucking insane asylum tonight.”
He lightly placed a hand on the small of her back, bending his mouth to her ear.

“I’ll be there to make sure nothing happens.”

Fallon swayed into his body, brushing her hip against his thigh. “Thank you.”
Without another word, they walked into the room. Sean was sitting at a desk, a

hand pressed against his forehead as he leaned forward, reading a data pad. He didn’t
even look over his shoulder and Taber knew his friend recognized his footfall.

“You’re not going to fucking believe this, Taber. They went and offered leave to

three shifts of miners from Eurus.”

“What?”
“Kamran had no idea the investigation was still ongoing. I was just speaking with

him.”

“The administrator should have checked with us before authorizing something like

this.”

This didn’t make sense. Even distracted as he was by the birth of his daughter,

Kamran wasn’t a man who made mistakes and took risks like this. There was
something very wrong.

“I need to speak with him,” Taber said, moving beside Sean.
“I figured as much. He’s expecting your call.”
Fallon momentarily forgotten, Taber punched in his security clearance code for

Eurus’ communication network and waited for Kamran to acknowledge the signal.
When the administrator’s face blinked onto the screen, Taber couldn’t believe how tired
he looked.

“Are you well?”
Kamran chuckled. “It’s good to see you too, Taber. Yes, I’m well, though I haven’t

slept much the last few days.”

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Pleasantries momentarily forgotten, Taber leaned forward, staring directly at his

friend.

“Why did you grant leave to the miners? The last time we spoke, I told you I

wanted to maintain restricted access.”

“And as I told Sean, I received your clearance signal along with a message from

Captain Zane explaining that the murderer had been caught. I was expecting your
return.”

Taber looked immediately at Sean, who shook his head. “I’ve spent the last ten

minutes trying to locate the signal. I can’t find a thing.”

“Can Haylie help?” Taber asked, looking at Sean’s progress.
“Not now. Orya is keeping her pretty busy at the moment.”
“It would help to know where the signal originated from,” Sean said, tossing the

data pad aside.

“They may have used Zane’s private communicator. The records wouldn’t show in

that database.”

The three men all looked at Fallon, who gave them a shy smile. “I’ve seen him use it

a few times. He told me he had it installed in case of pirates.”

“Thank you, I’m sorry, your name is?” Kamran asked in a tone of voice he used

during touchy negotiations.

Not that Fallon seemed to mind the change in the administrator. Taber couldn’t

help but watch the interchange with fascination.

“No, I’m sorry. I’m Fallon Reist. I’ve been…spending time with Taber and Sean

since they’ve been investigating the murders.”

“I’m very sorry for your loss, Fallon. But you are in good hands with my people.”
Kamran’s gaze shifted from her to Taber, and he couldn’t help but feel he was being

scrutinized. But he’d survived worse than what Kamran could do to him over a vid
screen.

“What is the situation there now?” Kamran sat down at his desk. “Do you need me

to send additional personnel?”

The idea of throwing more people in the path of this murdering psychopath wasn’t

appealing. “No. I believe these murders are linked to Fallon. I would prefer to move her
from the Damara to Eurus. That way we’ll force the murderer to follow, making him
easier to apprehend.”

Kamran frowned, sitting back in his chair. “I don’t like the idea of inviting a serial

killer to our home. Do you think this is the best way?”

Fallon cleared her throat and stepped beside Taber. “Look, I don’t want to be the

cause of any more issues. Plus, I’m not convinced I’m the reason this guy is killing
people.”

“Yes, Administrator, I feel this is the best way.”

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“Taber, I’m not going to—”
“Sean, do you agree?” Kamran cut Fallon off, shifting his attention to the other man.
Fallon let out a soft growl and crossed her arms across her chest. “Excuse me—”
“Yes, Administrator,” Sean spoke above her. “This man appears to be targeting men

who are close to Fallon. And unless Sara and Davin have been able to find any clues as
to who this could be, I don’t think we have many options. By moving her, it will force
him to move from his comfort zone. We will be at the advantage.”

“Does anyone care what I think?”
The three men looked at her for a moment before nodding. Fallon would be

protected. For the first time since his arrival, Taber felt in control of the situation. Being
on Eurus would mean he’d have a better chance at catching the killer and ensuring
Fallon’s safety.

Kamran sat straight and smiled. “I’ll let Captain Zane know we will be inviting

Fallon to stay with us. Please arrange for your transport on the next shuttle.”

“We’ll see you soon.” Taber nodded and cut the communication.
“You’re all assholes.”
Sean’s mouth threatened to twitch into a grin. He was wise enough to get up and

leave the room without another word. Taber wasn’t as fortunate to have such an option.

“Fallon, please—”
“Don’t you dare! I’ve been on my own for years. I don’t need a bunch of

overprotective…men to try and save me now.”

“This is not just for your protection. If we can lure the murderer off the ship, it will

be easier to trap him on Eurus.”

Fallon rolled her eyes. “You honestly expect me to buy that load of crap?”
“Yes.”
“You’re snorting boost if you think I’m going to agree to leave my home on the

chance that a serial killer is going to follow.”

When she started to walk away from him, something inside snapped. Taber

grabbed her by the arm and pulled her in tight to his chest. She gasped and her eyes
went wide as he stared down at her.

“I think you’re forgetting something,” he said is a low voice. “Eurus is my home.

My home and my rules. You like it when we play by my rules, don’t you?”

She blushed fiercely and bit her lower lip. When she tried to look away, he turned

her chin back to face him.

“Don’t you, Fallon?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Louder.”
“Yes.”

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He smiled and ran his thumb over the soft skin that covered her jaw. “That’s my

girl.”

Her body was hot and he caught the scent of her arousal in the small room. The

animal inside him that wanted to claim her once again reared its head. When she tipped
her head back, her eyes half closed, he couldn’t stop his impulse to kiss her.

Despite the urge to be rough, Taber slowly lowered his mouth to hers, keeping his

eyes closed. The gentle brush of skin on skin sent a shiver through him before he
opened his mouth and claimed hers. He tried to show her how much she affected him,
how much she was coming to mean to him, all with that one chaste kiss. When he
pulled back, Fallon held her position for a second longer, giving him the pleasure of
seeing her completely relaxed. Fallon opened her eyes and stared at him, confused.

“I want you to trust me,” he said, placing another quick kiss on her lips. “I promise

you now that no harm will come to you. Once you are safe, you can return to your ship
or I can arrange for your passage to Earth.”

She blinked several times before giving her head a shake. “Really?”
“I promised. That is something I have never broken.”
This time it was Fallon who kissed him. There was nothing gentle or passive in her

contact—it was needy, demanding and more than a little grateful.

“Thank you.” Though she didn’t look as convinced as he was hoping she would.
Not wanting to, but needing to complete his task, Taber stepped away from Fallon

and walked around the side of the desk to the archive’s computer.

“Sean and some of our people on Eurus were researching some of the files on your

crew. We were supposed to be matching them up to potential stressors that could have
triggered a psychotic break.” He tapped away, picking up the trail that Sean had left.
“Can you think of anyone who that would describe?”

Fallon perched on the edge of the desk, peeking over the top of the computer to try

and read the screen upside down.

“No one and everyone on this ship fit that description. Most people have a reason

for taking an assignment like this.”

“Like what?”
“Trapped on a ship for years at a time far away from home? Most people are

running away from something.”

That caught his attention. Looking up, he raised an eyebrow. “And what are you

running from?”

The blush that had been fixed on her cheeks suddenly drained as she looked away.

“Nothing.”

“You said everyone was running away. Is there something that I need to be aware

of?”

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She tried to say something, but he could see she was struggling. Whatever it was,

clearly she was still fighting against the memories. That was something he could relate
to.

“Fallon?”
“I’d rather not talk about it, okay? It isn’t relevant to our current situation.”
He was going to push—wanting to find out about her secret. He would have too if

she hadn’t stood and tried to leave the room.

“Look, I’m going to go get some of my things together. I’ll wait in my room for you

to get me. There’s no rush.”

“You’re not going alone.”
“It’s okay.”
The whoosh of the door opening and closing cut the echo of her footsteps as she ran

out of the room. Once again, he was alone.

Only this time, everything was far from being fine.

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Chapter Ten

My god, she couldn’t believe she’d almost told him. Fallon didn’t remember seeing

anyone as she ran back to her quarters from the archives. She was pretty sure she’d
bumped into at least one person, but she wasn’t in any frame of mind to notice them, let
alone apologize for being rude. She’d almost spilled her heart out to him. Every last
detail of her life in one moment, and that would have been it.

The last thing she wanted was for him to know about Jessie. About how stupid

she’d been.

Once she was safe inside her quarters, Fallon fell into her chair, wrapped her arms

around her body and let out a sob. Even now, she couldn’t open it up, the pain still
fresh even after four years.

If there was anyone who could understand what she was going through, it was

Taber. Deep down, she knew that he could help her deal with the pain of betrayal—the
fact Jessie had abandoned her for another woman. He’d resented her drive to own her
own business, hated how successful she was working at her uncle’s bar. In bed, she’d
always had to take the lead to get the satisfaction she’d wanted. Just one more thing he
hated.

Blinking away the tears, she set to work packing a few of the things she’d need for

her stay on the colony. Only once she had a grasp on her emotions did she call Lance on
the vid.

“So how long will you be gone?” he asked, frowning and scratching his neck like he

always did when he was worried.

“Taber doesn’t seem to think it will take very long. I’m sure I’ll be back in a day or

two.”

“What if it takes them longer than that to catch this guy?”
She hadn’t really considered that possibility. “He’s offered to get me a ride back to

Earth.”

Lance seemed to consider that for a long time, to the point where Fallon was getting

nervous.

“What?”
“Did he say how much it would cost?”
“No. But I’m not about to do anything stupid. I’ll come back to Damara if it’s going

to be too high a price.” Like giving him her heart and soul.

Lance nodded. “Okay, then. I’m sure they won’t let you keep in touch with me, so

I’ll just say be safe.”

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“I will.”
With nothing else to do but wait, Fallon sat on the edge of her chair and tried to

keep any unpleasant thoughts at bay. She couldn’t help but wonder what kind of father
Taber would be. She’d seen the very worst and best of people walk into her bar over the
years, each and every one of whom she’d tried to picture as a parent. Sometimes the
images would be a quick, fleeting picture of what they would be doing with their child.
Other times they were long, drawn-out stories, scenarios she’d play out in her mind. It
had been something she’d done for years, ever since Jessie laughed at her when she’d
mentioned the possibility she’d like to have children. Later that night she’d caught him
with another woman, someone he’d been fucking on the side for months. She never
wanted to be caught off guard like that again.

With Taber, she knew he’d be firm but loving and fair with any child who was his.

There was more to him than the controlling security chief he let the world see. The way
he would touch her, kiss her neck, she felt safe and even loved.

Not that she was under any delusion that Taber was in love with her. His people

didn’t work that way. From the sound of it, life for a surviving partner of a bond mate
wasn’t an easy burden to carry. She couldn’t imagine the pain he must have gone
through.

The computer announced Taber’s presence. She waited until the second ring before

she forced her body to get up and move, unsure of how long she’d sat there staring into
nothingness. Opening the door revealed the man she’d grown so accustomed to over
the past week. He’d changed, now wearing the same tunic he’d had on the day of his
arrival. His hair was neat, his hands clasped behind his back and his uniform pristine.

Looking him over from head to toe, she remembered the little flip her heart did

when she’d first laid eyes on him back at the bar, what seemed like a lifetime ago. She’d
thought of him as a walking wall of muscle—now she knew there was so much more to
him.

“Hi,” she said, making sure to keep her eyes on his.
“Hello. Are you ready to go?”
Funny, the way he asked the question sounded very much like he’d asked her are

you okay?

“I sure am. I have to say, I’m actually looking forward to getting off the ship for a

while and walking on stable ground.”

“The shuttle is waiting for us. Sean is going to stay here to continue the

investigation. And see if anyone goes missing after our departure.” He said the last in a
voice so low it barely rose above a whisper.

Grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder, Fallon stepped out into the hall

and placed a security lock on her quarters. “All set.”

Taber walked half a step behind her as he always did, the closeness of his body

giving her a sense of peace. It surprised her how much she’d come to rely on him, enjoy
his presence so quickly. It hadn’t been like this with any other man—this total, complete

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trust. Still, as much as Taber was beginning to mean to her, she didn’t know if she could
put herself out there like that again. Open her heart up to the possibility of getting it
crushed. Fallon’s chest began to tighten and the old panic started to creep back under
her skin.

Needing to distract herself, she looked back and him and smiled. “So what is Eurus

like? I don’t know a thing about it.”

“The planet’s surface is toxic to humans and Briel alike. We need enviro suits to get

from the station to the mines. The station itself is full of life. Very similar to here in
many ways. You’ll enjoy it.” While he sounded as if he were giving a clinical
description of his home, she heard critical notes of pride in his voice.

“Do you have friends there?” It seemed odd that she hadn’t thought to ask him that

before now. In fact, it was hard to believe Taber had a life beyond what she’d seen him
do since he was on the Damara.

“The administrator has been my closest friend for many cycles. Over thirteen. And,

of course, Sean. Only recently have I made further acquaintances.”

Fallon turned to look at him as they walked. “That sounds…lonely. You mean to

tell me you only have two good friends?”

The fact that he wasn’t close to many people didn’t come as much of a surprise

either. He was her opposite in so many ways. While she made fast friends with just
about anyone who set foot in the bar, she knew he didn’t trust quite so quickly. It’s
probably what kept him alive for so many years, considering his job. Still…

“No. I am close to Kamran’s mate, Haylie, as well as her friend, Sara.”
“Oh. Is she single?”
A bead of jealously began to roll around inside her. She knew he wasn’t with

anyone romantically, but even the idea that another woman might be interested in him
wasn’t sitting right.

“Sara is recently married to a man named Davin. I know they wanted to have a

traditional Raquilian ceremony but waited until Haylie had her baby. Davin mentioned
they would perform it back on his home planet and Sara wouldn’t leave until her friend
was out of danger.”

“This is the administrator’s wife?”
“Yes. She is human.”
It took a second, but the implication of what he’d said to her finally sank in. Fallon

stopped with a gasp. “You mean Briel and Humans can have babies?”

Any feelings of jealousy were vaporized by the fear and panic at the idea of getting

pregnant. They hadn’t done anything to be safe. Fuck, she was having sex with an alien!
Why hadn’t she thought about that?

“Fallon?”
Taber stopped beside her, running a hand down along her arm. She couldn’t stop

the shiver that shot through her body or the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

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“Shallen, what’s wrong?”
She looked up at him and saw the concern on his face. Somehow, knowing that he

was there for her took the sting out of her panic.

“We hadn’t…I mean when we…I could be pregnant?”
Looking at him, she saw something change on his face. A flash of emotion that flew

by so quickly, she couldn’t read it before his normal calm expression resurfaced.

“There is that possibility. If you’d like, I can have Sara give you a physical. That

way, if there is a chance, she will detect it.”

The last thing Fallon wanted was any of Taber’s friends getting too close. Part of her

didn’t want to get to know them for fear of liking them. If she did, it would make
leaving that much harder. And she needed to leave, needed to get back to Earth.

“She won’t have to know anything,” he said, as if he were reading her thoughts. “In

fact, knowing Sara, she’ll insist on it anyway.”

Fallon smiled and shrugged. “Well, I won’t protest then. Just in case.”
They continued their way toward the shuttle, Fallon’s mind buzzing with the

uncertain possibilities. It continued to buzz for the entirety of the trip. With Taber
beside her, she couldn’t help but think of what life would be like for her if she were to
stay. Waking in his arms every morning. Making love to him at night. Fuck, making
love to him wherever the hell she felt like.

Waiting while he ran off to save someone or fight in some battle. The uncertainty of

whether or not he was okay eating at her until he walked through the door. Fallon stole
a look at his profile as they sat side by side in the shuttle. There was only one other
passenger besides the pilot and he was a miner returning to Eurus, so she didn’t have to
worry about what others would think.

She reached out and slid her hand under his, feeling relief when he gave it a gentle

squeeze.

“Thank you,” she whispered.
“For what?”
“Most men would be freaking out right now. Or would be beaming with joy. I need

you calm until we know.”

Taber nodded, keeping his eyes forward. She didn’t think he was going to say

anything and looked away.

“You should rest,” he finally answered. “I have a feeling once we arrive at the

colony, things will get…busy.”

Before she could protest, he draped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her

close to his chest. The warmth from his body soothed her inner turmoil and allowed her
mind and body to relax. For the first time since she woke up this morning, Fallon
relaxed and she drifted to sleep.

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* * * * *

The hiss of the shuttle hatch opening set Fallon’s heart pounding. It was strange,

but she had the feeling something big was about to happen to her, change her life.
Giving her head a shake, she took a deep breath and stood a little straighter.

“Are you well?” Taber asked.
As they reached Eurus, she noticed he was beginning to pull away from her

physically. The physical nature of their relationship had changed since they both
considered the possibility she was pregnant. She missed having his arm wrapped
around her, but she wasn’t about to push him into anything either. It’s not like she was
planning on staying here indefinitely.

When the hatch was finally open, Taber walked ahead of her down the stairs. His

massive frame momentarily blocked out the people standing there, waiting for him. She
waited, hanging back, curious to see him in his home, with people who cared about
him.

There was another Briel, the administrator she’d seen on the communicator earlier,

who greeted Taber first. He was almost as tall as Taber but not as muscular. Still, there
was something about the way he held his body that left no doubt this was a man used
to being in charge. They didn’t shake hands, though the other man tried, and instead
Taber bowed deeply from the waist.

“I trust Haylie and Orya are well?” Taber asked with his normal calm demeanor.
But there was something else, a note Fallon hadn’t heard in his voice before. Taber’s

back was a bit stiffer and his hands clasped behind his back were squeezed together
tightly. If she didn’t know better, she’d think there was a problem.

“They are well. Haylie is anxious to see you and has asked me to tell you to get

your ass over to see her.”

A small blonde woman laughed and grinned at a Raqulian, one of the few alien

races she had met before, standing behind her. “She’s pretty much back to normal. It’s
going to be hell keeping her from work, at least for a while.”

“Isn’t Orya enough…work?” Taber asked, straightening.
“My wife believes in multitasking.”
The administrator turned his gaze to Fallon and she immediately shivered. So much

for being the quiet observer. He stepped past Taber and held out his hand to help her
down the shuttle stairs. She took it and smiled, feeling shy for the first time in her life.

“Where are my manners? Welcome to Eurus.”
“Hi. Thank you,” she said as her face heated. Damn, this was like being brought

home to meet his parents.

Taber was immediately at her side. Close, but still not touching. “Administrator

Kamran, let me officially introduce you. This is Fallon Reist, and as I said on the
communicator, I believe it is her life that is in danger on the Damara.”

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“Please, call me Kamran. And I have every confidence that Taber will be able to

keep you safe here while he finds the killer on your ship.”

When Kamran finally released her hand, Fallon noticed Taber’s body relaxed

slightly and he was finally able to look at Kamran again. It was as if he didn’t like
anyone else touching her. Even a man who Taber claimed was his closest friend. She
pushed aside that line of thinking quickly.

“Thank you, Kamran. Taber has told me a lot about Eurus. I’m looking forward to

seeing the station.”

“Hi, I’m Sara.”
The short blonde woman stuck her hand out and marched between the two Briel.
The Raqulian chuckled. “Nothing like butting in, Sara.”
“Hush, you. It’s not everyday a new woman arrives on the station.” Sara leaned

closer and lowered her voice. “I hate to admit it, we’re a bit outnumbered genderwise
out here. We need all the support we can get.”

Fallon liked this woman. She couldn’t stop the grin that slid onto her face and

leaned a bit closer herself. “I’m a bartender. I’ll mix us up a few drinks and you can tell
me all about it.”

“Oh, this is trouble. You had to bring a bartender back with you, Taber.”
“Shut up, Davin,” Sara said and sighed.
“Yes, dear.”
Fallon chuckled. Despite not wanting to get pulled into their world, she couldn’t

help but like Taber’s friends.

Sara stood and linked an arm around Fallon’s. “Now if you gentlemen will excuse

us, I’m taking my new friend to med bay. I hope you don’t mind, but I need to give all
new visitors a physical before I let them on board.”

“All new visitors, or only bartenders who are the obsessed focus of a serial killer?”

she asked with as much mock sincerity as she could muster.

Sara grinned and looked over at Taber. “Oh I like her. Can we keep her?”
Fallon looked at Taber and had to fight to keep breathing. The strangest look was

on his face—a mix of pride and fear. He simply gave Sara a slight bow and averted his
gaze from Fallon before anyone else noticed.

“I believe she may want some say in the matter, Doctor.”
“Well, I’ll have to do my best to convince her then.”
And before Fallon could say anything else to Taber, Sara was pulling her away

toward med bay.

* * * * *

Taber watched as Fallon was taken away by Sara. He hadn’t thought it was going to

be this difficult bringing her to Eurus, to his home. But watching her with Sara stirred

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something deep inside him. If he thought his protective urges were strong back on the
Damara, they were even stronger here.

“There goes a pile of trouble if I ever saw it,” Davin said, sounding more amused

than ever. “I don’t know if the station can handle a third woman in that particular
posse.”

Kamran chuckled. “I have a sneaking suspicion Sara’s physical will be quick. She

plans on taking your Fallon to meet Haylie. It would explain why my wife is suddenly
blocking me.”

My Fallon. By the goddess, he wished that was true. And if Sara’s examination

revealed a child, then it very well would become a reality. He wouldn’t be able to let
her go, even if it was her wish. A baby would link her to him in a way that even a bond
between mates couldn’t rival. For the time being, he needed to keep everything the way
it was. Didn’t need the added distraction of Kamran, Haylie and the others asking
questions about Fallon’s and his past while there was a killer out there trying to hurt
her.

“She isn’t mine, Administrator. I’m only doing my duty and trying to prevent any

more murders from occurring.”

His tone was harsher than he intended, causing both the other men to turn and

stare at him. Taber faced Kamran and bowed. “My apologies. I’m tired from the events
of the past week.”

Kamran looked him over hard and Taber knew he was trying to read his body

language. Not willing to give even a hint of what was going on inside his head, he met
Kamran’s gaze steadily, relaxing as much as he could. He didn’t want his friend to
know about his feelings toward Fallon or the turmoil that was currently churning in his
head. That would lead to questions about his past, and he still wasn’t ready to discuss
it. While Kamran was a talented ambassador, Taber didn’t want him to involve himself
in his personal life—closest friend or not.

Davin snorted and crossed his arms across his chest. He no longer wore the gloves

that covered his Raqulian tattoos, no longer caring who knew about his abilities. “Well,
I can see why someone would fixate on her.”

Taber stiffened, his fists reflexively balling into fists. “And why is that?”
“She’s very pretty. Someone with a damaged mind who needed to cling to

something could very easily fixate on someone as beautiful as she is.”

By the goddess, he hadn’t put much thought into the why or how of the killer’s

fixation. Taber walked a few steps away and ran his hand through his hair and over the
back of his neck. “It would explain why the murderer is killing off men who are
friendly toward Fallon.”

“Your killer is murdering the perceived competition for Fallon’s heart. It could be

that he plans on taking her for his own,” Davin said, his voice calm, steady.

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Inside, Taber was being eaten alive. He had to make sure Fallon was safe, so she

could return to her life on Earth and finally be happy. As Taber looked at Davin and
Kamran, a plan was began to form in his mind.

“Do you think the killer will chase her to Eurus?”
Davin frowned for a moment before nodding. “I believe so. You’ve basically put

yourself out there as the front runner for her affections by taking her away. An obsessed
mind isn’t going to let that pass and will find a way to get her back.”

“It sounds like you’ve made yourself a target,” Kamran said, taking a step closer to

Taber. Kamran locked his gaze on Taber’s and lowered his voice. “Anything I should be
aware of?”

With his heart pounding, Taber did the one thing he never thought he would—lie

to Kamran.

“There is nothing. Though if Davin is correct, I should play the part of a suitor for

Fallon. It will enrage the suspect and force his hand.”

Kamran cocked an eyebrow. “Are you sure? People will not believe a single Briel

male is pursuing a human female in this fashion.”

“We won’t need everyone to believe it,” Davin said, stepping closer. “Just your

suspect. He’ll see everything, every touch, smile as a far bigger gesture than it is. You’ll
just need to give her a little extra attention and it should give you the result you want.
That is, if he shows up.”

“He will. You didn’t see the state of the last body we found back on the ship. He’s

escalating and the next time he strikes will be harsh.” Taber nodded and stepped away,
suddenly needing his space. “I will contact the Damara and let the captain know we will
allow some visitors to the station, but only limited numbers for now and strictly
controlled.”

Kamran reached out and grabbed Taber’s arm, preventing him from leaving. “I

should do that. It will look less suspicious coming from me. You should go check on
Fallon.” He looked over at Davin. “Make sure our mates don’t scare the poor girl half to
death.”

Heart pounding and his breathing suddenly a conscious effort, Taber nodded,

averting his gaze from Kamran. The jealously he’d felt before leaving for the Damara
was back, stronger than ever. He didn’t want his friend to see that despicable emotion
inside him and quickly walked away.

Taber blocked out everything, focusing his attention on Fallon. There was no

turmoil when she was around—only raging lust. And that was turning out to be a far
easier thing to control. He wanted her again, this time in his bed. But he knew they
couldn’t do that. The last thing he wanted was to put Fallon in a position where she’d
feel trapped by him. And if the elder council learned of their relationship, there would
be questions, large ones that neither of them would be able to hide from.

He stopped by med bay first, and as he expected, there wasn’t any sign of them.

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“I think Sara took her to see Haylie,” Rachael said, barely looking at him as she read

a report. “We moved her and Orya back to their quarters yesterday.”

“Were there any issues with her physical?” Am I to be a father?
Taber’s heart pounded as he waited for Rachael to read over the data pad with

Fallon’s results.

“Nope, she was right as rain. I imagine she had to be, working on a ship like that.

Don’t know how she did it myself.”

“Thank you.”
Spinning on his heels, Taber marched away from med bay. He knew it was for the

best that Fallon wasn’t with child, but there was still a small part of him that was
disappointed. It was just another thought to consume his mind, spinning around with
possibilities of what kind of life he could have with her. It terrified him how much
power Fallon had over his emotional state and she wasn’t even aware of it.

He moved down the corridor, through the bazaar and toward the Briel section of

the station. Haylie and Kamran’s rooms were the largest the station had, and well
protected in the middle section. Taber had been the one who’d suggested they take
them, not wanting to put either one of them in danger from fear of attack.

Now he wished they weren’t so far away.
His body reacted with every step closer to Fallon he got. Taber’s breathing was still

labored, his heart pounding. And be damned by the goddess, his cock was painfully
hard. He needed Fallon in his bed, under his body moaning—quickly.

The ever present guard outside the door stiffened upon his arrival and Taber

suddenly found himself being watched. It took all of his self control to stop and press
the door chime, acknowledging his arrival. If he was to keep people from knowing the
truth about him and Fallon, he needed to maintain a firm grasp on his control—
something that was becoming increasingly difficult.

Goddess, she is just inside…
Sara opened the door, grinning when she saw him. “Taber!”
“It’s about time you got your ass over here to see me,” Haylie’s voice drifted in

from behind Sara. “They won’t let me get up, so get your Briel butt in here.”

The sigh that escaped him wasn’t an act. “I take it your patient has fully recovered.”
Sara winked at him. “Oh she’ll be terrorizing the bad guys in no time.”
They stepped inside and when Taber fully entered the room, he immediately froze.

Fallon was sitting on the sofa next to Haylie, holding Orya. Her long red hair was all
piled up on the top of her head in a loose bun, exposing the soft, creamy curve of her
neck. She was looking down at Orya, smiling and cooing softly to her, the baby’s small
hand wrapped about Fallon’s finger. When she looked up at him and grinned, Taber
thought his heart would stop.

“It’s about time you got here,” Haylie said grinning. “Fallon wasn’t very giving of

the details of the murders.”

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Fallon looked up at Haylie, her eyes wide. “I didn’t think it right to talk about it in

front of your little one.”

Sara chuckled. “Oh trust me, she’s already heard worse. Plus Haylie isn’t going to

leave you alone until she gets what she wants.”

“I don’t have to bug her now. Taber is here.”
“I happen to agree with Fallon. They are not details for a child’s ears.”
“Orya doesn’t know what you’re saying. Now spill it. I haven’t had a good murder

case to solve in years.”

“I would suggest we run,” he said to Fallon. “But I believe she would catch us.”
Sara gasped. “My god, was that a joke?”
Fallon giggled and returned her gaze to the baby, drawing a small smile from him.

She looked perfect sitting there with a little one in her arms. Taber couldn’t help but
imagine what a child of theirs would look like—black hair and green eyes. They would
most likely have a boy and he’d be strong, protective of his mother. And Taber would
be very happy.

“Taber?”
Sara’s soft touch on his arm made him jump slightly. He looked down at her and

realized both she and Haylie were staring at him.

“I should take Fallon to her quarters. It has been a long journey and we are

expecting the suspect will give chase. She’s going to need her rest.”

Haylie slid to the edge of her seat, leaning forward. “She can always stay with us.

This place has the highest security on the station.”

It was then that Taber noticed just how tired Haylie looked. Despite her obvious

enthusiasm for the case, there wasn’t any way she’d be able to help. And the last thing
he wanted to do was to put her, Kamran and especially Orya in harm’s way.

“Are you kidding? You have a baby in here,” Fallon’s protests mirrored his

thoughts. “Taber will look after me and keep me safe. But I’d love to come back and
visit.”

“Of course.” Haylie reached over, took Orya and gave Fallon a light hug. “Anytime

you want to stop by. Just make sure Taber shows you around the station.”

“And that he shows you a good time. He’s not the most social of our bunch here,”

Sara added, gently patting his arm.

“I believe they are about to gang up on me. Shall we get you some food?”
Fallon was on her feet and at his side within a moment and his body reacted. Her

scent enveloped him, making his cock twitch and his heart pound.

“I’m starving. Thank you for the visit and, I don’t believe I’m saying this, for the

physical. It was wonderful to meet you both.”

Fallon reached out, slid her hand over his forearm until it rested on the crook of his

arm. She gave it a squeeze before letting hers drop to her side. The animal deep inside

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him didn’t want her to let go. He wanted to pick her up, throw her over his shoulder
and carry her back to his rooms. He wished he could just let go—pour every pent-up
emotion he’d locked up for years over her.

Instead, he bowed to Haylie and Sara and led Fallon out the door.

* * * * *

“Oh my god, did you see that?” Sara’s voice rose an entire octave by the time she’d

finished her short sentence. “I knew there was something between them the second I
saw her.”

“Briel don’t have casual relationships. You know that.”
“Haylie…I know you just had a baby, but you’re not blind nor stupid.”
No, she was far from that. Haylie shifted Orya to her shoulder, where she began to

suck her thumb. She’d known Taber for a few years now and she’d never seen him
respond to a woman like that before. It was almost as if they were bonded.

Did you see Taber? Kamran’s voice was in her head the second she let her barrier

down.

He just came and got Fallon.
How was he?
Why?
There was something…different about him.
She paused, not quite sure how to put what she saw into words. So instead she

showed him a mental picture of the expression on Taber’s face. Are you sure Briel don’t
have casual relationships?

Never. I’ve never heard of a single case. It’s not in our nature, our biology.
Then I think our friend is in love. How is that possible?
The stunned silence from her husband mirrored her own shock.
“Kamran doesn’t believe it, but I think you might be right.”
“Well, at least the next few days will be interesting,” Sara said with a grin. “I can’t

wait.”

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Chapter Eleven

There was little to compare between Fallon’s quarters on the Damara and Taber’s

luxurious quarters here on Eurus. There was so much space, she thought she’d get lost
going to the bathroom. Taber stood just inside the door while she explored the room.
She did her very best to ignore the fact he was finally alone with her and she wanted
more than ever to let him have his way.

Especially after meeting his friends and seeing his home.
“Thank you for giving me the tour. I haven’t seen anything like your bazaar since I

left Earth. And that food was amazing. I thought I had it good on the Damara.”

Taber nodded, his eyes locked on to her as she moved. Very aware of how he was

watching her, Fallon couldn’t help but tease him a little. Purposely knocking a data pad
to the floor and bending from the waist to pick it up. She swore she heard him growl
when she gave him full view of her ass.

“Problem?” she asked innocently when she straightened.
The muscles in his jaw and neck flexed, but he didn’t say anything.
“Your friends are very nice. Especially Haylie and Sara. It’s been a long time since

I’ve had a chance to sit around and talk like that. Working at the bar, I do a lot of
listening, but people rarely care about what I think.”

“They are kind but strong women. They remind me of you.”
His words caught her off guard and Fallon stopped her movements. “Really? You

think I’m strong?”

Taber ran his hand through his hair and sighed. “You found the dead body of your

friend in your bar and didn’t slip into hysterics. You have a serial killer obsessed with
you and you’ve remained calm the entire time. I would say that is strength.”

Fallon shrugged and walked slowly over to him. When she was only a few inches

away, she reached up and straightened the collar of his tunic. “It’s easy to be brave
when I have someone like you protecting me.”

She rose on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss on his chin. She probably shouldn’t have

pushed him, but she couldn’t help it. Instead, she licked the damp skin where her lips
had been moments ago. She heard his sharp intake of air and the low growl that
escaped him.

“What makes you think you’re safe?” Taber picked her up and threw her over his

shoulder. “You’re a torment to men.”

Letting out a squeal, Fallon tried to smack his ass and still wasn’t able to reach as he

carried her over to the bed and threw her on it. The tight black shirt she wore couldn’t
hide her jiggling breasts as she bounced on the mattress, giggling.

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“You think this is amusing?” There was a hint of madness in his voice as he let his

body fall onto hers, pinning her securely. “I’ve been trying to resist the urge to touch
you all day long, to keep people from knowing there is anything between us. And you
continue to tease me.”

Taber’s breath was coming out in harsh gasps, his dark blue eyes practically eating

her alive as he stared at her. Fallon tried to reach up to caress his face, but he held her
hands tight to the bed. Always in control—it made her so horny.

“Let me touch you,” she whispered.
“No.”
“Please. I’m sorry.”
A low growl vibrated deep in his chest, making Fallon’s nipples grow hard. She

gasped when he buried his face against her neck and lightly nipped at the sensitive
skin.

“You drive me wild. I’m sure everyone knows.” His words were hot against her

cool skin, sending shivers through her.

“No one will know, Taber.”
“What if I want them to know?”
His body froze, the weight of his mass pushing her as what he said finally sank into

her head.

“What?” she said in complete disbelief.
He paused and she could feel him squeeze his eyes shut. “What if I want them to

know? Claim you as mine.” He finally lifted his head and looked at her.

She could feel the hardness of his cock pressing against her belly, but it was the

look of hunger in his eyes that felt overwhelming. Taber’s intensity could be too much
to handle at times, but at least now she had an out. Once they caught whoever was
stalking her, she’d be free to return to her life on the Damara or even return to Earth. She
had no doubt Kamran would help her find safe passage home. Haylie had said as
much.

But to belong to Taber…that was a tempting proposition.
Fallon sucked in her bottom lip as she let her eyes travel over his face. He was the

most handsome man she’d ever met. But regardless, he was an alien. Just because Sara
and Haylie seemed to have made love matches with men from this galaxy, Fallon
wasn’t sure if she was ready to join the club. She had a life waiting for her back on
Earth—a business license for a bar and her uncle’s house would be hers as soon as she
got back. It had been her dream for so long, it was hard to get her mind to accept other
possibilities.

Still, he was really fucking gorgeous.
“I want you,” he said, rocking his cock against her. “And I’m going to have you.”
She moaned, arching her back as much as she was able to. “Yes.”

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“I’m going to drive my cock into you so hard you’ll scream my name.”
“God, Taber. I love it when you talk—”
His mouth crushed hers, his tongue invading, teasing her into silence. Fallon’s eyes

slid shut and she let her body simply feel, enjoying every sensation he stirred in her. He
was unlike any other man she’d ever been with. He took what he wanted, strong,
confident. But she knew he would give her pleasure beyond her ability to ask. He
seemed tapped into her soul and she was getting comfortable with him being there.

Fallon flexed her hands trying to twist them out of his grasp, but she couldn’t. He

pulled them up above her head, forcing her breasts high.

“I’m in control, remember.” His eyes sparkled as he spoke. “You’ll do as I say.”
Never a question when he spoke. Fallon’s insides began to melt from the heat of her

desire. She nodded her head, keeping her gaze locked on his. His body stiffened above
her before he bent his head and placed a kiss on her forehead.

“Spread your legs as wide as they will go.”
It was harder to comply than she thought. The pressure of his body on her limited

her motion, but she managed to do what he asked. Her pants were pulled tight against
her, putting added pressure on her already sensitive clit. When she tried to rock her
hips to increase the pressure, Taber shifted to the side and pressed a hand on her
stomach.

“You know the rule. I get to tell you when to come.” He shifted his head to her

breast and lightly bit her nipple, making Fallon’s body shudder. “I get to say.”

“You say.” God yes!
“Don’t move.”
He pulled himself up, rising to his knees. It didn’t take him long to discard his

clothing, leaving him gloriously naked standing beside the bed. Fallon almost forgot to
breathe as she stared at him. Her nipples grew hard and her pussy flooded her panties
with her cream as she could only look at the object of her desire. The smoothness of his
skin, tight over his lean muscles, was mind-numbingly beautiful. Taber’s gaze traveled
over her body, making it incredibly difficult to hold still.

“I want to see you naked, Fallon. Put your legs together.”
Once she complied, his fingers worked the opening of her pants, sliding them with

ease over her hips. He left her black panties on, instead shifting his attention to her
shirt.

“Your breasts are perfect,” he muttered as he pushed her shirt and bra up and over

her head. “I would never have you cover them in my presence if I could.”

She gasped as his fingers played with her tight nipples. He rolled them around,

each trapped between his forefinger and thumb. The repetitive motion shot tendrils of
pleasure to her pussy, making her wetter than she thought possible.

Taber slid his hands over her breasts and down to her hips. They were so large, his

fingers easily encircled most of her waist, binding her down to the bed.

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“I lose my control when I’m around you,” he whispered, keeping his gaze locked

on her stomach.

He was kneeling on the bed now and she could feel his legs trembling. Fallon

swallowed and took a chance. She moved her hands, still high above her head, down
and cupped his cheeks.

“I feel the same way.”
Still, he didn’t look at her. “Does it not…”
Without him finishing, she knew what he was thinking.
“Yes. It scares the shit out of me. I’ve never…surrendered myself like this to

anyone.

Taber lifted his head, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Fallon gasped and

pulled herself up, moving close to him.

“Why me?” he asked softly. “You don’t know me, can’t know my mind.”
“Bullshit I can’t. I see what you do, how you act. You’re a good man.”
“My mate didn’t think so.”
“Then there was something wrong with her. You hear me, her—not you! And if you

don’t stop this self torture, you’ll be the one losing control for good. She’ll always have
it over you.”

Fallon kissed him hard—even when he tried to pull back, she didn’t relent. She

drove her tongue into his mouth, running it over his, caressing his lips, doing her best
to push all thoughts of his dead wife from his mind. And from hers.

It took a minute, but she finally felt his body relax, so much so she was able to push

him to his back and climb on top. Her pussy kissed the tip of his cock and caused him to
twitch beneath her.

“I think it’s time you felt what it’s really like to give up control,” she said with a

grin. “It will do you some good.”

“And what do you have in mind?”
She’d barely had time to get settled before he’d thrown her on the bed, but she’d

brought something with her that would hopefully show him what he meant to her.
Pressing her hand to his chest, she rubbed her nose over his.

“Don’t move.”
It took her a second to find what it was she was looking for, but she eventually

found it buried under the clothing she’d hastily shoved into her bag.

“I bought it years ago before I left Earth. I don’t know why, but there was

something about it I really liked.”

She pulled the black metal chain from the small black box and held it up for him to

see. Dangling from it was a large silver clasp that held a midnight blue stone. Taber
didn’t move as she walked back to him, the chain held out in front of her.

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“I don’t think it means anything, to be honest, but there was something about it that

drew me to it. I’ve kept it with me wherever I go for years now.”

Fallon bent down and slid the chain into position around his neck. It took her a

moment to fasten the clasp because of how badly her fingers were shaking. When she
was finished, she sat up, staring at her handiwork.

“I want you to have it.”
She watched as he reached up with his hand and touched the stone. It looked so

small beneath his fingers, reflective of how she must look under him.

“How does this make me lose control?”
“My uncle told me once that when someone takes something from you, they’re

never really able to touch what’s really important. You still have the control. Only you
can choose to give that to another person. I’m giving you mine.”

“I don’t understand.”
She smiled. “You will. Now make love to me. Tell me what you want.”
The rise and fall of his chest increased in tempo and Fallon knew he was waging an

internal battle. It made her think of Haylie and Kamran. What it must be like to be that
close to another person. To hear their thoughts in your head. How wonderful and
terrifying at the same time. It would take the pleasure out of surprises—but she’d be so
close to him.

Taber picked Fallon up by the waist and lifted her back on top of his body. He

paused only long enough to pull her hair free of the bun.

“This. I want you like this.”
Shivering, she smiled and bent down to lick his earlobe. “Like this?”
“Cha terma shi semeta.”
“That’s so fucking hot when you talk like that. I wish I knew what you were

saying.”

Taber squeezed her hips with his hands, moving her pussy to the tip of his cock. “I

said I want to fuck you.”

Without any further indication, he bucked his hips forward, filling her cunt

completely. Fallon cried out, dropping her face to his shoulder. He didn’t move again
for a moment, not until she tightened her pussy around his shaft.

“Please,” she begged softly
“You want me. I don’t know why I’ve been so blessed, but I thank the goddess that

I have. Take what you want, Fallon.”

It was then he released her hips, moving his hands to his sides. She realized what

he was doing, knew he was beginning to see what she’d meant. The one giving up the
control had the control. But for the first time in their time together, she was the one who
could have her way with him. Biting down on her bottom lip, she had to think of what
she wanted him to do.

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“Reach up and grab the headboard. Don’t let go.”
Taber didn’t pause, his large arms stretched above him, expanding the multitude of

muscles in his chest. She knew what she wanted him to do next.

“Close your eyes.”
It took him a few seconds longer to comply this time, but once he did, she knew he

wouldn’t open them.

“Just feel.”
Knowing he wouldn’t touch her as she rode him was thrilling. She had full access to

his body and wanted to take advantage of it. As she lifted her hips forward, pulling her
pussy to the top of his cock, Fallon dipped her head forward and licked one of his flat
nipples. She smiled when he sucked in a breath before she impaled her body back down
on his shaft. Repeating the action only served to heighten her already peaked desire,
making her body tense as her orgasm started to build.

“Your cock is so big. You fill me up almost too much. But I love it.”
I love you.
She couldn’t say those words to him though. Not now—he wasn’t ready.
Instead, she ran her hands over his chest, tracing the cords of muscles that covered

his stomach as she rocked her body on his shaft. His cock twitched inside her, his
muscles clenched and released as she caressed him. All the while she kept the steady
rhythm going between them. Then she had an idea—something she’d always wanted to
try, but had never had the nerve to ask.

“Open your eyes.”
He complied and she could see the strain she was putting on his self control. He

was a man of action and she was forcing him to do nothing. Well, not for much longer.
Fallon pulled her body up so his cock fell out of her pussy and landed against his
stomach with a wet smack. Licking her lips, she put her knees to one side of his body
before pressing a light kiss to his lips.

“I’m going to suck your cock. But I want you to lick me at the same time.”
Taber cocked an eyebrow. “How?”
“Like this.”
Fallon pulled back, turned around and swung her leg over his body. Her face was

now perfectly in front of his cock, the scent of her cream on him strong in the air.
Behind her, she heard Taber moan, his hands going to her ass, spreading her cheeks
wide. She didn’t wait for him to act, instead she leaned forward and sucked the head of
his cock into her mouth.

With her legs spread wide, she felt more exposed than before. The cool air from the

room caressed her thighs, made the muscles of her pussy tighten. But when Taber
moved forward and his tongue licked a slow path from her clit to her asshole, she cried
out.

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“I would never have thought to do this,” he said, his lips pressed against her pussy.

“Suck me harder. Yes, like that.”

All remaining thoughts Fallon had evaporated from her mind. She sucked his shaft

as far into her mouth as she could, the taste of her arousal mixed with his, sweet as it
slid down her throat. She’d only pause to gasp at something he’d done to her.

She forgot to lick his cock for a moment when he sucked her clit fully into his

mouth and pushed one finger into her pussy and yet another into her ass. Her body
began to shake with every flick of his tongue. To distract herself from coming, she
squeezed her eyes shut and leaned forward to suck his balls into her mouth. Taber
moaned against her cunt and she sucked even harder.

“I’m going to come,” he said with a ragged voice.
“Not until I say.”
Now she understood the rush of power he experienced when he’d dominated her in

the bedroom. Because she knew without a doubt that he’d listen to her. He’d fight his
own body to do what she asked of him.

Not that she had any intention of making him wait long. Licking her way back up

to his tip, she sucked him hard, circling his swollen head around in her mouth. She
pumped his shaft with one hand while she reached down and massaged his balls with
the other.

Taber returned his mouth to her clit, sucking her as hard as she was sucking him.

He began to pump his hand hard and fast into her, each finger stretching her opening
wider with every thrust. The world around her went dark and her world shrank to
nothing more than the contact between their bodies. Then she felt it—the rush of her
orgasm starting, threatening to explode from her.

“Come for me, Taber. Come with me.”
His balls tightened in her hand and she knew he was letting go. Fallon sucked him

harder than ever as he sucked her clit and thrust his fingers deep inside her. She wanted
to scream as she came but couldn’t. Her mouth was filled with his cum as wave after
wave shot into her. Their muffled cries mingled together until they both collapsed.

Fallon didn’t remember Taber moving her body so her head was beside his. In fact,

she barely remembered him wrapping his body around hers as they spooned on the
bed. The last thing she heard as she drifted off to sleep was Taber whispering in her ear.

“Mi tramsi, shalla.”

* * * * *

Taber drifted in and out of sleep for quite a while. Fallon was exhausted from their

lovemaking and snored softly in his arms. Once he came back to his senses, he twirled a
lock of her hair around his finger, enjoying yet again the softness of the strands.

The weight of the chain and stone around his neck still felt odd. Briel men didn’t

wear such adornments and only the females on the elder council ever wore these types

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of items. But looking down at the stone, he knew he would never take it off again—
customs be damned. Fallon had this for years. It was a part of who she was and she had
given it to him.

Mi tramsi, shalla. The words had come from him as if on reflex. He’d never spoken

them to another living being before. His mother had died when he was a boy, not old
enough to even form the words to say. And he would never have said them to his
father—it would have been considered a sign of weakness. No, not even Calantha had
earned that sentiment.

The communicator on his belt began to chirp. If it wasn’t for the fact no one on the

station would ever use that channel unless it was an emergency, he would have ignored
it. Instead, he was forced to untangle Fallon’s arms and legs from his and make his way
to the communicator.

“Yes,” he said, keeping his voice low enough to prevent waking Fallon.
Sean’s face filled the tiny screen and Taber could see there was a problem. “Are you

with Fallon?”

Taber looked behind him to make sure she was still sleeping. A crushing panic

began to rise in his chest. “Yes. What’s wrong?”

“Captain Zane, Officer Jenny Green and Deputy Officer Tony Scott left for Eurus

over an hour ago.”

Taber wasn’t surprised that the captain would come to the station. But the fact he’d

brought the other two was. “Have they been cleared? Any other deaths?”

“Yes and no. The problem is Commander Bruce is missing. I think he may be

onboard the shuttle, coming for Fallon.”

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Chapter Twelve

Taber paced outside the shuttle bay doors, waiting for them to open. He had a

security force waiting down the hall, ready to come at a moment’s notice in case Bruce
was indeed on board. Kamran was standing to the side, his eyes fixed forward, while
Davin stood leaning against the wall a few feet behind.

“Computer, time to arrival?”
“Five standard minutes.”
“Asking it again won’t make it get here any faster,” Davin drawled.
Taber turned his icy glare on the Raqulian. “Why are you here?”
“Because I asked him,” Kamran said simply. “Why are you so on edge?”
Turning around, he faced forward and linked his hands behind his back. “I’m not

on edge, Administrator. And if I was, it would be due to the fact we potentially have a
serial killer about to arrive at our home. He will be going after a woman who is in my
protection and could put you and your family at risk. I’m merely concerned we get this
contained as quickly as possible.”

Davin gave his head a shake. “I swear that’s the most you’ve ever said at one time.”
Taber turned, ignoring the quip. The thing that upset him the most was the fact he

was on edge—and it was killing him. Bruce was coming after Fallon, could even have
killed the captain and the two security guards already. There was no way he would let
that brakav anywhere near her. He’d die before he’d let her get hurt.

Kamran turned his head and Taber could feel his friend staring at him. He did his

best to ignore the silent concern, struggling to gain control over his emotions.

Calm. I need to be calm.
The groan of the external metal doors vibrated through the floor, causing Taber to

stiffen. Every one of his soldier’s senses went on alert, his muscles tightening and
relaxing. Davin moved beside him, resting his hand on Taber’s shoulder.

Before he could say anything, Taber felt Davin reach out with his ability, attempting

to calm Taber’s mind. The turmoil and blackness lifted for a moment, sucked away to
some other place, allowing him to relax. When his vision cleared, Taber was looking
into Davin’s golden gaze, a look of concern on his face.

“Not your fault,” Davin whispered before stepping back.
Taber’s heart was pounding, but he didn’t move to say anything else. Davin

knew—maybe not everything, but he knew.

Kamran stared between the two men, frowning, but instead only nodded. “The ship

is here.”

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With no time to ponder what had happened, Taber reached down and activated his

communicator. “Security force, stand ready.”

“Yes, Commander.”
Kamran pressed the door release button and walked ahead of them. Taber watched

as his friend quickly slipped into his administrator role, not for the first time earning his
admiration. How he was able to do that, use his easy way to win others over and get
what he wanted had always been an amazing thing to watch.

Taber took up a left flank position behind Kamran, with Davin on the right. In a

situation like this, he knew the Raqulian was more than capable of being able to keep
Kamran safe. He’d watched him battle an Ecada single handed over a year ago. But
knowing that Davin now knew something of his inner turmoil made him uneasy. What
if Davin didn’t trust him any longer? Didn’t think him capable of completing his duties?

“Here we go,” Kamran muttered before smiling and extending his hand as he

walked forward. “Welcome to Eurus, Captain Zane.”

The captain was the first to disembark from the small shuttle and Taber was

relieved to see the older man was unharmed. It appeared that Bruce’s intent was to
sneak onto the colony and avoid detection as long as possible while he got to Fallon.
Taber wasn’t willing to give him that chance.

“Thank you, Administrator. I have to say being stuck on a shuttle isn’t my idea of a

vacation. May I present to you Officers Green and Scott? They both insisted on being
my protection while I’m here, even though I ensured them it wasn’t necessary.”

“We are thankful to have them, nonetheless. I believe you already know

Commander Taber. This is Davin Jagt, my head of trade relations for the colony.”

Davin held out his hand for the captain to shake, which struck Taber as odd. Then

he watched as Davin held the older man’s hand a fraction longer than he should have,
before nodding once and shooting off his lopsided grin. Kamran had asked Davin to
make sure the captain wasn’t the one with the mental instability. He wouldn’t be easily
able to detect it, but he’d sense any major mental faults, especially if Taber was the
target of the killer’s rage.

“A pleasure,” Davin drawled.
“Thank you for having us here on your station. It will be a pleasant change to have

my feet on solid ground,” Captain Zane said, letting go of Davin’s hand.

Kamran led the captain toward the main area of the station, then he stopped and

turned around. “I hope you don’t think this ill mannered of me, but we do need to
inspect your ship.”

Zane frowned, crossing his arms across his chest. “Why?”
“It’s nothing personal. We are extra cautious since we had an Ecada operative get

on board the station six months ago. Now everyone, including overtly friendly ships,
are searched.”

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Taber knew Zane couldn’t say no when Kamran worded his request that way. And

so did everyone else.

“Of course. Jenny, stay and help the commander with his inspection.”
Jenny nodded, letting her gaze slip over his body. “Of course, Captain.”
Taber wouldn’t have noticed Jenny’s reaction to him even six months ago, refusing

to acknowledge the fact that any woman would seriously want him. But seeing how she
was looking at him now, he knew she would gladly step over Fallon’s lifeless body to
have even a chance at being with him. He’d have to be extra cautious around her.

Instead of closing up, he did his best to be like Kamran. He nodded and gave her a

slight smile. “Thank you for your assistance.”

“Any time.” She winked at him, resting her hands along the small of her back.
“If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to check in with Fallon. Make sure she hasn’t

been too much trouble for you,” Zane said to Kamran as Davin walked to join them.

Taber’s gaze flew to the captain and his body tensed. He had no reason to protest

the visit, by the goddess he should be thankful that her friends were still flocking to her
side in a time like this. But he didn’t want any man to be with her unattended.

Fallon was his.
“Of course. I will have security let her know that you are here and wish to see her,”

Kamran said and smiled, his gaze steady on the captain.

“I can do that,” Davin spoke up. “I have a meeting in that section of the station

shortly and can escort her to you.”

“We’ll set up a meeting in the observation room. Once I give the captain and Officer

Scott a quick tour.”

Kamran and Captain Zane took their leave with Tony trailing behind. Davin was

about to leave when Taber stopped him. Standing in front of the Raqulian, staring him
in the eye, Taber didn’t know quite what to say.

“I’ll make sure she’s okay,” Davin said softly.
Taber opened his mouth to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. All he

could do was nod and make his way back over to the ship. Fallon would be perfectly
safe with Davin—and for once Taber knew what it was about the man Sara liked so
much.

Jenny was leaning against the outer hull of the shuttle, her short black hair tucked

behind her ears.

“So, you getting ready to send Fallon back to us or has she taken over your bar here

yet? I assume you have a bar.”

“We do. Several, in fact.”
“God, we’ll never get her off this station.”
“And no, she is not being an inconvenience to us.”

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Jenny frowned for a moment before turning her head to the side, exposing the side

of her neck to him. His eyes were drawn to the skin, but there was no temptation for
him there. She simply wasn’t Fallon.

And the longer he was away from her, the more he wanted to see her.
“Shall we inspect the ship?”
He motioned for Jenny to go inside as he pulled his communicator from his belt.

“Security team, we’re ready.”

Jenny’s gaze snapped to his. “You mean we won’t be doing this alone?”
Ah, now he understood. If she thought there was an opportunity to press her

advances, Jenny was more than willing to take it. “It would be against protocol for me
to allow that.”

She pouted before taking a step forward and running her fingertip down the

middle of his chest.

“But I was looking forward to finally having some time with you. I figured you

wouldn’t be so busy protecting everyone’s favorite bartender.”

“Until we find who’s responsible, Fallon will still be under my protection. A duty I

take very seriously.”

Jenny didn’t back down, instead taking another step forward to press her body

hard against his. He could feel her hard nipples even through all their clothing. She
gently rocked her hips against his groin, closing her eyes momentarily before stepping
back with a sigh.

He didn’t have time to respond to her blatant proposition, as the security team

arrived.

“Where do you want us to start, Commander?”
“Inside the ship, front to back.”
“Aye, sir.”
He couldn’t stay in here with Jenny any longer and walked outside to the hangar

bay. She didn’t follow him at first, choosing to stay by the shuttle door, shifting her gaze
from him to the security crew.

Taber pushed away the feelings of guilt that were growing inside. He hadn’t done

anything to betray Fallon. Even his body hadn’t reacted to Jenny, which may not have
been the case years ago. No, in a short period of time, Fallon had wormed her way into
his heart and he wasn’t going to let her go anywhere.

It felt like he had been standing there for hours when his security team finally

emerged from the shuttle, a concerned look on the ensign’s face.

“Sir, we tore that ship apart. There’s no one on board,” the ensign said quietly.
So either Bruce had slipped off while Kamran was speaking with Zane, or else he

had another ship and was on his way to the planet.

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“Increase station security but be subtle about it. I don’t want our guests to think it

has anything to do with them.”

He stepped aside and spoke loud enough that Jenny would be able to hear from the

shuttle. “Ensign, could you escort Officer Green to her captain? She will want to join
him on the tour.”

With a sigh, she stepped down to the shuttle bay floor and walked past the group of

men, eyeing Taber as she went. “Come on, boys. I’d hate to miss the good part. Maybe
you can show me where I can have a good time.”

Taber was about to follow them when his communicator sounded—a call on a

secure, private channel. Flicking it open, he walked to a corner, far away from the
shuttle.

“Yes?”
“It’s Sean. Has the shuttle arrived?” The note of urgency in his voice was loud and

clear.

“Over an hour ago. What’s wrong?”
“We found Bruce.”
Relief washed through him, knowing Fallon was finally safe. “How did you catch

him?”

Sean sighed and rubbed his hand down the front of his face. “We didn’t. We found

his body shoved into one of the engineering conduits on a seldom used part of the
station. Fuck, Taber, someone had torn him to pieces.”

“By the goddess—”
“The murderer knew we’d waste time looking for Bruce and not concentrate on

other suspects if he was missing. I think he’s one of the three on the shuttle.”

No, no, no! His heart raced at the thought of what this psychopath would do to

Fallon now that he was here with her. And with Davin having cleared Zane, that only
left Jenny and Tony.

“I have to go,” Taber said out loud. The sudden numb feeling in his chest was

starting to spread to his stomach and legs. He couldn’t let anything happen to her.

“I’m on my way back now. I should be there in an hour.” Sean said, and with a nod,

broke off communication.

Despite the urgency, it took him a minute to get control of himself enough that he

was able to move. He didn’t know what he’d do, how he’d react if anything happened
to her. His mental distraction was the only reason he was startled when he spun around
to come face to face with the murderer.

“Oh I don’t think you’re going anywhere, Commander.”
A heavy mist blew into his face, causing Taber to gasp. His body betrayed him,

going weak, and Taber fell to a heap, unconscious on the floor.

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* * * * *

Fallon found herself walking down a long corridor that led to the crew quarters. It

had been hours since she’d seen Taber, since he’d left to greet Captain Zane and
whomever he’d brought with him. Stopping in front of one of the wide windows, she
found herself looking outside at the dry, red surface of the planet. It was a desolate
place to live—a poisonous planet where humanity had somehow managed to eek out a
life. Beautiful and dangerous at the same time.

“I like to look out this window too.”
Fallon turned to find Haylie standing behind her. She had her baby cradled over

her shoulder, the little one busily sucking her thumb. “I somehow doubt Taber would
be happy to know you were out here wandering around.”

“I can’t believe they were able to actually build a colony here. You’d think it would

never work.”

“The first colonists were a tough bunch. I thought I’d miss Luna before I took up

position here, but I can’t imagine living anywhere else now.”

Turning, Fallon scanned the surface again. Could she give up moving back to Earth,

the dreams she’d been so focused on for years, to stay here with Taber? A part of her
didn’t want to, but it was almost tiny compared to the mountain of feelings that were
building up.

“I can imagine why you’d feel that way,” she said softly. “You’ve gained a family

here.”

Haylie stepped beside her, shifting Orya to the other shoulder. “Would you like to

hold her?”

Fallon’s hands began to itch and she automatically reached out before stopping

herself short. “You don’t mind?”

“Hell, no. She’s already heavy and my arms could use the break. I think she’s going

to take after her father for height.”

Orya shifted and sighed when Haylie deposited her into Fallon’s arms. Her coal

black hair was a stark contrast to her pale skin.

“I can’t believe she’s only a few days old,” Fallon whispered.
“Neither can I. It hardly seems real in a way. She was inside me for so long, I

sometimes feel like I’m missing something.” Haylie reached over and brushed a lock of
her daughter’s hair from off her forehead. “Do you want to have children?”

Fallon’s stomach flipped and her chest tightened. She’d never really talked to

anyone about her dreams. “I’d love to.”

Orya turned her head and began to root against Fallon’s chest. She began to smack

her tiny lips, turned her head. She smiled and touched her finger against Orya’s little
cheek.

“I think someone is hungry. And I’m afraid I’m not much good to you.”

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Reluctantly, Fallon handed the baby back to her mother. She instantly missed the

loss of her warmth, and for the first time in a long while, Fallon felt the flood of painful
memories return.

“I wanted to have a baby once, but it didn’t work out. The guy I was with

wasn’t…ready.”

It felt odd telling this to a complete stranger, but there was something about Haylie

that she just knew she could trust. That she would understand without judging. Haylie
reached down and rubbed her daughter’s cheek and smiled.

“I’m sorry it didn’t work out. For what it’s worth, I think you’d make an excellent

mother.”

Fallon shrugged, not really knowing what else to do. “I was really young, so it was

probably for the best. I would love to try though, someday.”

“All you need is to find the right guy.”
The way Haylie said that gave Fallon the distinct impression the other woman felt

she’d already found him in Taber. Feeling a tad uncomfortable, Fallon looked around at
the passersby before she screwed up her courage to ask the one question she’d been
wondering.

“What’s it like? Being with someone so…different?”
“You mean alien?”
Fallon nodded and leaned back against the window. “Things must be so unusual

for you. For him.”

“It took a lot of adjustments, on both our parts. I wasn’t used to having someone

else stuck in my head. And poor Kamran wasn’t used to my mental chaos.”

“But you worked it out?”
“We still have our problems from time to time, but yes. Any particular reason

you’re curious?”

Fallon didn’t miss the amused expression on Haylie’s face. And while there wasn’t

anyone else out there who could give her answers to the questions she wanted to ask,
Fallon still wasn’t ready. Not without knowing Taber’s heart. With a sigh, Fallon
wrapped her hands around her waist.

“Just curious.”
“Well if you ever want to know anything about, oh I don’t know, Briel customs or

mating rites, just ask.”

Fallon couldn’t help but chuckle. “If someone had told me four years ago I’d be

having this conversation, I’d have called the cops on them.”

“I think I told Sara something similar two years ago.”
“Do you regret it? If you could change how things happened between yourself and

Kamran, would you?”

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Haylie bent her head and kissed the top of her daughter’s head. “Not in a million

years.”

“There you are!”
The two women turned to see Davin marching toward them, a lopsided grin stuck

on his face. The clothing he had on barely contained the massive muscles that made up
his powerful body. He wasn’t as tall as Taber or Kamran, but Davin definitely had his
appeal.

“I have no problem seeing why Sara likes him,” Fallon said under her breath.
“You have no idea. The stories she’s told me…what are you up to, pirate?” Haylie

said the last with a chuckle as he got into hearing range.

Davin reached down and ran a finger over Orya’s nose when he reached them,

before turning his attention to Fallon. “I’m chasing our lovely bartender halfway across
the station.”

“Is there a problem?”
“Captain Zane is on the station and is asking to see you. Taber is busy tearing his

ship apart and asked me to escort you.”

Fallon’s blood began to hum through her body. “How is he?”
“Captain Zane?”
“Taber.”
Davin immediately frowned and met Fallon’s gaze straight on. “I’ve known that

ravak for over a year now and I’ve never seen him like this before. I hate to say it, but
I’m worried.”

Oh my god. “What is it? Is he hurt?”
Davin shook his head and looked to Haylie, who nodded and shifted Orya.
“I better get her home. She’s going to want to eat soon and her father is anxious to

hold her again.”

Fallon turned and, on impulse, gave Haylie a hug. “Thank you.”
“I just hope we get to continue these conversations. Don’t be too quick to hurry

away from our station.”

She started to leave when Fallon stopped her and leaned in close. “I meant to ask

you, what does mi tramsi, shalla mean?”

Haylie’s eyes widened for a moment before she smiled. “It basically translates to I

love you, beloved.”

Fallon’s stomach did a flip. “Oh.”
“Any reason in particular you were wondering about that?”
She shook her head, needing time to think about what it all meant. “No. Just

something I overheard. Thanks.”

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Davin led Fallon in the opposite direction from Haylie. He kept his pace slow, in no

apparent hurry to get her to her destination. When she looked over at him, she could
see he was struggling with something.

“Is Taber okay?” She hated that her voice shook as she spoke. She knew he didn’t

want everyone to know what was between them, but she couldn’t help it—Fallon was
worried about him.

“I’m not sure. How much do you know about my people?”
“A bit more than the Briel. Damara spent quite a bit of time in that sector. Your

world is made up of a caste system?”

Davin nodded. “I’m a part of both the healer and warrior castes. I have the ability to

heal bodies as well as psychological injuries.”

Fallon shivered. She couldn’t imagine having that sort of responsibility thrust on

her. But when he looked over at her and smiled, she knew he didn’t see it that way.

“Sometimes, when I touch someone, I can feel a wound. The mental ones are the

hardest to detect and the hardest to fix. But sometimes things pop out at me when I
touch someone.”

“There’s something wrong with Taber?”
Davin stopped walking and pulled her to the side to let a couple pass. “I’ve known

him for a while and I’ve never been able to get past his mental control before. Not that
I’ve tried or anything. This time, when I touched his shoulder, all I could feel was guilt,
anguish and chaos.”

“From Taber?” That didn’t sound like the in control man she’d come to know.
“Did something happen to him on the Damara that would have hurt him?”
Fallon’s mind raced. “No, I mean other than the murders. He seemed quite happy.”
She looked up when Davin squeezed her arm. “Happy?”
“Is that a problem? I mean he was smiling, teasing me. He was a pain in the ass too.

Kept following me, making sure nothing happened.” Fallon stopped when Davin gave
his head a shake. “What?”

“Nothing and everything. We need to get you to your meeting and then to Taber. I

think the two of you need to talk.”

“What the hell is going on?”
Davin sighed. “I didn’t push into his mind. I wouldn’t do that to a friend. But when

I touched him, I got the distinct impression he was on the edge of…something
important. He was dealing with something he’d refused to acknowledge for years. He
needs your help.”

She almost asked if it was about Taber’s mate, but she stopped herself short. If

Davin didn’t know, the last thing she wanted to do was expose something Taber hadn’t
shared with anyone. Instead, she gave Davin’s arm a squeeze.

“Thank you.”

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“If you are able to help him with this, then it’s we who should be thanking you. I

doubt anyone, including Kamran, knew he was carrying around this sort of guilt. Now,
let’s get you to your meeting.”

Fallon’s mind kept turning over the possibilities of Taber’s problem. She couldn’t

reconcile the man who she’d come to know on the ship with the all business,
unemotional man of Eurus.

When they approached the observation room, Fallon took a deep breath before she

went in. “So much has happened this week. My head is spinning.”

“Your friends are here to help. Take your time and relax. I’ll be here when you’re

ready to find Taber.”

Fallon entered the observation room to find Jenny sitting there alone. She looked

around as she made her way to the table, but Zane and Tony were gone.

“I thought the captain and Tony were here too.”
“Tony went to the lavatory and Zane and that Briel administrator will be right back.

Something about a bottle of booze.”

The whoosh of the door made the two women look as all three of the men in

question walked in.

“Fallon!” Zane roared as he rounded the table and clasped her in a bear hug. “I’m

so pleased to see you safe and sound.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Captain.” Kamran said with humor in his voice.
When Fallon looked over at him, though, she could see something was bothering

Kamran. She opened her mouth to ask, but he stopped her with a single look. This
wasn’t the time or place.

“I hope my wife didn’t talk your ear off too much, Ms. Reist. She’s been known to

chatter away.”

Of course he would have known about their conversation. He was always with her.

Right now she couldn’t help but wish Taber was with her as well like that. She missed
his strength and his subtle humor. Strange how quickly she’d grown accustomed to
him.

“Not at all, Administrator. We had a lovely chat. Thank you for bringing the

captain, Tony and Jenny here for me.”

“You didn’t think we were going to leave you here, my girl?” Zane patted her

shoulder. “The ship isn’t the same without you.”

They spent the next forty minutes talking about the ship and what had happened

over the past few days. Poor Lance had been beside himself trying to train her
replacement and had begged Zane to bring her back.

“The poor boy doesn’t know what to do without you.”
“Well, I’ll be back soon enough, once all this craziness is dealt with. Have you been

to your quarters yet?”

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“No, but I think that should be our next stop. Then I can let these two young people

go off duty and enjoy their evening,” Zane smiled over at Jenny.

Fallon was about to say something else when Kamran’s communicator sounded. He

smiled, got up and took the call once he reached the far corner of the room. The group
chatted for another few minutes when Zane let out a big yawn.

“My poor body doesn’t know what time of day it is.”
“We best get you to your quarters then, Captain,” Jenny said with enthusiasm.
“You’d think the girl wants to get rid of me so she can explore the bars I noticed on

our tour. Do you think you’d be able to show us the way, Fallon?”

“I’m afraid I need her here for a moment, Captain.” Kamran said, smiling as he

returned. “I hope you don’t mind, but I have a problem that requires her assistance.”

“The bar run out of mix?” Jenny said under her breath.
Kamran leaned forward, his eyes locked on the other woman. “No, my wife has

need of her. And that is a good enough reason for me.”

Jenny swallowed hard and straightened slightly. “Yes, sir.”
Fallon didn’t move while Davin showed them to the door, a security team waiting

to lead them to their quarters. Kamran didn’t say a word until the door whooshed shut
behind them.

“What’s wrong?” Both she and Davin asked at the same time.
“Sean just arrived. He said there is a problem and wanted to meet us here.”
“Sean?” Davin said, crossing his arms across his chest. “It must be serious for him

to leave the ship.”

“Is Taber coming?” Fallon said, a tad more excited than she should have been.
Kamran reached out and squeezed her hand. “I put out a call to him, but he hasn’t

responded yet.”

They waited in silence for almost ten minutes before Sean walked through the door

of the observation room. A scowl was fixed on his face as he nodded to Kamran and
Davin and walked to Fallon. He crouched down in front of her, forcing her to look
solely at him.

“I have more bad news. Commander Bruce is dead.”
Fallon felt the blood drain from her face and pool in her stomach. “Oh my god,” she

whispered.

“Has anyone approached you? Tried to get you alone since you arrived?”
She shook her head, tears making Sean’s face blurry. “No. I’ve been with Taber

almost the entire time I’ve been here. It wasn’t until he went to meet Zane’s ship that we
were separated.”

Sean looked over at Kamran. “Can you get Taber on the communicator? I’ve been

trying since just before I landed.”

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Both Davin and Kamran pulled out their communicators and tried to locate him.

Fallon watched them work as her body slowly started to unravel. Her hands began to
shake and her chest tightened.

“He’s hurt. Or dead,” she whispered.
“Don’t think that. Whoever it is wouldn’t be able to take him out that easily. The

killer isn’t in his own territory, so it will be harder for him to remain undetected. And
Taber knows this place like the back of his hand. We’ll find him.”

It then hit her why Sean was so tense. “It’s one of the three, isn’t it? Jenny, Tony or

Zane.”

“I’m sorry, yes.”
“He’s not on the grid and not responding to any calls.” Davin said, cursing in a

language Fallon didn’t understand.

Kamran let out a frustrated wail and threw his communicator against the wall. The

small device smashed into a thousand pieces. The men all stared at the damage, both
Sean and Davin with shocked expressions on their faces. Fallon watched Kamran run
his hands down over his face, his eyes screwed shut.

Fallon got up and slowly walked over to him. She placed her hands on his, pulling

them down so she could look him in the eye.

“I feel the same way,” she whispered.
“Do you? Taber has saved my life more times than I can count over the past thirteen

years. Now when he needs me, I can’t seem to help him.”

Fallon squeezed his hands and took a deep breath. “I haven’t known him as long as

you, but I love him just as much.”

Kamran stared at her, reaching up to caress her cheek. Tears welled up when she

saw the approval in his eyes. “Yes, I believe you do.”

“And he feels the same about you, Fallon,” Davin said quietly. “I could feel that the

last time I touched him.”

“Is there any way I can help you find him? I’ll do anything to make him safe,” she

pleaded, even though she knew they were as helpless as she.

Kamran looked up at the other men, and after a moment, came to a decision. “We’ll

do everything in our power to protect you, but this will be dangerous.”

“I know.”
“Then I think it’s time to really make you the bait.”

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Chapter Thirteen

Fallon felt odd wearing the short black, sleeveless dress as she stood in a bar that

wasn’t her own. What made matters worse was the fact she needed to flirt with every
miner, engineer or crewman who came by and offered her a drink.

“Where the hell is Jenny?” she muttered.
“Zane is still with Kamran and Tony hasn’t left his quarters,” Sean’s voice said

softly in her ear.

The tiny communicator they’d placed below the surface of her skin still itched and

it took a lot of concentration not to reach up and scratch it.

“And you’re sure Jenny is here?”
“She came in with Bobby, one of our junior security guards. He’s not answering any

of his calls.”

Fallon nodded her head and got ready to suck back another drink when she saw

Jenny emerge from a hall near the back of the bar.

“Sara won’t be pleased to learn someone discovered our spot,” Davin said in her

other ear. “Now we’ll have to limit our activities to the observation room.

Fallon brought her drink to her lips quickly to hide her smile. “Okay, I’m going to

make contact.”

She slid from the barstool and made her way to the dance floor where Jenny was

flirting with one of the security soldiers. The man’s attention immediately shifted from
Jenny to Fallon and he gave her a bright smile.

“Now I know I haven’t seen you on the station before.”
Fallon would have played the game for Jenny’s benefit, but it was at that moment

she noticed the look of frustration on the other woman’s face.

“You know, I hate to tear Jenny away from you, but I need her for a moment.”
Without giving her any chance to refuse, Fallon slipped her arm around Jenny’s and

half led, half dragged her to the hallway she’d come from only moments ago.

“There isn’t a camera in that hall, so we won’t be able to watch. Say my name if

things go badly,” Davin said softly to her.

She looked up at the security camera in the corner of the ceiling as they walked past

and winked at it. Her heart pounded a little bit faster when she pulled Jenny inside and
shut the door behind them.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Jenny screeched at her. “Even on a colony where

no one knows us, you have to come along and fuck up my chances at having a little
fun.”

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“Jenny, I’m sorry, I never intended—”
“I don’t give a rat’s ass if you’re sorry.” Jenny jerked her arm away, crossed her

hands across her chest and glared at Fallon. “Do you know how sick I am of hearing
about you? Fuck! Nate talked about you obsessively. Fallon did this. Fallon’s so sweet.
You make me sick.”

Jenny was panting by the end of her rant. Her eyes were filled with tears and her

normally pale face was beet red. Fallon felt her world spinning and was forced to lean
back against the opposite wall so she wouldn’t lose her balance.

“I’m sorry,” Fallon whispered. “I had no idea.”
“Fallon, you need to focus,” Sean’s steady voice reassured her. “Jenny could be a

killer.”

But standing there looking at the other woman, Fallon didn’t see a killer. What she

did see was a broken heart.

“How could you not have known? Men on the Damara practically threw themselves

at your feet.”

“Maybe because I wasn’t interested.”
“You weren’t interested in Nate? Or Lukas? How could you walk away from men

like that?”

She knew Jenny didn’t understand and she wasn’t about to explain her need to be

dominated in bed by a man she could trust. While Nate was handsome, she knew he
could never take charge the way she wanted. And Lukas, there was no way she’d ever
trust a man like him. He was too much like her ex, fuck them and leave if they don’t live
up to expectations.

A stream of tears rolled down Jenny’s face and Fallon finally realized what was

wrong with her. She pushed away from the wall and went over Jenny, wrapping her
arms around her in a hug.

“Leave me alone, bitch.”
“You were in love with Nate.”
Jenny sucked in a breath and she stared at Fallon. “How did…I didn’t tell anyone.”
Fallon pushed a strand of Jenny’s black hair behind her ear and smiled. “There was

never anything between us. He was just a friend.”

“I know,” Jenny said quietly after a minute. “He talked about you all the time. I just

never felt like I had a chance with him because you were there.”

“I’m so sorry.”
Jenny let out a bitter laugh. “I guess it doesn’t matter now. He’s gone, we’re here

and his killer is still running around on the ship.”

Fallon held her breath for a second and prayed she was doing the right thing.

“Jenny, I’ve been trying to find Taber for hours now. Have you seen him?”

“Careful. We still don’t know if she’s the one,” Davin buzzed in her ear.

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Jenny shook her head. “The last time I saw him was back on the shuttle. The

security crew had just finished a sweep of the ship and was leaving with me when he’d
gotten a communication. He stayed behind to answer it.”

“That would have been my call,” said Sean.
“You didn’t see him after that?” Fallon felt her own frustration building.
“To be honest, I figured he was off fucking you. God knows he wasn’t interested in

me at all.”

Fallon wasn’t sure why she was so surprised. Jenny had made no secret of her

attraction toward Taber. But the fact that she had been so blatant about it, and that he’d
rejected her, set Fallon at ease.

“I wish he had been,” she gave Jenny a small smile. “Well, back to my barstool, I

guess, to wait.”

She turned to leave when Jenny caught her by the arm. “Hey, I’m sorry too. I know

I was being a complete bitch.”

“Just don’t be alone tonight, okay. And be careful.”
“Hey, I work security. Careful is my middle name.”
Jenny straightened, pulling her self confidence around her like a shield, and

marched back out to the bar. Rather than follow, Fallon sighed and pressed her back
against the wall.

“This isn’t going to work,” she muttered.
“You’ve been flirting with men all night. Our killer has to be out there watching

you,” Sean said, sounding just as frustrated as her. “Maybe someone did manage to
sneak on the ship. Took Taber by surprise.”

“We’ll find him, you two. Let’s focus on—”
Davin’s voice was drowned out when the door to the bar opened up and Tony

walked through. He was wearing a black buttoned shirt, and pants that clung to his
thighs suggestively. For the first time, Fallon saw how attractive he was. She also saw
something in his eyes that scared the shit out of her.

“Tony?”
“He’s there?” Sean asked, a quiet urgency in his voice. “Our readings still show him

in his quarters.”

“What are you doing here?” Fallon continued, ignoring Sean as best she could.
“I saw you and Jenny come back here and only Jenny leave. I wanted to make sure

you were still standing.”

He smiled and took a step forward, reaching her side before she had a chance to

react. Fallon couldn’t stop the shiver when he got close. He was somehow different than
he’d been back on the Damara—colder. The smile on his face didn’t reach his eyes and
she was forced to not react when he let his gaze roam over her body.

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“You don’t look any worse for wear,” he said and reached out to touch her chin

briefly. “I was at least expecting a few cat scratches.”

“Yeah, she wasn’t very pleased with me. But we’ve come to an understanding.”
Tony reached up and caught a lock of her hair and brought it to his lips. “She’s

finally realized she isn’t your equal. That no one can be.”

“Fallon, stay right there,” Sean practically shouted. “The security team will be there

in under a minute. Just stay there.”

Fallon’s heart began to pound and she knew if she were to hold her hands up,

they’d be shaking. She had to swallow hard to get her voice to work again.

“I had no idea you were interested in me,” she managed to whisper.
“I couldn’t let you know. It was against the rules. We always have to follow the

rules.”

The way he said the last part, like he was far away remembering something

someone had told him, scared Fallon more than anything. But when he looked back into
her eyes and smiled, she wanted to scream.

“I think we should continue our conversation someplace else. I believe your friends

are about to arrive.”

“What do you mean?”
Davin burst through the bar door with five security officers behind him. All their

weapons were drawn and pointed at Tony. Before she was able to move away, he had
his arm around her neck, using her as a protective shield.

“Well, I have to say, the Eurus security force is efficient if nothing else. I really wish

I could stay and chat, but I have a date.”

Fallon felt her skin tingle everywhere. She suddenly found it difficult to breath and

her vision blurred. She was about to scream when Tony pulled her in the direction of
the wall—and then passed straight through.

* * * * *

Pain sliced through Taber’s head, making it nearly impossible for him to open his

eyes. His arms had been secured to a metal pipe, and from the sounds he was hearing,
he must be on the lower level of the newer section of the station. Every time he tried to
shift his weight, tried to move his body to be able to actually see something if he were
able to get his eyes to cooperate, he couldn’t. The substance Tony had used on him had
long lasting effects.

Even his anger at knowing he’d let Fallon down wasn’t enough to force his body

into action.

There was a low humming noise and something that sounded like a crackling pop,

forcing him to lift his head and once more try to open his eyes.

“I brought you a friend, Taber.”

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“Taber!”
Fallon! He opened his mouth to speak, but the words couldn’t slip past the dry

expanse of his throat. Soft hands were caressing his cheeks and neck while her moist
lips pressed kisses against his temple. He heard her sniff and could feel her tears on his
face.

“My god, what did he do to you?”
“Well, I couldn’t have him too healthy and strong now,” Tony’s amused voice came

from somewhere behind Fallon. “It’s not like that would make it a fair fight.”

“Sean knows he has me,” Fallon quickly whispered in his ear.
Fighting past the pain and the effects of the drugs, Taber finally managed to get his

eyes open. He blinked several times to clear the blurry haze that had formed there until
he was able to see Fallon.

Her hair was cascading down over her shoulders and she was wearing a tight black

dress that did little to conceal the curves of her body. When she saw what he was
looking at, she gave him a small smile and shrugged.

“They needed to draw him out so we could find you.”
“How did…” He stopped to swallow, trying to get his voice to work once more.

“How?”

“He has some sort of device that lets him walk through walls. What the hell is that

thing, Tony?”

Taber turned his head as Tony pushed up the sleeve of his shirt to reveal a micro

thin sensor pad that appeared to be grafted to his skin. It was so small no one would
notice the device unless they physically saw it on his arm. He looked, but Taber had no
idea which race would have developed such an item.

“Why?” Taber managed to croak.
Tony raced across the small space that separated them, grabbed Fallon by the

shoulder and yanked her away. She let out a startled scream as she struggled against
him, punching and kicking him for all she was worth. When he slapped her across the
face, Taber’s body surged to life. He roared, twisting and jerking his body against the
restraints so hard the metal of the pipe groaned.

“Cha tabie kra gremera, mi shalla!”
“I don’t know what the fuck you just said, Briel, but I suggest you shut your yap if

you want her to live past the next three seconds.”

Tony secured Fallon to what looked like a computer console that hadn’t been

installed. Taber quickly looked around and realized they were in the unfinished section
of the new building. They were currently using the bottom two levels as storage until
the next group of colonists from Earth arrived. They were completely isolated with no
hope of anyone stumbling on them.

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When Tony was done securing Fallon, he reached up and held her face with his

hand. Turing his body so Taber could see what he was doing to her, Tony looked back
and grinned.

“You asked why? Because those fuckers on the ship are stupid. Drunks, pirates,

fucking anyone and anything that moved. I use this,” he held up his arm, “to steal what
I want when I want it. It’s made me fucking rich.”

“Why did you kill Nate?” Fallon whispered, her eyes wide, fixed on Tony.
Taber surged forward against his restraints again when Tony bent forward and

kissed Fallon roughly on the lips. All he could do was watch, frustration and anger
eating away at him, fueling his strength.

He was touching Fallon.
Hurting Fallon.
His Fallon.
“I will kill you,” Taber said each word with slow precision.
There must have been enough menace in his voice because Tony pulled his face

away from Fallon’s and turned to look at him. The wicked smile on his face told Taber
that while Tony was clearly insane, he wasn’t about to make a careless mistake—like
freeing Taber’s arms.

“And how to do intend to do that? Do you think she belongs to you? Huh?” Tony

turned and pushed his hand into her hair, yanking her head at an awkward angle to
expose her neck. “You don’t belong to him, do you, Fallon?”

Fallon swallowed hard, but she was smart enough to keep her eyes locked on Tony.

She relaxed her body against his and gave him one of her small, shy smiles that Taber
had grown to love so much.

“You killed Nate for me, didn’t you?”
She made no other movement, silently waiting, giving Tony all her attention. In that

moment Taber couldn’t help but wonder if she really felt anything for him or if she was
that talented an actress with his affections as well.

Regardless, Tony seemed sucked in to Fallon’s change of reaction. He shifted his

weight slightly, rising up on the balls of his feet as he leaned in closer to her.

“Yes.” Tony swallowed hard, lifting his free hand to caress the side of her neck.

“Nate told me he wanted you. That he didn’t care about the rules and he was going to
take you.”

Fallon nodded as much as she was able. “I knew he wanted me, but I was never

interested.”

“He caught me with the device. He saw me watching you from the storage room

that night. I didn’t know this and when I ran into him in the hall, he confronted me.
Wanted to know how I’d gotten out there. So I showed him.”

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Tony laughed a low, mirthless chuckle that sent a shiver through Taber. He’d met

many criminals over the years, but the criminally insane were always the most
disturbing.

“I yanked him back into the bar storeroom and shot him.”
“Why did no one see you?” Taber managed to say, his voice little more than a harsh

whisper.

“The device has sensors. It becomes in tune with your body after a while. I can

sense who and what might be on the other side of the wall. I simply wait until the coast
is clear.”

“And of course you’d erase the computer feed afterward and replace it with

something else,” Fallon said, a note of awe in her voice. “That way no one would know
it was you.”

Tony turned back and kissed Fallon’s forehead. “I knew you’d understand.”
“And Lukas?” She kept her voice light, but Taber could hear the small quiver as she

spoke.

“He wanted to fuck you. He was crude, talking about what he’d do to you to

anyone who’d listen. I wasn’t about to let him touch you.” He began to shake his head
and laugh. “No, no, no. Lukas had to go.”

Fallon’s gaze darted to Taber, fear threatening to overtake her. He knew exactly

what Tony was thinking. If Tony killed Nate and Lukas for thinking about being with
her, what the hell was he going to do to the man who actually slept with her?

As if on cue, Tony stood up and made his way close to Taber. He looked down, the

crazed smile still on his face. “And then there is you.”

Taber relaxed his body, mentally bracing himself for what was about to come next.

He didn’t have to wait long. With his hands restrained, his stomach and chest were
open targets. Tony’s kick landed squarely on Taber’s side, knocking the air from his
lungs and sending a lancing pain through him.

“I saw you.” He kicked again, this time connecting with Taber’s stomach. “I saw

you in the tube. Your filthy hands all over her.”

“Tony, please stop!”
“Your filthy alien hands.” Thunk. “You have no right to touch her. She’s mine.”

Thunk.

“Tony! Tony, look at me!” Fallon pleaded. “Please stop.”
Taber was able to focus on her face, recognized the tears that streamed down her

face. When Tony landed his next kick, the pain didn’t seem quite as strong.

“You have no right to come onto my ship and even look at my woman,” Tony

screamed at him. “And you dared to touch her?”

Fallon was panting, yanking hard against the restraints. When she realized Tony

wasn’t about to turn around, she looked Taber in the eye and mouthed, I love you.

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Taber’s entire world came to a grinding halt. For a moment, he forgot about Tony,

the pain tearing through his body and the stinging of his eyes. All he could do was
blink and pray he hadn’t imagined what he saw. Fallon let out a sob and nodded,
mouthing the words again.

I love you.
That was the last thing he was able to see for the next several minutes. Tony began

to pound his fists into Taber’s face, blood spraying over his hands and arms as he
worked him over. Taber had sustained worse beatings in his life, but he hated the fact
Fallon was forced to watch, knowing what a wretched mess he’d look like.

The thudding noise of the beating began to fade and an eerie silence replaced it.

Taber thought he was about to slip into unconsciousness when he heard something
very soft buzzing in his mind. At first he dismissed it as a byproduct of the damage his
head was taking, but it began to grow more persistent until he was no longer able to
ignore it.

Taber.
It wasn’t a complete thought, not really. The barest whisper of a word brushing

past the corner of his mind, like a shadow out of the corner of his eye.

Fallon?
Instead of an answer, like one he would have shared with a bonded mate, he could

feel her emotions. That contact was just out of reach, but it was enough that he could
make sure everything was okay.

Fallon, don’t cry.
Taber heard her sob, and how she tried to fight against it. The noise of whatever

else she was doing was chased away when Tony landed another punch on Taber’s ear.

“Tony, you can stop now,” Fallon managed to get out in between sobs. “I know

you’re more of a man than anyone.”

“No you don’t!”
When the blows finally stopped and Tony whirled around and marched over to

Fallon, Taber’s heart nearly stopped. He had to sit and watch helplessly as Tony got in
her face, screaming at her.

“You never once looked at me! You’d flirt with anything that had a cock, but not

me!”

Slowly, something shifted to the surface of his mind, something Tony had said that

could help. Taber closed his eyes and concentrated on the thread, the fragile connection
between him and Fallon.

Rules. Against the rules.
Fallon’s sobs stopped and he heard her suck in a shaky breath.
“But I couldn’t, Tony. It would have been against the rules.”
Safe.

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“I wanted to make sure you were safe. That no one could hurt you, damage your

reputation,” she said in a soft voice.

Taber opened his eyes to see Tony squatting in front of Fallon, leaning over at an

awkward angle so he could look her in the face. There was a chance that if she were to
get him off balance, he’d be able to take Tony out of the picture.

Taber looked directly at Fallon and tried to project his thoughts to her. Pull your legs

up.

“Yes,” Tony said nodding. “I knew you understood. You have to play by the rules

or else you get punished.”

Pull your legs up.
“I’d never want you to get hurt or to be punished.” Fallon smiled and cocked her

head to the side. “You’re a very strong man.”

Fallon! Pull your legs up.
When she shifted her body and slowly pulled her legs closer to her body, Taber felt

a wave of relief. As quietly as he could, he moved into position and prayed she was
strong enough to do this.

Kick him hard. Kick his stomach.
He didn’t think she heard him at first—that their connection had weakened and

stopped. A wave of frustration hit him and Taber jerked against the restraints hard.
Tony turned his head to look back at Taber and grinned.

“You see, you alien fuck. She’s mine. She understands that you have to play within

the rules if you want to live.”

With Tony distracted, Fallon was finally able to react. She rocked back so her body

rested on her ass and her feet both came off the floor. Taber watched as she kicked both
her legs out, catching Tony in the chest. Fallon yelled as she kicked, throwing Tony off
balance and sending him flying backward to land on his back.

Taber reacted instantly. The second Tony’s head banged on the floor, Taber swept

his legs out and braced his knees on either side of Tony’s head. Taber began to squeeze,
praying he had the strength left to do what he needed to do. Tony clawed at Taber,
bucking and fighting against his loss of oxygen. Taber had his eyes closed, focusing
every ounce of his concentration on keeping the other man still.

“Taber! He’s reaching for the thing on his arm!”
Tony began to blindly hit at his arm, smashing the sensors on the implant without

seeing what he was doing. Suddenly, Taber felt the other man’s weight increase and his
body begin to slip away. He looked down to see the floor had half absorbed Tony’s
body. Unwilling to let his enemy get away, he jerked his legs back enough to keep Tony
from slipping all the way into the opened portal. A loud humming pop filled the room
and Tony stopped struggling.

Taber looked down to see that only the top half of Tony’s body remained. A look of

pain and horror was frozen on his now lifeless face.

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“Oh my god,” Fallon whispered.
“Don’t look,” he managed to croak out. “Don’t look at him. Only me.”
Using what little strength he had left, Taber managed to push what remained of

Tony’s body to the side, as much as his legs would allow. Now free of the added
weight, he was able to pull himself up enough to get a better look at Fallon.

Her face was pale, and the strands of her hair were tangled where Tony had

grabbed her. Her eyes were wide and she was panting hard as she continued to stare at
what remained of her tormentor.

“He can’t hurt you anymore, Fallon. Look at me, shallen.”
Her eyes flicked to his face and she swallowed hard. Taber nodded and gave her as

much of a smile as his beaten face would allow.

“That’s better. You’re going to be okay. Sean will find us and we’ll get you out of

here.”

“He was going to kill you,” she whispered. “He was going to take me away.”
“But he didn’t. You stopped him. You were very brave, shallen.”
Fallon swallowed hard, her gaze slipping to the floor for a moment before she

looked back, her eyes locked on him. “What does shallen mean?”

His heart was already pounding hard from the beating and his fight with Tony. But

somehow that one simple question sent it racing even faster. He couldn’t hide behind
his language anymore. He shouldn’t hide—not if she meant as much to him as he knew
she did.

“Taber?” Her soft question hurt him more than the beating he’d sustained. “What

does it mean?”

My beloved, my love.
“I—”
“Fallon!”
They both turned their heads at the sound of Sean’s voice.
“We’re over here!” she called out. “Taber’s hurt!”
The noise of a security detail making their way toward them let him know they

were going to be okay. Fallon would be safe and he could finally relax. Relief sapped
what remained of his strength and unconsciousness won him over.

* * * * *

Fallon watched helpless as Taber’s eyes rolled into the back of his head and his

body slumped forward. Panic raced through her and she struggled against the
restraints that held her fast.

“Sean, hurry!”

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The first person she saw run around the corner and race down the hall was Davin.

Sean was only a few steps behind, a chorus of flashlights chasing them.

“Here! We’re here!”
Davin immediately went to Taber’s side while Sean came to hers. She struggled

against the restraints, trying to get to Taber.

“Sit still, Fallon. Let me free you,” Sean said, trying to find the right code to release

the bindings.

It took a minute, but he finally succeeded and Fallon barreled past him to reach

Taber. She got there to see Davin checking Taber over, a deep frown on his face. He
moved a hand to Taber’s chest and closed his eyes.

“Friken, there is a lot of internal bleeding,” he muttered.
“Can you help him?” she asked in a shaky voice. “Please.”
Davin frowned, looking at Taber’s face for a long moment before nodding once.

“He’ll probably be pissy at me when I’m done. Just to warn you.”

Fallon shifted her body to rest against Taber’s side. She clung to his arm, resting her

head on his shoulder.

“Don’t you die on me, you stubborn jerk.”
“There’s no dying on my watch,” Davin said and smiled at her. “He’ll be back being

a pain in my ass in no time.”

Davin adjusted his hand on Taber’s chest and closed his eyes, forcing Fallon to wait.
Please be okay.
An eternity passed in a few minutes as the entire security detail, including Sean,

gathered around them in a loose semicircle. Fallon couldn’t look at them and closed her
eyes, concentrating on the odd sensations she’d felt when Tony had been at her side.

It had been the oddest sensation. Like her thoughts were being pushed to her from

someone else. She knew it had been coming from Taber—his confidence and pride in
her projecting out.

She’d also felt his love and his fear.
Now, she tried to find that connection again. Soft, like a dream she couldn’t quite

remember, it was just out of reach.

I love you. Come back to me.
She thought the words over and over, praying it would work, that there would be

some sign of life.

Love you.
The sensations, warmth, love and lust hit her as Taber jerked against her body,

sucking in an audible gasp.

“Easy, big fella,” Davin muttered. “You’re okay.”
“Taber?” She got to her knees and pressed a kiss against his temple. “Taber, are you

okay?”

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“I—”
She looked down to see him fight to get his eyes open. It took a minute, but he

somehow managed and looked up into her eyes.

“I will be once Davin gets his hands off me.”
Davin looked at her and grinned. “See, pissy. He’s going to be fine. We still need to

get him to med bay.”

“Sara’s enroute,” Sean said from behind Davin. “Welcome back.”
Taber reached up and squeezed Fallon’s arm. She couldn’t speak, tears running

down her face, emotion choking her. He was going to be fine.

“I love you,” she whispered to him.
But when he didn’t respond, Fallon felt her world bottom out.

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Chapter Fourteen

Taber stood looking at the door in front of him for a solid minute before he pressed

the room chime and waited silently for an answer. It only took a moment for Kamran to
answer, the look of relief changing to concern when his gaze assessed Taber.

“Should you be out of med bay?”
Taber shrugged. “I’m sure Sara will strap me back to the bed if she were to catch

me.”

“Then we better make sure she doesn’t catch you. Please come in,” he motioned as

he stepped aside.

The main living area was a mess. Clothing and blankets were strewn about, while

small toys covered the floor. A quick glance at the side of the long green couch showed
several packages, all in various states of unwrap.

“Apparently, it’s called a baby shower. An old human tradition to celebrate the

birth of a child. Several of the security team surprised Haylie with one this afternoon.”

There was something humbling to know that as he and Fallon struggled for their

lives, other people had continued to live.

“Can I get you a drink?” Kamran asked, walking over to the small bar that made up

a single corner of the room.

Taber nodded and watched as his friend poured two glasses of Hapes, giving each

a swirl as he did. The thick black liquid would burn when he swallowed it. Hopefully, it
would eat past the lump that had formed in his throat.

When Kamran pressed the glass into his hand, Taber stared down at the drink. He

waited until Kamran sat down at the table, before taking a sip. It was only after the
drink burned a path down his throat that Taber had the strength to look directly at his
friend.

“How are you feeling? Sara told Haylie you were recovering nicely.”
Taber nodded once. “With Davin’s help. I am still sore from where Tony kicked me,

but I will recover.”

“I am pleased to hear that. Things wouldn’t be the same if something were to

happen to you.”

Taber turned the glass in his hand to the side before he brought it to his lips. The

Hapes gave him the burn that he wanted, but it did little to boost his courage. Not
knowing what else to do, he walked slowly over to the second chair and placed his
hand on the back of it.

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Slowly, he pulled it back, making enough room for his large body, and sat down. It

felt odd to sit. He rarely did, even when he was alone, preferring to lie down if rest was
necessary. Taber stared at his glass, leaning his arms against the table as he watched the
liquid spin slowly around.

When he finally had the nerve to look at Kamran, Taber wasn’t sure of the emotion

on his friend’s face. Kamran quickly locked whatever it was safely behind his
ambassador’s mask and held up his glass.

“Che tel mi parmera.”
With a shaky hand, Taber raised his glass as well. “Che tel me somisa.”
After they both swallowed, Kamran smiled. “You give me a great honor.”
“No, it is my honor to have you as my friend.”
He paused, unsure of how to continue. When he’d been lying in med bay,

memories of Calantha mixed with images of Fallon in his head until everything was a
jumbled mess. He’d always thought he’d loved his mate. But the longer he was with
Fallon, the more he was coming to realize the emotion between them hadn’t been love.

“How long have we known each other?” Taber asked, knowing full well the

question didn’t need to be asked. Each of them knew the exact day they’d first met.

“Thirteen years. When you were first assigned as my protection on Tri Ralfa

colony.”

Taber nodded. “Do you know why I was assigned to you?”
Kamran stared at him for a moment before shaking his head. Taber couldn’t hold

Kamran’s gaze, not if he had any hope of saying what he wanted to say. Instead, he
focused on his drink once more, turning the glass around in his hand.

“My company had finally been released from combat. We’d served on the front

lines on Tri Ralfa for an entire cycle. I saw more blood and death than I would care to
recount in that time. But the last battle had been the worst.”

“The mountain siege?”
Anyone who’d ever served in the Briel Protectorate knew about the siege on Tri

Ralfa. It now served as a lesson taught to future soldiers and commanders about how
not to fight the Ecada. They’d almost lost the war during that three-day period.

Taber had almost died.
“I was with my commander when we were pinned down by an invading group of

Ecada. They were older than the rest, their mental influence stronger than any other I’d
encountered. When they combined their efforts, I wasn’t able to resist.”

“Few could have, my friend.”
Taber looked up, tears inexplicably in his eyes. “But I was weaker than I should

have been. Weaker and a risk to my comrades.”

Kamran didn’t speak, somehow knowing that if Taber was interrupted, he

wouldn’t start again. Taber swallowed hard, needing to finally share this burden.

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“My mind wasn’t whole. Splintered, allowing the Ecada to find a way inside and

use me to attack the people around me. I nearly killed my commander.”

Memories of that day were as clear to him as if they’d happened yesterday. He’d

gone mad, blasting at anything that moved. He’d taken a knife to his commander, sliced
open his side and would have taken his head off if the older, stronger man hadn’t
somehow managed to overpower him.

“Taber?” Kamran asked softly.
“My mate had died the year previous.”
The silence in the room was deafening. Unable to take it any longer, he finally

looked back at Kamran, who was now sitting back against his chair, his eyes wide and
his mouth pressed shut.

“She’d been ill. The doctors told me after she wouldn’t have lived much beyond the

end of the month. Her disease would have ended painfully, so instead of suffering, she
ended her life on her terms.”

Taber’s stomach churned thinking about Calantha. Her anger and fear had been

directed toward him, the closeness he wanted to share with her. They’d only been
mated for just over a year—she’d been sick long before they’d bonded.

“I had…” Kamran shook his head. “I’m so sorry.”
“No.” Taber pushed back from the table and stood quickly. “This is why I never

told you before. I don’t want your pity. I survived, both Cala’s death and the Ecada. I
pushed the pain away and I lived.”

Kamran cut off his escape, standing in front of him and grabbing his shoulders.
“Don’t. You came here to talk to me, tell me these things for a reason. If you leave

now before you have a chance to figure this out, you will choose the wrong path at
whatever crossroads you have reached. Please, sit.”

Taber’s heart beat hard and fast in his chest when he saw the concern in Kamran’s

eyes. It took all his strength to nod yes and resume his seat. Kamran waited until he was
comfortable before he pulled his chair over to sit closer to Taber.

“I am honored you shared this with me. I’m assuming this revelation has to do with

Fallon?”

At the mention of her name, Taber had to fight the urge to get up and walk around

the room. His restlessness had increased significantly since Sean and Davin had freed
them and he’d been taken to med bay. Fallon hadn’t been allowed to go into the room
when Sara needed to check his injuries. Thanks to Davin, he hadn’t required surgery,
but it still took Sara a while to make sure he was fine. By the time he was able to sneak
from med bay, Fallon was long gone.

A part of him was disappointed she hadn’t waited there for him. The other part

understood why she hadn’t.

Something had happened to them down in the lower levels. A tenuous connection

that he wasn’t sure was real or simply a byproduct of high adrenalin and fear. Still, he

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didn’t feel the same exactly and needed time to figure out what had happened. The fact
he’d ended up at Kamran’s only told him it was time to bring things out to the open.

“It is impossible for our people to have a second mate,” he said the words as calmly

and rationally as he could.

“A second bond mate? That is what the elders tell us.”
There was something in Kamran’s voice that made Taber sit a little straighter. “Is

there something you know?”

Kamran shook his head. “I never heard of any instances of a Briel bonding with

another after the loss of a mate. Mind you, I’d never heard of a Briel bonding with a non
Briel until the council joined Haylie and myself.”

Taber hadn’t thought about the council until Kamran had mentioned them. “Do

you think they would accept my…relationship with Fallon if they were to know?”

“Your mate died. There is nothing in our law to say you cannot take another wife.

There are many couples who are happy without a bonding. Look at Sara and Davin.
There isn’t any reason you can’t take Fallon as yours.”

“If she will have me.”
“She will, my friend.”
He wasn’t as confident. “She’d come into med bay with me, but had left shortly

thereafter. Back on the Damara, she said she wanted to get home to Earth. Living out
here with me may not be as appealing as home.”

Just the thought of Fallon walking out of his life was enough to set him on edge.

When he began to clench and unclench his fist, Kamran looked down and chuckled.

“Maybe I spoke too soon. Maybe you can bond again.”
Taber looked down and relaxed his hands. The tension began to build and he had

to fight the urge to hit something. “I can’t bond to Fallon. She’s human.”

“Who knows what happened to you. Between your previous link and the influence

of the Ecada on your mind, there may be things you are capable of and don’t yet
realize.”

He shook his head and tried to relax his body. It was most likely because of his

beating at the hands of Tony. He needed to release the pent-up aggression that had
built. Perhaps he’d take Sean up on his offer to go for a run later. The exercise would do
him good.

“I will take Fallon to my bed, since you don’t want her.”
Taber had his hands around Kamran’s throat and slammed him up against the wall

before he was able to say another word. He was about to pull back and punch him,
when Kamran began to chuckle. Taber yanked his hands away, shocked that he reacted
at all to the words, let alone so violently.

“I think you’ve just proven my case for me.”

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After a few coughs, Kamran got a distant look in his eyes as Haylie reached out to

him. Taber had grown to recognize the look over the past two years.

“My friend,” Kamran said. “I believe you need to report to the east shuttle bay.”
“Why?”
“Fallon is standing there debating about leaving. Haylie is speaking with her now.”
A moment of panic and fear froze him to the spot. All he could do was stare at his

best friend dumbfounded. Kamran put a hand on his shoulder and looked him in the
eye.

“Your mate is trying to leave. Go get her.”
The tiny shove Kamran gave him was all he needed. Taber bolted from the room

without a backward glance and ran as fast as he could through the bazaar to the tube
and down to the east shuttle bay.

People stared at him as he went, but he ignored the confused looks and shouts of

concern. All he could think of was Fallon leaving.

Stay.
He kept chanting that one word over and over in his mind, praying it would work.
Please, Fallon, stay.

* * * * *

Fallon stood staring at the long-range ship that was dropping off supplies and soon

would be heading back to Earth. These ships were few and far between. Who knew
when she’d have a chance like this again any time soon?

Zane had agreed to end her commitment with the Damara, though he’d fought her

tooth and nail to try and convince her to stay.

“I don’t think I can go back there,” she’d said to him. “Despite the fact Tony had

been the killer, everyone will see me as the reason for two senseless deaths. People
won’t want that reminder.”

“Where are you going to go?” He hugged her after realizing her mind had been

made up.

“Home. There’s a ship leaving soon.”
That conversation had been over an hour ago. She’d been standing in the shuttle

bay for the past ten minutes, staring.

What the hell am I going to do?
“Fallon?”
She turned at the sound of Haylie’s voice and gave her a small smile. “Hi there.”
Haylie jogged over to her. Her chestnut brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail

and she was dripping in sweat. Fallon had to admire her for not letting a little thing like
childbirth stop her from doing what she wanted.

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“I didn’t know you ran down here.”
“Well, I’m not supposed to be. Sara will have a fit if she sees me, which is why I’m

running on the lower levels rather than my normal route.” Haylie’s gaze dropped down
to the small bag by Fallon’s feet. “Tell me you’re not leaving?”

Looking back at the shuttle, Fallon shrugged. “I can’t go back to the Damara.

Captain Zane has allowed me to end my contract. This is the next ship to Earth.”

Haylie reached out and gave Fallon’s arm a squeeze. “I figured with everything that

happened, you might consider staying here with us.”

The pain she’d been trying desperately to ignore threatened to poke through her

defenses. Fallon took a deep breath and smiled, not really caring if it looked fake or not.

“I was thinking about it, but things didn’t work.”
“What the hell did he do? Cause I can kick his ass for you if you’d like. You have to

do that to these stupid Briel on occasion.”

Fallon let out a surprised laugh, and quickly covered her mouth when two of the

engineering crew turned to look at them. Haylie took a step closer and lowered her
voice.

“Look, Taber is a good man. When I first met him, I thought he was an emotionless

soldier who only did his duty. God, there was a time I didn’t trust him as far as I could
throw him.”

Even though she knew the answer, Fallon had to ask. “And now?”
“I’d give my life if it meant saving him. And I know he’d do the same for me. Since

I’ve bonded with Kamran, I have a whole new perspective on Taber.”

Fallon nodded. She knew he’d do anything to protect her—he’d proven that over

and over recently. But she couldn’t stay just for a sense of security—hell, she couldn’t
stay for the mind-blowing sex. She needed more than that. She wanted a man who
could be her partner and share his life with her.

“I told him I loved him,” Fallon said softly, keeping her gaze fixed on the floor.
Haylie squeezed her arm a bit tighter. “What did he say?”
A single tear slipped down her cheek and Fallon quickly brushed it away. “He

didn’t say anything.”

“But I thought he told you he loved you before? Mi tramsi, shalla, remember?”
He had said those words to her, and at the time she had no doubt that he’d meant

them. Fallon looked up at Haylie and smiled.

“Yes, but he knew I wouldn’t understand them. And it was just after we’d made

love. I’ve had guys tell me that in the past and not mean it.”

Haylie was about to say something else when her eyes went wide and she suddenly

gasped. It was Fallon’s turn to grab her.

“Are you okay?”

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Wide eyed, Haylie looked at Fallon and swallowed hard before first nodding, then

shaking her head. “Sorry. Kamran was just startled by something. It hit him really hard.
I’ll be fine in a second.”

Fallon waited while Haylie tried to catch her bearings again. She couldn’t help but

remember the feelings she’d had when Tony was beating Taber senseless. She’d
somehow felt more connected to him in those moments than ever before. That was why
his rejection of her love hurt so much. She could only imagine what it would be like to
be linked so securely to another. After a few minutes, Haylie seemed to get control of
her emotions.

“Sorry. I’m sorry,” Haylie said a little breathlessly.
“Don’t worry about it. I just hope your husband is okay.”
“He’ll be fine. But I think we’re going to have a long conversation as soon as I get

back to our home just to make sure.”

Fallon smiled. “It’s great to know that someone at least is happy.”
She turned back to face the shuttle. It wouldn’t be long before they would have the

supplies loaded for the return trip and they’d be ready to board. Maybe another twenty
minutes.

“I’m sorry to see you leave. I hope that doesn’t happen,” Haylie said softly. “I need

to go check on my husband and daughter. You take care of yourself.”

“Thank you. For everything you’ve all done for me. Please give my best to Sara.”
With a final hug, Haylie walked off toward the tube, while Fallon resumed her

wait.

If she was completely honest with herself, her leaving wasn’t all about Taber. She’d

clung to her dreams for so long, they’d become some sort of idealized view of what her
life could be like. Sitting in med bay, waiting to hear if Taber would be okay or not, her
mind had raced through the possibilities of what it would mean if she were to stay on
Eurus. Was she ready to give up everything and stay with a man who may or may not
love her?

The minutes dragged on, each one playing havoc on her internal stability. It wasn’t

until one of the engineering crew sauntered over to her that her heart began to pound.
He’s not coming for me.

“Hi there. You looking for passage back to Earth?”
“Yes, please.” Her stomach did a flip as the words left her.
“Do you have clearance from Eurus administration for departure?”
“Yes, I—”
“No, she doesn’t.”
Fallon spun around to see a deeply frowning Taber marching toward her. Her heart

began to pound and her hands suddenly grew damp with each step that brought him
closer to her. The crewman quickly scurried away when Taber looked at the smaller
man and growled.

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“What are you doing?” she asked, more than a little breathless.
“I was about to ask you the same thing.” His dark blue eyes flashed with a mixture

of annoyance and something she could have sworn was lust.

Unable to look him in the eye, Fallon dropped her gaze to the floor. “I don’t think

it’s really any of your concern.”

“You were going to leave and not even say good-bye to me.”
She heard the hurt in his voice and felt guilty. She’d never intended on making

things worse—just saving her own fragile heart.

“You were in med bay. I thought it was best if I just…left.”
Taber lifted her chin with his hand, forcing her to look him in the eyes. When he

took a step closer, the air left her lungs on a sigh. He was so big, imposing, that she’d
always been a bit overwhelmed being close to him. But she also felt safe and secure—
and something that felt like an awful lot like being loved.

“It wouldn’t be for the best if you were to go,” he said in a low grumbling voice. He

ran his thumb along her bottom lip, sending a shiver through her.

Fallon sucked in a deep breath, inhaling his scent. “Why? I didn’t think I mattered

to you.”

He stiffened, his eyes clouding over, but he didn’t look away.
“Mi tramsi, shalla.”
Fallon’s stomach flipped and her eyes widened. Even though she knew what the

words meant, she wanted, needed him to tell her.

“What does—?” Her voice broke and tears filled her eyes.
Taber bent his head down and brushed the tip of his nose against hers, keeping his

eyes locked on her.

“I love you.”
He said the words simply, without dramatic flare, but full of meaning. Before her

mind had time to analyze things too much, Taber bent down and pressed a gentle kiss
across her lips.

Shock hit her like a lightning bolt. He was kissing her—in public. There wasn’t any

secrecy, the need to mislead people to think there was nothing between them. Taber
was claiming her as his and he didn’t care who knew.

The moment her mind fully realized the meaning behind his kiss, Fallon’s body

relaxed against his, pressing every inch she could against him. She could feel his cock
growing against her stomach, telling her all she needed to know about his feelings. He
loved her and wanted her—now.

And that was what she wanted too.
Driving her fingers into his hair, she pulled him closer, deepening the contact of

their kiss. Everything else around them faded and all she could see and hear was the
shallow gasps of their breathing and a deep purr coming from Taber. Her body

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responded to his silent commands, her pussy growing damp and her nipples
tightening. When he ground his hips against hers, Fallon just about came on the spot.
Taber pulled his head back with growl, gasping.

Fallon’s eyes were drawn to the crowd of onlookers and she immediately blushed.

Several of the men were grinning at them while others had a look of surprise that
quickly morphed into smiles and laughter.

“Shit,” she muttered.
Taber took her by the hand and led her closer to the group. Her face was flaming

now and she tried to hide her face with her free hand.

“What are you doing?” she said with a giggle.
“Listen, everyone,” Taber said in a voice that filled the shuttle bay. “I want you to

all know that this woman, Fallon Reist, is my mate. If another man so much as looks at
her in a manner I don’t like, you will answer to me.”

“Taber!”
“She is more important to me than the air I breathe, the food I eat or the water I

drink.”

He then turned and took both her hands in his. When he dropped to both his knees,

Fallon felt her world tilt on its side.

“I’ve been told this is the traditional manner in which your people claim their

mates. Will you stay with me here on Eurus, be my wife?”

The sudden rush of his emotions hit her, sucking the air from her lungs. More than

his words, she could feel how much she meant to him. And while she couldn’t hear his
thoughts, she knew there was a connection between them deeper than anything she’d
ever felt before.

Bending down, she placed a kiss on his forehead.
“Yes, I’ll be your wife.”
The crowd, now completely entranced with the drama unfolding in front of them,

let out a cheer, clapping and laughing their support. Fallon couldn’t stop the laugh that
bubbled from her and kissed Taber’s lips once more. A small smile softened his face and
she could see the emotion, love in his eyes.

“You honor me,” he whispered.
“Trust me, the honor is mine. You are the best man I’ve ever known.”
“It would mean a lot to me if I could also claim you in the manner that is typical of

my people.”

Fallon nodded and kissed the tip of his nose. “Of course.”
What she didn’t expect was for Taber to stand up quickly, scooping her into his

arms. She let out a squeak and locked her arms around his neck.

“If any man gets in my way, I will be forced to kill him,” he said loud enough for

most of the crowd to hear.

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People chuckled, but no one was foolish enough to test his words as he carried her

toward the lift.

“Where are we going?” she whispered in his ear.
“My quarters.”
She shivered at the dark sensuality in his tone. Fallon leaned in and licked his ear,

sucking on his lobe.

“I like how your people propose.”
“You have no idea how sweet it is. But you’re about to find out.”

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Chapter Fifteen

Taber ignored every turned head or startled expression as he carried Fallon through

the crowded bazaar toward the Briel living section of the station. When he passed two
of the elders from the council, he was forced to stop and acknowledge them.

“Commander?” one asked, her eyebrow rose in question.
“I am hetmila. My mate died many years before I came to this place. I am claiming

this woman as my own.”

The elder looked at Fallon, who simply dropped her head to his shoulder and

nestled in closer. His cock was about ready to burst at the subtle possessive motion. He
needed to get her back to his quarters—now.

“It pleases me to see you with a woman who is worthy of you. Once you

have…claimed her, you will need to present her to the council.”

Taber nodded and flexed his hands against Fallon’s leg and shoulder. The

councilwoman smiled and nodded slightly, giving him permission to leave. He didn’t
hesitate, and carried Fallon away, praying no one would interrupt him further.

“Who were they?” Fallon whispered in his ear.
His cock twitched when she kissed his earlobe, circling the ridge with her tongue.
“Members of the elder council. Our leaders.”
“I thought Kamran was your leader.”
“He reports to the council. Females lead our people in all matters of importance.”
“I think I like how your race runs things.”
“You’ll like how we do things better once you learn more of my culture.”
“Like what?”
“Like how hard I’m going to fuck you once I get you to my quarters.”
Fallon moaned and buried her face against his shoulder. Her lips brushed against

his neck, her tongue tasting his skin. By the goddess, he was going to burst.

He turned to go down the corridor and ran into Sean. The human looked at them

and smiled.

“I take it things aren’t a secret any longer.”
Taber leveled a glare at the human. “No.”
“I suppose you want me out of your way?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t let this brute make you do anything you don’t want to, Fallon.”
She giggled. “I doubt he could.”

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Taber was about to walk past Sean when Fallon reached out and grabbed his

shoulder. “Thank you for everything, Sean. I hope you find someone for yourself.”

Sean looked surprised but quickly masked the emotion. “Have fun, you two.”
Without further delay, Taber carried Fallon to his quarters. The room was dark

when he entered, the air cool, the way he like it. He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t brought
her here before now, but he was glad he finally had. With the utmost care, he set her on
the floor and took a step back.

“Welcome to my home. What little I have is yours,” he said and bowed to her, arms

outstretched.

Fallon’s lips pressed against his bent head and he looked up at her. She smiled,

caressing his cheek.

“Thank you,” she whispered.
For some strange reason, Taber grew nervous as Fallon began to walk around,

running her fingertips across the top of each of his belongings. He really had very little
in the way of personal effects, but each one meant something special. First, she picked
up a long wooden walking stick he’d brought with him from home.

“That was a present from my father the day I reached maturity. I take it with me

when I can.”

“It’s beautiful.” She ran her hand down along the shaft and Taber had to fight back

image of what her hands would soon be doing to his cock.

Fallon set the stick back in its spot and resumed her exploration. With every item

she paused at, he gave her the history on it, why it was important to him.

“That was my mother’s favorite handkerchief. Father sent it to me upon her death

several years ago.”

She looked at his with wide eyes, nodding knowingly. “I’m very sorry. My dad

died when I was very little. My uncle practically raised me in his bar.

“He must be very proud of you.”
“He just likes to brag that his niece works in outer space. It gives him some great

stories to tell his patrons. That and the fact I mix a lot of his house specialty drinks on
the Damara.”

When she picked up the long, blue-gray settan ribbon and rubbed the soft material

over her lips, Taber shivered.

“I bought that on Damara.”
She looked at him, a puzzled expression on her face. He walked beside her,

pressing his chest against her side, lowering his face close to her temple.

“It reminded me of the color of your eyes,” he whispered. When she gasped and

tried to move away, he caught her by the hand. Sliding the ribbon from her fingers, he
took it and tied it around her wrist. “It’s not as nice as your gift to me, but I want you to
have it.”

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Fallon ran her fingers over the ribbon and smiled. “I’ll always wear it.”
She then reached over and touched the stone that now hung around his neck. The

metal chain was warm, as was the stone, feeling more a part of him than ever before.

With her still touching him, Taber reached up and pulled the tie that held Fallon’s

hair back in a ponytail. “I thought I said to wear your hair down when we were alone.”

She sucked in a little breath but kept her eyes locked on his. She didn’t move when

he ran his fingers through the long strands of her hair, the softness in contrast with the
rough calluses on his palms.

“Your hair is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. Like a sunset back on

Briel during the summer.”

“I hated it when I was a kid. No one else had that color and I’d get teased

sometimes. I even tried to dye it. But had I known back then that it was one of the
things you’d like the most, I would never have gotten upset.”

He couldn’t help but think of her back then, a tiny little girl, surely with a stubborn

independent streak, who wished for different genetics. Taber watched as Fallon parted
her lips, about to say something. The temptation to kiss her was more than he could
resist. Bending down, he kissed her firmly, pushing forward until her lips parted in
surrender.

When her tongue entered his mouth, Taber’s body shot into hyperdrive, humming

with the pleasure her touch gave him. His cock grew rock hard, painfully so, until he
was forced to do something about it. Stepping against her, he slid his hand down her
back until it came to rest on her ass. He pressed her hard against him and let out a soft
growl, needing her to know how much she affected him. Fallon gasped but clung to
him even harder.

When she broke their kiss, her breath was coming out in gasps as she looked up at

him, desire coloring her eyes.

“Please, can I go down on you?” she whispered. “I want to taste you.”
Taber forgot to breathe, simply nodding his approval and waiting as Fallon

dropped to her knees in front of him. Her long fingers worked quickly on the opening
of his pants, freeing his shaft in no time. He couldn’t tear his eyes away as she opened
her mouth and greedily sucked the tip of his cock.

A warm tingle started at the base of his spine and slowly made its way through his

body. Fallon slowly swirled her tongue around the tip of his cock before running her
tongue down the length of him till she reached his balls. When she sucked one into her
mouth, he couldn’t stop the groan that escaped from him.

“By the goddess, you’re amazing,” he said and groaned as he buried his fingers into

her hair.

Fallon purred, the vibrations tickling his balls, almost pushing him to the edge of

his control. If she didn’t stop soon, he wouldn’t be able to stop his release. And he had
no intention of coming until his cock was buried deep inside her.

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“Enough. On the bed.”
Fallon didn’t hesitate, placing one final kiss on his tip before standing up and

walking over to his bed. She stood at the base of his bed and smiled as she stared at it.

“Damn, I’ve never seen a bed this big before.”
“I plan on showing every inch of it to you tonight. Perhaps longer.”
“Let’s hope Kamran doesn’t need you to solve any more crimes tonight. I’d hate to

have to share you.”

The idea of sharing Fallon with anyone sent a surge of possessive jealousy through

him. “No man will ever touch you again.”

Fallon’s eyebrows rose as she reached up and touched the side of her neck. “How

could any man compare to you?”

Taber let his gaze drift down the length of her body until he couldn’t stand it any

longer. He gripped the edge of his tunic and whipped it off over his head and sent it
sailing through the air. His pants only took a second longer to get rid of, so he was
standing gloriously naked in front of her.

“I believe you are overdressed.”
He didn’t give her a chance to move, instead wanting to slowly strip her of her

clothing. She was his and no other’s. Having the privilege of seeing her naked would
forever be a pleasure he would cherish every day from this point on.

Reaching up, he caressed her cheek before he slipped his hands under the edge of

her shirt. It was easy to slip it off her, especially since she raised her hands above her
head. When he tossed it aside, her full breasts bounced free, brushing her erect nipples
against his naked chest. He heard her suck in a breath and shiver as he wrapped his
arms around her.

“You promised to fuck me hard,” she cooed in his ear.
“One I intend to keep.”
He pushed her back against the bed, jarring a surprised giggle from her. When she

tried to scoot back away from him, he was able to catch her by the legs, preventing her
from moving.

“I believe you are still overdressed.” He tugged at her pants. “These must go.”
Fallon didn’t hesitate, and unfastened the front and deftly slipped the formfitting

pants over her hips, allowing him to tug them off. Looking down at the soft curves of
her body, Taber knew he’d been truly blessed when Fallon had walked into his life.

“Are you going to stand there and stare at me, or will I be forced to take control?”
The wrist tied with the ribbon he’d bought was beside her face. When she looked

up at him with that mischievous smile, he knew exactly what she wanted.

“Move,” he said and waited only a moment before crawling onto his bed beside

her.

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He rolled onto his back, dragging Fallon with him. Her legs fell naturally into a

straddle as his cock pressed against her pussy. He could feel how wet she was, how
much she was affected by their passion—as much as he was.

“I want you on top of me,” he said, running his tongue along the side of her neck. “I

want to suck your breasts as you ride me.”

Fallon moaned, only hesitating for a moment before pushing her body down and

impaling herself on his cock. Taber held her hips still for only a moment before allowing
her to slowly rise and fall on top of him. The scent of her desire surrounded him, filling
his lungs with each breath. Her wetness soon covered his groin, mingling with his
sweat as she increased the tempo.

When he was fairly sure she was distracted with her own pleasure, he bent his head

down and captured one of her plump nipples in his mouth. When he sucked the
sensitive nub, flicking his tongue repeatedly over it, her pussy clenched around his
shaft, squeezing him hard.

“Fuck,” she moaned, grinding her clit against him.
The motion of her hips was enough to push him over the edge into his orgasm.

Somehow he managed to hold back, determined to give as much pleasure as he was
receiving. The next time she lifted her hips, he lifted her body up and off his cock,
rolling her onto her back.

He didn’t give her any time to complain about the change of position and moved

his face between her legs. With her swollen clit glistening from her cream in front of
him, he was unable to resist the temptation. Leaning forward, he licked the length of
her pussy. Fallon gasped, her hands flying to his head and squeezing hard.

“Oh my god. Please don’t stop.”
That was the last thing he intended on doing. Instead, he latched on to her clit with

his mouth and sucked her hard as he slipped a finger deep inside her pussy. Her cream
immediately began to flow down his forearm, covering him with her scent. He began to
dive first one, then two fingers deep inside her, coaxing her orgasm closer.

With each flick of his tongue against her pussy, her hips bucked forward and her

muscles began to vibrate. Fallon’s moans filled the room and it was enough to make
him come merely from listening. He had to stop his body when he began to thrust his
cock into the mattress in an attempt to relieve the intensity of his arousal. The last thing
he wanted was to come without being inside her.

Spreading her thighs as wide as they would go, he pulled his fingers from her body

and licked the cream that had trickled down to her ass. The puckered opening flexed
against his tongue as he teased it. Fallon’s moan told him all he needed to know—she
liked it.

“Do you want me to fuck your ass?” he asked, licking the opening again.
She moaned and ran her fingers through his hair. “Oh yes. Oh please.”

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His cock nearly burst at the thought. In a single motion, he lifted his body up and

positioned his cock at the entrance of her ass. Spitting into his hand, he rubbed the
saliva over his shaft before pressing his tip forward. It easily pushed past the ring of
muscles, allowing him to fill her. He was forced to hold himself still for fear of coming
too soon. But Fallon wouldn’t allow him much reprieve. She began to buck against him,
changing his role from master to servant.

“Fuck, you’re so big.” Her eyes were squeezed shut tight as she bucked her hips.

“You promised to fuck me hard.”

“Fa hema cha di mara. You’re going to kill me.”
She opened her eyes wide and stared at him. “Never. I love you too much.”
I love you too.
The words flooded his mind as he began to pound into her the way he knew she

wanted him to. With each thrust forward, the stone thudded against his chest,
reminding him that he now belonged to someone—to his Fallon. Leaning forward, he
covered her body with his, burying his face against her neck.

Fallon’s moans soon filled the room and mixed with his own. Her ass was tight, too

much so, threatening to wrench his release sooner than he wanted. On a whim, he
withdrew from her and slammed hard into her pussy. Fallon sucked in a sharp breath
before screaming his name. Her cunt squeezed around his cock in a rippling wave,
pushing him over the edge.

“Fuck!” Taber pounded into her without hesitation, his orgasm ripping through his

body.

He must have blacked out, for the next thing he realized was Fallon was kissing his

face, which felt wet. Opening his eyes, he looked into hers and saw the concern.

“Are you okay?” she whispered touching his face.
When she pulled her fingers away, he saw that they were wet—his tears clung to

them.

Rolling to the side, he pulled her with him but did nothing to hide his emotions

from her. Goddess, how did someone go about sharing their soul with another?

“I’ve been so alone,” he managed to get out. The emotion choked him, making the

words difficult to say, but he knew he needed to. “When I thought you were going to
die, that Tony would kill you, I knew if that happened, my life would be over.”

She reached up and traced a lazy circle over his chest. “Why didn’t you say

something to me before?”

He knew she would be able to feel his heart pounding beneath his chest, but he was

long past caring. Fallon was his shallen, his beloved. He didn’t need to hide what was in
his heart any longer.

“Calantha broke my heart when she shut me out. I thought what we had together

was love. When you said the words, I thought…”

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Fallon placed a kiss on his chest and snuggled close. “I want to stay with you. Not

just because of the way you live your life but because of how much you value the
people in it. I knew from the moment you walked into my bar you were a man I could
trust.”

“And I knew you were different. A woman who would understand me.”
They were quiet for a time, simply enjoying each other’s company. When Fallon

shifted, opened her mouth and quickly closed it, he knew there was something she
wanted to ask him. Rather than reach out to her with words, he opened his mind,
hoping to find the connection he’d felt back in the corridor.

Instead of the blinding mix of thoughts and feelings he’d felt with Calantha, there

was a light tingle of emotions, something that was distinctly Fallon. Reaching out, he
stroked that passionate wall with his own thoughts and was rewarded with a warm
buzzing in his head. When she gasped, he knew she’d felt the connection too.

“Is that…?” she stared, giving her head a shake.
“It’s different from what I felt…before. But I can feel you.” Only once he gave her a

moment to adjust to that thought did he press on. “What’s bothering you?”

Fallon looked up at him and smiled, a blush coloring her cheeks. “I was going to

ask you if you had ever thought of…fuck.”

He ran his fingers through her hair and tugged her head back lightly so she relaxed

into his hand. “You can ask me anything. You can feel that, can’t you?”

“Yes,” she said with a small smile. Fallon took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “I

was wondering if you’d ever thought of having a family? I mean, not right away, but
I’ve often wanted to have children and was hoping—”

Taber was kissing her before she was able to finish her sentence. He projected

thoughts of love toward her and prayed to the goddess that she understood. Only when
his head was spinning did he pull back, leaving the two of them gasping.

“It would be my greatest honor to get you with child. I would be truly blessed.”
Fallon’s smile grew to a grin and she kissed him hard again.
“You’ll be such an amazing father. I would be the blessed one.”
“You’ll be the pregnant one. You should speak with Haylie before you agree to bear

my children. Fourteen months is a long time, from what I understand.”

“Fourteen months!”
“Change your mind?”
She gave her head a shake. “Just be warned, I’ll need lots of peanut butter and jam

sandwiches. And I’ll expect you to make them all.”

Taber kissed her forehead and smiled. “Anything for you.”
They curled up beside each other, and as Taber drifted off to sleep, he said a silent

prayer of thanks for the bond he now shared with Fallon—his beloved.

164

About the Author

It took Christine a lot longer than the average bear to figure out what she wanted to

be when she grew up. When she was home on maternity leave, she decided to take a
stab at saving her sanity and sat down to write a romance novel. After dabbling with
various sub-genres, she realized she really enjoyed creating strange new worlds and
writing about sex. Whether due to the pregnancy hormones or sleep deprivation, she
thought this was a great combination.

Many years later her kids are in school and she’s back at her day job, but the

writing bug is here to stay. When not torturing her characters, she’s busy playing with
her children or conducting “research” with her husband.

Christine welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email

address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

Tell Us What You Think

We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can email us at

[e-mail].

Also by Christine d’Abo

Chasing Phoenix
Eternal Bonds 1: The Bond That Ties Us
Eternal Bonds 2: The Bond That Heals Us
Primal Elements
Wizard’s Thief

Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning

publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC
on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you
breathless.

www.ellorascave.com