Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Jameson
“ G et there, Greer.”
Gripping her hips, I plunged into her from behind. She let out a husky cry. Damn, I loved the sounds she made when I was fucking her.
With a moan, she gripped the vanity in her bathroom, pushing back against me.
“I want to feel you come on my cock, beautiful.”
“ Jameson .” She slid a hand between her thighs.
“That’s it, touch your clit.”
“Yes. I can feel where you’re stretching me.”
I groaned, my muscles tightening. “I’m going to come soon, but you first.” I wrapped one arm under her and across her middle, holding her in place. I drove into her and then buried my face in her neck. Breathing in the scent of her, I absorbed the feeling of being joined to her.
On my next thrust, her pussy clamped down. She cried out my name and that triggered my own orgasm.
I looked up and our gazes locked in the mirror. Her lips parted and she stared back.
That connection rocked through me. She was made for me, and me for her. I pulled out of her, and gripped my cock and spurted over her ass and lower back. “Fuck, Greer. All mine.”
She looked over her shoulder, flushed and smiling. “Did you just mark me?”
“Yeah.” I leaned forward and kissed her, nibbling at her lips.
“I need to shower again now,” she murmured. “That’s not a complaint. Not after the best, hottest sex I’ve ever had.”
Warmth filled my gut. “I’m not sorry.” I pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder blade. “I’ll make us breakfast while you clean up.”
Back in her quarters, I pulled on a T-shirt and cargo pants. Reality would come storming back in soon. Right now, I didn’t want to think about damn monsters. I wanted to enjoy these last few minutes where it was just the two of us.
I moved over to the food printer, programmed it for eggs, and stilled. This wouldn’t be our last time together. We’d have hundreds of mornings together, thousands of nights, countless times where I’d slide inside her and make her cry out my name.
I was claiming Greer Baird as mine.
Rightness spread through me.
Me and Greer.
Yes, I’d have to face her parents, but there would be no messy break up because she was mine. I wanted her, not for just a few months. Forever.
I sucked in a breath. We’d never have long conversations about differential equations or thermodynamics—I shuddered at the thought—but I’d make her happy. I’d make it so she never, ever regretted being mine.
The printer dinged. The eggs were ready.
I just needed Greer to get on board with it. After we destroyed this monster.
Greer appeared, fluffing her blonde hair. She was wearing dark pants and a khaki shirt. “I’m starving.”
“I’m not surprised.” I pulled the plates out of the printer. “You burned lots of calories last night.”
She grinned. “In the best possible way.”
I kissed her, then set a plate down in front of her, along with a mug of coffee.
I’d just sat down with my own breakfast when the door chimed. I strode over and when I opened it, I found my squad mates.
“Something smells good.” Marc strolled past me. “Eggs. I need some eggs.” He made a beeline to the food printer.
Kai nodded, glanced at Greer, then smiled.
I glared at him.
North walked in. “I want eggs too.”
Zeke followed behind, his face inscrutable. He just nodded, then moved to the coffee pot.
I sighed. Alone time was over.
We crowded around Greer’s small table, but there wasn’t enough room for everyone, so North and Zeke sat on the couch.
“You two look like you slept well.” Marc grinned.
I threw some eggs at him.
“It’s about time, is all I can say,” Kai said.
“What do you mean?” Greer asked.
Marc snorted. “You’ve been pining for each other for ages.”
I frowned. “No one’s been pining.” I was starting to hate that word.
“Fine,” Marc said. “How about yearning, longing, craving…?”
“Do you want this coffee poured over your head?” I said.
Greer giggled, and I relaxed a little.
“Marc’s right,” North added. “You were both too stubborn to do anything about it.”
“Don’t you start,” I growled. “We don’t need your help.”
Greer smiled at me. “No, we don’t.”
“So what’s our plan for our monster friend?” Marc asked.
The eggs turned to dust in my mouth. I grabbed my coffee mug and drained it. “We need a new plan.”
The door chimed. When Marc opened it, Colbie appeared. “No one told me there was a party. Ooh, eggs.”
Maxim followed the pilot in, looking dark and brooding. His black hair was loose today, almost brushing his shoulders.
“Anybody else want to join us?” I muttered.
“So, the new plan?” Kai prompted.
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Based on yesterday, we need to attack the monster away from the dam wall.”
“You need more precision—” Greer interjected “—if you want to get that device inside the monster.”
Maxim nodded slowly. “We could fire it off a gun.”
“A crossbow would be better,” Greer said. “I have a good tactical one that my dad made.”
“That’s a good idea.” Maxim nodded, and you could practically see his mind ticking over. “I can modify it.”
“If we need to be away from the dam wall, you’ll need to fire it from the Talon,” Colbie said, shoveling eggs into her mouth.
I nodded. “Good idea. I’ll do it.”
“No, I’ll do it.” Greer lifted her chin. “I’m the best shot and it’s my crossbow.”
My gut rebelled. I didn’t want her anywhere near the monster. “No.”
She arched a brow. “Yes. You know it’s the best idea.”
“She makes sense, Jameson,” Colbie said quietly.
I blew out a breath. Greer and all my squad were looking at me. Dammit. My hand clenched on my coffee mug.
“Jameson,” Greer said.
“Okay,” I bit out. “But I’m in charge of this mission. You listen to me.”
She nodded.
I’d be right beside her. Every step of the way.
Kai sat back in his chair. “We need to lure the monster out where we want it.”
“Not poor Bessie again,” Marc said.
“I think our monster prefers human bait,” I said.
Marc nodded. “I’ll dangle from the rappel line under the Talon.”
“What?” Colbie said. “That’s insane .”
Marc shrugged. “Zeke and I have dangled off the Talon loads of times before. It makes sense. Besides you’re the pilot. If I get eaten, it’s on you, sparrow.”
“Don’t call me that. Maybe I’ll let the tentacle monster eat you.”
“Nah, you’d miss my handsome face and wit.”
Colbie rolled her eyes.
I didn’t love any of this, but we needed to take the monster out.
One way or another.
“Okay. Maxim will modify the crossbow, Marc is the bait, and Greer will fire the device at the monster. The rest of us will provide support.”
Maxim stood. “Greer, if I can have the crossbow, I’ll get working rigging it so it will hold the electro device.”
Greer hurried over to a cabinet.
“All right.” I met everyone’s gazes. “Hunter Squad, let’s do what we do best.”
“Kick some monster ass,” Marc said.
And stay alive while we did it.
Greer
The morning had passed in a blur of preparation. Maxim had rigged my crossbow so it would fire the electro device. I hefted it now. With the device attached to it, it was much heavier.
I’d practiced with it several times. We’d set up a target on the grass near the dam, and Maxim had given me a dummy device that was the same weight as the electro weapon.
“You’re a damn good shot,” he said.
I snorted. “I’m not just an engineer, I’m Shaw Baird’s daughter.”
“True.”
“You’re the same. You didn’t take after your dad on the art side, but what you do, inventing, it’s kind of an art.”
Maxim’s father Nico was a brilliant painter. But I was well aware he’d been a lot of other things during the invasion, along with Maxim’s soldier mother, Mackenna.
“I’m pretty handy with a knife, like dad.” Maxim smiled.
Looking back at the target, I dragged in a breath.
I had to get this right. If I failed…
He stepped closer and pressed a hand to my shoulder. “You’ve got this.”
“Right, all I have to do is aim at a giant monster from a moving quadcopter. A monster is a little different than that target.” I nodded my head.
“Hunter Squad will be with you.” He cocked a brow. “Besides, our fearless leader won’t let you get hurt.”
“I know.”
Like I’d summoned him, Jameson appeared. He was dressed in his armor, his face grim. He looked tough. My rough, passionate lover from last night was nowhere in sight.
“Ready?” he asked.
“As I’ll ever be.”
“Just think, soon, the monster will be dead.”
I swallowed. “I know.”
Maxim nodded. “Good luck. As soon as I know the device is inside the monster, I’ll detonate it with the remote. I’m going to check on the others.” He strode away.
“You’re worried,” Jameson said after he’d left.
“Of course I’m worried. That creature almost killed you and Lisa yesterday.”
He rested his hands on my shoulders.
“I don’t want to lose you, Jameson. Not when I just finally have you.”
He hauled me in for a hard kiss. I gripped his shoulders and kissed him back, filling the kiss with all my rioting emotions.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “I have armor for you to wear. I’ll be with you every step of the way. Right beside you.”
I nodded.
He led me over to an open crate, then helped me strap the armor on. I’d seen my parents’ old armor. It used to be bulkier, and theirs was covered in scratches and dings from countless fights. I was the daughter of Claudia and Shaw Baird. I could do this, just like they had, hundreds of times.
Jameson took my hand. “Ready?”
I lifted my chin. “Let’s do this.”
He held out his palm. There was a small device resting on it. “Earpiece. You’ll be in constant contact with me, the squad, and Sasha.”
I carefully slipped it into my ear and he checked it. His fingers brushed along the shell of my ear.
We walked off the dam wall toward the Talon parked on the grass. Sunlight gleamed off the gray metal. Colbie was doing her preflight checks and waved.
Kai, North, and the twins were already in their armor. God, they were something to look at. Tough and sexy as hell.
Not quite as tough and sexy as my man.
My man . I controlled my inner jolt.
“All right.” Marc smiled. “We’re ready to rock and roll and kick some monster ass.”
“You’re about to dangle from the Talon over a killer monster,” I said dryly.
He winked. “Fun, right?”
I shook my head.
“All right, Hunter Squad,” Jameson said. “Let’s move out.”
He helped me aboard the Talon. It had a large central area, with several rows of seats. There was a large turret at the back where an operator could sit.
Colbie climbed into the cockpit at the front and pulled a helmet over her head. She started humming as she swiped the control panel and flicked switches. The engines started. The others all sat in their seats, joking around.
I tried to take some calming breaths. Jameson sat across from me and squeezed my knee.
“Hold on, everyone,” Colbie called back.
The Talon lifted off and my belly swooped. Normally, I liked to fly. I looked out the window at the trees, and smiled.
Then, the dam came into view. It looked big from up here. My gaze shifted to the forest, green and vital, and the dark water, stretching all the way south. I straightened in my seat. This project was important. People needed this water. If we wanted to grow and expand, we had to succeed in killing this monster.
We were going to do this.
“Release the bait,” Colbie said.
“Funny, little sparrow.” Marc checked his harness and where he was attached to the rappel cord.
Jameson slid the side door open.
“Be careful,” Zeke told his brother.
Marc clasped his brother’s arm. “Always.”
“No, you’re not,” Zeke said.
“More like never,” Colbie added from the cockpit.
Marc looked at me. “See what I have to put up with.” He raised his voice. “Don’t let me get eaten, sparrow.”
“We’ll see.” There was a pause from the cockpit. “Be careful.”
With a wave, Marc leaped out the open side door of the quadcopter.
I gasped. He had no fear.
Jameson stood at the edge of the door, gripping the doorframe. I moved up beside him, resting the crossbow on the seat nearby.
I looked out the door.
The dark-blue water looked like glass below. Marc dangled several meters below us and several meters above the water.
“Come on, Nessie,” Marc yelled, loud enough that we could just hear him. “This harness chafes.”
I shook my head. His carefree attitude helped calm my nerves. But mostly, it was Jameson’s steady presence beside me.
“We have contact.”
I jolted at Sasha’s steady voice in my ear.
Everybody turned serious. I felt like electricity skated through the cabin of the Talon.
“Ten o’clock,” Colbie called back.
Jameson swiveled and I followed his gaze.
I saw it. The churning ripple in the water, heading our way. My mouth went dry.
“Marc, here it comes,” Jameson said.
“I see her.”
“It might be male,” Colbie said.
“Nah, it’s definitely a she,” Marc said.
I was vaguely aware of Kai, Zeke, and North on the other side of the Talon, their carbines at the ready. I grabbed the crossbow and checked the electro weapon. It was ready. I lay on the floor of the Talon, my head and shoulders poking out of the open door. Jameson crouched beside me, looking ready to grab me if needed.
Below, the monster lunged out of the water, tentacles waving. I gasped, my heart lodging in my throat. Marc swung on his line and fired down at it. The monster screeched. Its mouth was just visible above the surface.
“I need it out of the water more,” I said, aiming the crossbow.
“Take him lower,” Jameson ordered.
Marc’s line lengthened. A tentacle swung at him, and he spun away, dodging it. Then, the creature breached the surface, reaching for our bait, its mouth open wide.
I took aim, breathed steadily.
I fired.