First (Intergalactic Warriors #1)

Chapter 1

HE’D FOUND HIS MATE.

That meant life should be perfect and in most ways it was, Jo’Nay conceded. He leaned his forearm against the view screen and stared down at the planet the natives called Earth. How odd that he happened upon this planet… and happened upon Winn, amate who never failed to staggerhim.

Her beauty stole his breath while her kindness and compassion threatened to bring him to his knees. The serendipity of their meeting ensured the Gods had a hand in their lives, did it not? How else to explainit?

And when she touched him? He shuddered. His cock twitched at the thought alone. Skin so soft, it glided over him with gentle, flowing strokes. Ahungry mouth he couldn’t stop kissing. Afragrant, delicious pussy he wanted to taste over and over. Best of all, when he took her, he found sheer perfection. More than sheer perfection.

Did she also experience something so idyllic? She claimed so and he did everything in his power to make itso.

A soft hand captured his, squeezing with clear affection. “What’s wrong, Jo’Nay?” Winn peered up at him. “Are you worrying about the other Intergalactic Warriors in your unit?”

“They are on my mind,” he conceded. “Along with other matters.”

“Such as?”

He turned to her, pulled her close. Need she ask? Could she not sense his hunger? Taste it in his kisses? Feel it in his touch?

“My one and only. Ishudder to think how close we came to missing each other. How lucky we were that I was near enough to hear your cry for help. How we would both be with our creators if we had not met one another. Loved one another. Joined our hearts and bodies.”

“You think it was the will of our creators that a deer wandered into the middle of the road just as I came around that curve?” The lightest teasing note danced through her question. “That I crashed my car so close to the cabin you were living in?”

“Affirmative.”

She blinked in surprise. “Really?”

“Really. All that followed would not have occurred otherwise. Iwould not have discovered you were soon to die from cancer.”

She burrowed against him. “And used your med disc to cure me,” she quickly added.

Jo’Nay shrugged. “It was a simple repair. Otherwise my onboard facilities would not have been sufficient.” He ran his fingers through her striped hair, the browns and golds competing with strands of white that had appeared when he had impregnated her. “Then there were the amazing apple fruits.”

She peeked up at him, pressing a hungry kiss to his bare chest. “I’m still pissed at your government for altering your DNA. Thank God the apples reversed everything they did to you.”

His mouth flattened. He couldn’t help but wonder if the apples had effected a permanent change. Or if the apples were but a temporary measure. “Let us hope it lasts.”

“Rory said it will.”

He grimaced. “My computer has been insufferable ever since you named it.”

“She is thrilled to have a name.”

“Regardless, it does not know everything.”

Winn’s brows drew together. “Have you felt any heat flashes? Any of the symptoms that indicate you could be in your final days?”

“None,” he confessed.

“Have you continued to eat apples and apple seeds?”

“I have not.”

She drew a swift, nervous breath. “Why?”

Was it not obvious? “I wish to see what will happen.”

“Jo’Nay—”

He lifted her face to his and gave her a lingering kiss. Then, unable to resist, gave her another. “Be at ease, mate. Imust determine whether the apples and their seeds are a temporary measure or permanent.”

“We also don’t know how many are required for a permanent change. You ate quite a few.”

“Affirmative.” He tucked a long lock of hair behind her ear, wanting to touch her. Needing to touch her. To stay in constant contact with her. “I must establish as many facts as possible before we start the search for my unit. This cure—temporary or otherwise—is not something I can easily bring to the attention of a Vettian medical unit.”

Winn caught her lower lip between her teeth. Fear drifted across her expression. The emotion darkened eyes which had once been sky-blue but since her pregnancy had acquired a hint of lavender in their depths. “Would a Vettian medical unit turn you over to the authorities on Vetta?”

Honesty compelled him to admit, “It is a possibility.” Vexx, vexx , vexx . He forced out the confession. “It is likely.”

“If they do, what will happen to us?” Her hand slid across her abdomen in a protective gesture. “To our son?”

Jo’Nay couldn’t go there, the likelihood too hideous to contemplate. He knew the law all Intergalactic Warriors lived by. Were honor-bound to adhere to. No mates. Final flights started when the warrior turned four hundred with short weeks to prepare before they were overcome with heat flashes and immolated. Their disintegration caused their ships to disintegrate, as well. Agrim darkness settled overhim.

“Jo’Nay?” Blatant fear skittered through her use of his name. “They’ll put us to death, won’t they?”

He shook his head. “I will not allow that to happen. Ihave a backup plan.”

She leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his waist again. “What plan? Tell me.”

“There have been rumors of a place,” he began reluctantly.

“What sort of place.”

“A place where my kind go.”

“Your kind. Intergalactic Warriors?” She pulled back just enough to look up at him. “Do some not die from heat flashes?”

He shook his head. “I am uncertain.” Again he hesitated. “I am not sure true Intergalactic Warriors abide in this place.”

“Are they some of the ones who washed out of the program?”

“Washed out?”

“Flunked. Failed to make it. Washed out.”

“Ah. Those who wash themselves out are put to death.” His brows pulled together. “But—”

“That’s what I’m waiting for. The big but. But…” She waved her hand through the air like a dainty little flitfur . “Go on. Give me a really good but.”

He flashed his golden canines in amusement. Gathering up her flitfur hand, he coasted a kiss across the fluttering fingers. “But there are rumors that some escape before they can be put to death.”

“Where do they go?”

He shrugged, asurprisingly human movement. “No one knows, assuming they do escape. And I have never come across any in all the worlds I have visited in my four hundred years.”

“Are you hoping to find them if we’re turned in?”

His arms tightened around her. “I will not let my government take you or our child. Iwill find a place where we can remain hidden before that happens.”

Worry creased her brow. “You’re sure when we go to look for your unit and offer them the apple seeds they won’t turn us in?”

He ran his thumb across the tiny brow crease, smoothing it out. “Assuming any remain alive, they will not report us.”

She released a gusty sigh. “There’s another but, isn’t there?”

“I am afraid so, little one,” he grudgingly confessed. “I plan to return to the last world we occupied in order to start my search for my unit. There is a possibility that other Intergalactic Warriors will be there. Our replacements.”

“And if they see you, it won’t end well?”

His mouth tightened. “It will not.”

“Has this ever happened before? Are you really the first IW to find Earth and try our apples? To discover that they reverse the DNA alterations your government did to you? Ifind that hard to believe.”

“Your planet is not within our area of control.”

“But you protect all of the nine galaxies. Aren’t we part of them?”

“You are within the nine galaxies, but outside of the worlds we protect. Should you ever be attacked, we would come to your aid. But that is the only reason for our making first contact.”

“So there are worlds outside of your purview which probably explains why any of those who failed to become IWs could remain hidden.”

He inclined his head. “Affirmative.”

She nibbled on her lip again. “Do you think your unit will want to eat the apple seeds and extend their life? Will they join with us?”

“Of this I am uncertain. Idoubt our Sixth will.”

Winn pulled back, blinking in surprise. “Wait. You use numbers to identify yourself?”

“The numbers are more to identify our role within the unit. Iam First, which means first to check things out. Sixth is our leader. He organizes everything and is the most strategic.”

“Oh, great.” Her tone didn’t match her comment. Sarcasm, perhaps? “You’re the sacrificial lamb of the group.”

His brows drew together. “What is this sacrificial lamb?”

“A lamb is considered a sweet, innocent creature. They throw the lamb out to see if there are any big, bad predators. If there are, they go for the lamb. If not, the lamb is safe.”

“Until it is sacrificed again?”

“Yes. No.” Her nose wrinkled. So adorable. “We don’t actually put lambs in danger, except maybe when we eat them. It’s an expression.”

“Humans are odd creatures,” he observed. “My sympathy is with the lamb.”

She gave a swift nod. “Yeah, mine is, too. Like I said, it’s just an expression. Not a real thing. At least, Idon’t think so. Aw, hell. Forget it, okay?”

He drew himself up and held her with a hard, purple gaze. “You think I am like your lamb?”

“Um, no?” She winced. “I just don’t get why they make you go first. What if someone attacks you?”

“I make sure this someone regrets it. And the rest of my unit would assist me on the rare occasion it is necessary.”

“Right. Of course.”

“You doubt me.” He folded his arms across this chest and glared. “It is because you saw me at my weakest. When I was only a few of your planet rotations away from my Final Flight. You have never seen me at my most powerful. Perhaps if we knew each other for longer than a few revolutions, you would not doubt me.”

“True enough.” She gave a single shoulder shrug. “It’s only been three days. That’s no time at all.”

“Long enough for you to conceive my child.” Satisfaction rippled through his comment.

“And fall in love,” she added. “I never thought it was possible to fall in love so quickly.”

He inclined his head. “Which is why I will forgive your lapse in judgement about me.”

“Thanks, Iguess.” She had the nerve to pat him as though he were a child. “The important thing is that you’re at your most powerful now, aren’t you? Eating all those apples has returned you to full strength?”

He just sighed and shook his head. “Mate, one of these days you will see what I can actually do. Then we will discuss whether or not I am a lamb.”

She offered a tentative smile. “I’m guessing not?”

“Not,” he confirmed.

He didn’t give his mate time to insult him further. Swinging her into his arms, he tossed her over his shoulder. She instantly started wriggling. Slapping a hand to her rounded backside, he easily held her in place while he crossed to his resting chamber. There, he dumped her onto his platform.

She sprawled across the mattress, her long hair surrounding her like an exotic animal’s pelt, her arms and legs spread wide. By the Gods, she was a vision. He knelt in the space between her thighs and took her mouth in a long, drugging kiss. It deepened in an instant.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him down so he sank into her, her body, her need. She was still much smaller than she should be, the cancer having decimated her, physically. The few days since her cure hadn’t given her enough time to fully fill out. Her pregnancy worried him, despite his computer, Rory, insisting Winn and the baby were in excellent condition.

“I love you, little bluffie .”

Winn laughed against his mouth. “I’m not a fairy.”

“You are my fairy.”

“You said bluffies were for children.”

“Is a lamb not a youngling?”

She snatched a long kiss. “Fair enough. We won’t talk about bluffies or lambs, at least not when we’re referring to one another.”

“I like this plan.” He eased her upward. “A better plan is to get naked.”

Heat blossomed in her glorious eyes. “I couldn’t agree more.”

It didn’t take him long to strip away her clothes. She didn’t wear much, alacy bra and panties, as she referred to them, that barely concealed anything. Unhooking the bra, he cupped her breasts and she moaned, her moan growing to a soft cry when he gently bit down on her nipples, careful not to scratch her with his sharp canines.

Next came her panties and he followed a path from her breasts, across her abdomen to her hips. There he paused only long enough to sweep her panties from her hips downward until they slipped off herlegs.

“You’re staring,” she whispered.

His gaze shifted upward. To his amusement, her cheeks were a soft blush-pink against her creamy skin. He’d commented on it the first time he’d seen the reaction, confused by what it meant. Vettians didn’t blush, though their bronze skin tone often darkened to indicate certain moods. He’d initially thought the blue around Winn’s mouth indicated fear, not realizing the cancer had deprived her of oxygen.

“I love staring at you.” He glanced down and kissed the top of her mound. “All of you.”

“I love staring at you, too,” she confessed.

“Do you know what I enjoy doing even more?”

Her blush deepened, though she grinned. “Tell me.”

“Why don’t I show you instead?”