Chapter 7
I couldn't shake the memory of Dave's massive, moss-green body pressing against Delilah's gorgeous brown curves, their clothes disheveled and torn in a way that hinted at an intense, frantic desire. Something I had never experienced with anyone else.
I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of arousal. This was wrong on so many levels. Dave was taking advantage of Delilah's naivety. She deserved better than a meaningless hookup. Instead, from what I could tell, he had dragged her off to the shower room for a second round.
And he had asked me to lick his cum off of her.
Now I was pacing anxiously as I waited for Dave to come out of her room. Finally, the door opened, and Dave strutted out with a smug grin on his face. I stepped forward to confront him.
"Dave, can we talk?" I kept my tone calm, though anger simmered just below the surface.
He raised an eyebrow. "What's up, Z?"
"Are you sure you know what you're doing? Lilah is..." I paused, searching for the right words. "She's innocent, na?ve. This could deeply hurt her."
Dave's golden eyes flashed with amusement. "Zarath, you've got her all wrong. That girl's wilder than she looks." He leaned in conspiratorially. "Trust me, she can enjoy a quick, hot fuck as much as anyone."
"That's hardly the point. She deserves more than to be used for your momentary pleasure. She was innocent!"
"Used?" Dave chuckled. "Buddy, it was mutual. Don't project your hang-ups onto her. Maybe she was a virgin, but she was into it."
I clenched my fists, struggling to maintain composure. "She was a virgin? You're being reckless with her emotions. This won't end well."
"Relax, Z. It's just sex." Dave clapped me on the shoulder. "Maybe you should try it sometime. It might loosen you up."
"I'm not a virgin. And if I were, there would be no shame in it. I don't like touching people."
He blinked. "You like touching me."
"I absolutely do not. You're the one always touching me." I couldn't let this stand. My frustration boiled over and I strode after Dave, grabbing his arm. "And you can't just dismiss Lilah's feelings like that," I hissed. "She deserves better than your callous treatment."
Dave's eyes narrowed as a low growl rumbled in his chest. In an instant, he spun around, his large frame pressing me against the cold metal wall. "You don't know a damn thing about what happened in there," he snarled, his face inches from mine as he pinned me in place, his hands on either side of my head and his wings enveloping us. "And you definitely don't like this touch, do you?"
I should have been outraged and pushed him away. But something primal stirred within me, reminiscent of the shock of arousal I had felt earlier when he had commanded me to... No. I couldn't think about that now.
"I-I'm simply concerned for her well-being," I stammered, hating how weak my voice sounded.
Dave's golden eyes bore into mine and his warm breath ghosted across my face. "And what about your well-being, Zarath? When was the last time you let go, stopped overthinking everything, and trying to save the world? When was the last time someone touched you?"
He was the last person who had touched me. He was always touching me; hugging me, tapping me with his wing, putting a hand on my shoulder and rubbing the sore muscles there. It was just the kind of person he was and I never told him to stop or that I was uncomfortable with touch.
Because the strange thing was, I didn't mind his touches.
Even now, my skin felt electrified and every nerve ending hyper-aware of Dave's proximity. My usual self-control crumbled, replaced by a haze of conflicting desires. I wanted to push him away and reassert my dominance. But another part of me, a part I hardly recognized, wanted to surrender to his strength and let him take control.
"I... that's not..." I tried to form a coherent thought, but my mind kept conjuring images of Dave's powerful body and the things he had done to Delilah. Heat coursed through me and my normally ordered thoughts dissolved into a chaotic swirl of lust and confusion.
I couldn't let the lust win. With a sudden burst of energy, I hooked my foot behind Dave's calf and used his momentary surprise to flip our positions. We tumbled to the ground, and I found myself straddling his hips, my hands pressing down on his shoulders.
Okay, my new position wasn't the best for eliminating lust.
"Is this what you wanted?" I gasped, trying to maintain composure despite the tremor in my voice.
Dave's eyes widened, then a slow, cocky grin spread across his face. "Well, well. I didn't know you had it in you, pretty boy." His hips shifted beneath me, and I felt his obvious arousal pressing against my thigh. "Though I can't say I mind the view from down here."
I swallowed hard, my own body betraying me with its response. "This isn't what you think..."
"It's not my fault my cock got hard," Dave drawled, his golden eyes dancing with mischief and desire. "You're sitting in a rather sensitive spot. And you're fucking sexy, Zarath. Just accept it."
Before I could come up with a response, Dave's powerful wings unfurled. With a forceful heave, he flipped us over, pinning me beneath his impressive weight. A growl rumbled deep in his chest as he loomed over me, his green skin glistening with sweat.
"Now this," he breathed, "is even better."
I should have fought back, should have pushed him away. But as Dave's body pressed into mine, all I could think about was how much I wanted him there. How amazing his touch felt against my skin.
Our bodies were flush against each other, the intense heat between us consuming. I could feel every defined muscle of Dave's body, and the unmistakable pressure of his cock against my own. A low moan escaped his lips, sending shivers down my spine.
"Damn it, Zarath," Dave whispered, his breath hot against my ear. "You want this too, don't you? You feel so good."
Need surged through me, and I arched upwards, grinding my hips against his. The sensation was exquisite, even through our clothing. My hands found their way to Dave's broad shoulders, fingers digging into his smooth skin.
"Dave, I—" I started, but was interrupted by the sudden sound of a door sliding open.
We both froze, locking eyes in a moment of mutual panic. Slowly, we turned our heads to see Harold standing at the end of the hall, a mischievous grin plastered across his wrinkled face.
"Well, well," the elderly man chuckled, giving us an exaggerated wink. "If you fellows are finished with your fun, the boss wants to see both of you for an all-staff meeting on the bridge. If you're not done, I can pretend I didn't find you for—" He checked his watch. "Five more minutes?"
My face burned with embarrassment. "Harold, this isn't—"
But Harold was already turning away, his laughter echoing down the corridor. "Don't keep them waiting, lovebirds!" he called over his shoulder.
Dave and I remained still for a moment. The spell between us shattered. I could feel my heart racing, desire and mortification coursing through me.
I cleared my throat, feeling embarrassed. "My people, we do not engage in same-gender relationships," I stuttered, the words feeling empty as I spoke them. "Or casual sex."
Dave's bright eyes sparked with an emotion I couldn't identify — was it hurt? Anger? — before his expression hardened. He stiffened, forcefully pushing himself off of me. Without a word, he stalked towards the bridge, his wings tightly folded against his back.
"Dave, wait!" I called, scrambling to my feet. My body still hummed with residual arousal, making it difficult to focus. I hurried after him, keeping my eyes fixed on his retreating form. "I didn't mean—"
He completely ignored me, his broad shoulders rigid and tense. As we entered the bridge, Dave purposely chose a seat as far away from me as possible. Harold, his granddaughter Hana, and her Aikkoan husbands Voa and Corvu, and three other bodyguards of various species completed the rest of our current crew.
We sat in an uncomfortable silence, waiting for Relzo and Vaelu to appear on the screen. My mind raced, replaying the intense moment we had just shared. What was happening to me? I had never been attracted to males before, but there was something about Dave's raw power and commanding presence...
The screen flickered on, thankfully interrupting my dangerous train of thought. Relzo's familiar face appeared, his expression serious. His husband, Vaelu, was seated slightly behind him. Lucky wasn't present; she was some sort of scientist and rarely joined our staff meetings.
Our bosses said a quick hello to everyone before Relzo began his brief. "Team, we have a new client. Senator Moali Krullo of Chokra has requested our services. She is advocating for the loosening of Chokreini pureblood laws, deeming them outdated and isolationist."
I stole a glance at Dave, my body warming as I thought about the interspecies relationships I had almost engaged in.
"My husband, wife, and I fully support her campaign, for obvious reasons," Relzo said, glancing at his Chokreini husband before continuing. "And we are offering our protection free of charge for now."
Vaelu leaned forward, pinning me with an intense look. "Zarath, I'm not usually one for politics, but as a fellow Chokreini, I need to know your stance on this topic."
I blushed, unable to stop myself from looking at Dave again. He was already looking at me and I held eye contact with Dave instead of my boss as I spoke. "Unless there's a scientific danger, all members of the known sentient races should have the right to choose their partners, regardless of species. Love is not something that can be decided by a government."
As I spoke, the corner of Dave's mouth quirked up, and his tight jaw relaxed just a little. I couldn't break our eye contact. He had a hold on me, and I wasn't sure how to explain it.
"Thank you," Relzo said. "Unfortunately, the senator has become a target due to her progressive views."
I could barely focus on Relzo's words. Even with Dave across the room, my skin prickled with awareness and I cursed inwardly. This mission was going to be complicated.
Harold's voice cut through the tension, his tone light and mischievous. "Is she single, by any chance? I've always had a thing for powerful women, and she is quite lovely."
I looked towards the screen where Relzo was now displaying a photo of the senator, who was an older Chokreini woman, and quite lovely. I chuckled at the old man's audacity. Leave it to Harold to lighten the mood.
Hana rolled her eyes, but an affectionate smile played on her lips. "Grandpa, I love you, but Senator Krullo is way out of your league. Besides, aren't you too old to be chasing skirts?"
"Age is just a number, my dear," Harold retorted with a wink. "And it seems like the senator's number might be close to my own. Besides, I'll have you know, I still have plenty of charm left in these old bones."
Relzo cleared his throat, a hint of amusement in his usually stoic voice. "You're right about one thing, Harold. The senator is around your age. Though I'm not sure that improves your chances. Hana may be right — she's out of your league, old man."
"Of course she’s out of my league! She's a stunner. But if you can't shoot for the moon, shoot for the stars!"
"Is that the saying?" Hana asked, pursing her lips.
"What they mean to say is, we'll keep the senator safe, sir," Corvu added. "Even if it means stopping Harold from trying to date her."
I felt a smile tugging at my lips despite the lingering tension with Dave. Harold's antics were a welcome distraction from the confusing mess of emotions swirling inside me.
Relzo's expression grew serious once more. "Now, listen carefully. You'll be operating incognito at the IUC space station for this mission. The senator has her official Chokreini government security detail, but she suspects there might be a mole in their ranks."
My heart rate quickened. A potential mole? This mission was shaping up to be more dangerous than I'd initially thought.
"That's where we come in," Relzo continued. "She wants people in the crowd that her government security doesn't know about, keeping an eye out for any extremists who might slip through."
As Relzo gave us the details of the assignment, I stole another glance at Dave. His posture was still rigid, and I wondered if he was still angry. I longed to smooth away the tension I'd caused with my thoughtless words earlier. But how could I explain feelings I didn't even understand myself?