Chapter 29
Alanna
“I’m not saying I’m not excited, I’m just saying I don’t like spicy food,” Holly was babbling as they watched the truck being loaded with their belongings. It was going to be following their car to the airport.
“I’m sure they can adjust the dishes for your personal tastes,” Alanna said calmly, trying to focus on the conversation and not on Survii.
It was an impossible battle.
Last night, after making her brain melt with three successive climaxes – like someone had offered him a medal for a job well done – Survii had kissed her goodnight then left her on her couch to try to gather back some semblance of sanity.
She wasn’t sure how well she had succeeded.
The orgasms had been so good, she had fully expected to black out. But she hadn’t. Instead, she had weird dreams. And that made her a bit uneasy.
Weird dreams were never a good sign to her. She usually didn’t dream at all. So, weird dreams could only be a bad omen.
She tried to calm herself with the reminder that they were leaving South Africa early as the flight was a long one.
The guys were overseeing the loading of their luggage to make sure nothing was taken or forgotten.
Survii at that very moment was lifting Alanna’s trunk into the back of the truck.
He had worn a cashmere sweater that turned his skin a bright cream color.
The sleeves were shoved up, revealing his muscular forearms as they moved under his skin.
The combination made him look both comfy and muscular and it was irresistible.
He set the trunk down and turned to say something to Tuvo. As he did so, his fingers slid along the side of the case. Long, elegant fingers that had done amazing things to her.
That would do amazing things to her again if only she asked.
She hadn’t been prepared for him to come on her last night, but she wasn’t mad about it.
She had said no to sex, he needed to leave it somewhere, and she had wanted to feel it.
But then something had possessed her, and she found herself pushing it inside her pussy. It had been hard to resist doing more.
She wanted to taste it. To suck it straight from the source. She really had intended to return the favor – the gift – last night, but when he had finally finished with her, she hadn’t been capable of lifting her head, much less giving a blowjob.
Later, she promised herself. There was a hotel waiting for them in India and she was determined to show him that she was just as dedicated to his pleasure as he was to hers.
She was really interested in hearing more about his toys. He said it like there was more than just the two he had described. She wanted to know what he had. What they could do. Alien sex toys sounded like the best thing ever.
His head turned and suddenly caught her gaze, stealing the breath from her lungs. He smirked that little uneven grin that he got when he was feeling victorious. It made her belly twist up in knots as her pussy clenched hungrily.
“Alanna? You okay?” Holly asked, dragging her attention back onto her. “You’re making a weird face. You got indigestion or something?”
Alanna laughed. “No. That’s not it. I’m fine. Sorry, you were saying about Indian food?”
Holly shook her head with a grin. “I’m boring you.”
“No, I’m interested. Keep going.” She had no idea what Holly had even said after the spicy food comment, but she wasn’t trying to make her friend feel bad.
And it wasn’t her fault that the meaningless chatter to pass time wasn’t as fascinating as memories of the various places Survii had put his fingers last night.
She really did not think she was into butt stuff. That was a weird one to be proven wrong about. And a weird one to want to explore further.
Maybe with the toys…
She definitely wasn’t paying attention to Holly anymore. Her friend didn’t seem to mind and had turned to strike up a conversation with Hattie instead. The chef was eagerly looking forward to the Indian food – spicy or not – so it was going better than the attempt with with Alanna.
Alanna felt like a bad friend. She’d make it up to her later.
When she wasn’t drooling over the way Survii bent down to grab another trunk and presented his ass to her.
She wanted to smack it. Or bite it. The flicking tail only made it better.
She wondered if he’d like it if she pulled on it. Or sucked on it.
He stood and sent her a grin over his shoulder. Like he already knew she was looking. Like he had done it on purpose.
Oh, she was definitely smacking that ass later.
She grinned as he helped load the last trunk.
A distant grumbling made her frown and turn.
The others were all busy chatting, the guys were closing up the truck. Their security team was focused on the crowd that had gathered outside the hotel. No one was trying to force their way closer, but they were taking photos and videos.
Kind of weird that there were no protestors here. Or at any of the hotels. They must have been kept back so the aliens couldn’t see them.
The rumbling was getting louder. It was accompanied by something else. Loud. High pitched.
Were those screams?
The males all suddenly tensed at the same time and turned.
Alanna followed their gaze.
“Get inside!” Tuvo roared, running around the truck.
The screams were louder now. The crowd was surging. Moving. Making way for the large black trucks that were barreling towards them. The beds filled with men in black masks holding alarmingly big guns.
Speeding right towards them.
Alanna was stunned into stillness. It didn’t seem real. That wasn’t happening. People weren’t being hit and hurt. Their security team weren’t drawing small guns in return and shooting. Only to be gunned down in turn by the much bigger guns held by the vigilantes.
This wasn’t happening.
Something grabbing her around the middle.
She went fully limp as she was tossed over someone’s shoulder.
She knew that ass that was flexing right under her nose.
Survii had grabbed her and was running her back into the hotel.
When she lifted her head, she saw that she was the only one that had frozen. The other girls had actually run ahead.
The guys were taking the rear, putting their backs to the gunmen. Bullets had shattered the windows. Their feet crunched on the glass as they ran through the hotel lobby.
Tuvo was speaking into the comm in his fist, “Send the shuttle to this location! We’re heading to the roof! Send it now!”
“The stairs!” Atem pointed to the door as he grabbed Peony and threw her over his shoulder the same way Alanna was being carried.
“Do you know how many stories this hotel has?” Hattie said, coming up short, face pale. “I-I can’t climb that many stairs! I can’t-Ah!”
Tuvo scooped her up in his arms, clutching her to his chest, before she could say anything else. Around him, the other guys were doing the same. Romival and Havali carrying Holly and Scarlet bridal style to avoid putting pressure on their bellies.
Survii got to the door and jerked it open, holding it so the others could run straight up the stairs without hesitation.
The short delay allowed Alanna to watch as the first of the black trucks rammed right through the shattered glass doors. It came to a screeching halt on the shiny marble, its butt swinging around, allowing the men standing in the back the chance to jump out.
They raised their guns-
-just as Survii disappeared into the stairwell, slamming the door shut behind them.
He bounded up the steps, taking them two at a time.
Following closely behind the others. They clung tight to the walls.
She didn’t know why until she heard the door below burst open and the deafening crack of gunshots filling the narrow space.
The emergency stairs were completely open down the middle but clinging to the walls meant the bullets didn’t hit them.
Didn’t stop the girls from crying out and covering their heads though.
Alanna probably should have done the same. But she was still numb. Still in shock. Still not believing that this was really happening.
Three flights of stairs, five, ten… How many stories was this hotel?
Survii’s breathing had deepened, but it wasn’t panting or rushed. The domini were a climbing species, and the males could ascend stairs easily – even burdened as they were with the other women.
But Alanna could hear their pursuers still shooting, still calling up after them. Chasing. They had no burdens and they had clearly prepared for this.
Oh, fuck, they had prepared for this. This was a hit job. A deliberate attempt to kill them.
A shiver of fear went down her spine.
The shuttle was coming. They were going to be all right. The shuttle would protect them.
She heard, from above, the bang of a metal door being opened and, a few seconds later, Survii was running out into the sunlight.
The roof of the hotel was plain, spartan, utilitarian concrete. A few AC units hummed happily; some pipes of unknown function were laid around the area. Bird poop, cigarette butts, and dead leaves were scattered here and there.
But no shuttle.
Alanna’s world upended again, this time as Survii set her back on her feet. His hands were all over her. Checking her over. His eyes worried.
“You okay?” He asked, cupping her face in his hands. “You hurt?”
She shook her head.
He let out a low breath and kissed her forehead before turning.
The other guys had set down their burdens as well. Peony grabbed Alanna’s arm and jerked her close, the five of them gathering together for safety as the guys encircled the door. Claws out. Faces tense. Waiting.
The first gunman clearly wasn’t expecting them to be there.