Love Without Boundaries (27 page)

Aran stumbled along the corridor toward his room, waving off offers of assistance. If one of them so much as touched him, his claws and teeth would come out in a violent display that could lead to death.
Unless it was a woman.
Aran inhaled deeply searching the scents in the passage way. He wouldn’t mind a female’s help to ease the strain in his pants.

He reached his room and banged his hand on the palm print and missed. Cursing under his breath, Aran steadied his aim and this time his hand aligned with the glowing black box mounted to the side of his door. The scanner ran for the necessary five seconds and the door hissed with the release and opened.

Aran’s shoulders slumped in release once he reached the safety of his quarters. He’d deal with the locking sensor later when his hands didn’t tremble. The driving need to remove his standard uniform pounded at him. He toed off his boots using the wall for balance. With hasty movement, he snatched the grey shirt and black trousers from his body, uncaring of where the clothing fell. His undergarments followed.

Aran made his way to the intergalactic communicator on the small table at the side of his bed. Calling his father was critical. Muata had never been this intense and for the first time in the twelve years since he’d come into his season as a mature male, Aran worried.

His fingers dialed the comm code for his parents’ residence. He briefly gave thought to his nudity but the thought of clothing right now was intolerable.

Kye T’Kar’s face appeared on screen with a pleased smile. His blue eyes warmed when he spotted his son then narrowed. “What’s wrong, Aran?”

Aran
swallowed,
his throat dry and raspy. “Muata, Father.”

“Ah.” His father’s posture relaxed. “Have you a female to see you through the heat or are you using the sedative?”

“A sedative when I’m finish with this call. I don’t want to risk a child yet.” Aran wanted to follow his parents’ footsteps. Love first, baby later.

Aran braced his hands on the table and leaned closer to the screen. “Is mother with you?” This wasn’t exactly a conversation he wanted to have with his mother present.

“She’s resting but I can get her if you need her. She worries with her oldest being so far from her touch.”

At that truth, he managed a half grin. Though his younger brother stayed home to live, his mother constantly pestered Aran for updates on his life. Was he eating enough, caring for himself and being safe?’

“I don’t need mother.” He cleared his throat and forced the embarrassing question out. “Did your muatas ever change before your mating?”

His father brushed back his shoulder length brown hair and opened up a second computer screen. “Change how, Aran? Tell me what you’re experiencing.”

Kye and Leezia T’Kar were scientists at heart. They’d given up their jobs in a top Argoran medical lab for a slower pace by studying the native plant life on their world and means of expediting the growth of greenery for a viable food source but their minds, like the cat creatures on Argora they resembled, held insatiable curiosity.

“My heat came sooner than it should have this time. The pain is…”
Intolerable
.
“
greater
. My urge to hunt down a female is causing me discomfort.”
Severe cramping
.

“And this has never happened before? Be sure, Aran.”

“No, father.
Never.”
He wouldn’t exactly forget the ripping sensation in his guts or the fever roaring through his blood.

Kye squinted. “You suspect something.
Tantra?”

Tantra.
Aran hadn’t wanted to consider it but he had too many signs. “Yes.”

Tantra caused adult males to sicken and die if they didn’t find their mates by a certain time but because of the few reported cases the age varied on when the disorder could start. Aran feared he might be one of the few to experience it this early on in his life.

Keys clicked in the background and he knew his father used the second screen to review what little information there was on the deadly illness.

“Was your last muata normal?”

“Yes.” Aran had sequestered himself in his room, injected himself with the powerful sedative kept on the Zanian for him during his mating cycle and awakened three days later back in control of his sexual desires.

This time, he could feel the difference. Not just the pain but the sexual need coursing through him was more intense and although a fever wasn’t unusual, his urge to attack any and everyone was.

His father cursed and when he turned his gaze back toward Aran, his blue eyes darkened. “You need to get to Argora. Our Medics can run a scan to see if there are any anomalies in your blood work.”

Aran snorted and ran a hand down his face. “We’re at least two weeks out. The ship is due to stop on Urala to participate in a training exercise then proceed to Argora for a routine maintenance repair. I can’t get there before then.”

Kye’s low growl put Aran on edge. The aggressive sound triggered the alpha male within and his claws popped out on the fingers of his right hand.

“As soon as the three days are up and you can comfortably be around the crew again I want you in medical to have the ship’s medic run a complete blood work up.”

It was the only option. Until he returned home, Aran would pray he didn’t suffer the virus that led to a male’s death.

“Yes, father.”

“In the mean time,” Kye continued. “It’s best we keep this from your mother until we have further details.”

Aran’s mouth tipped up. The skin of his face pulled tight from the gesture. His mother would commandeer a ship to reach her first born.
“Agreed.
I will message you the results as soon as possible.”

Kye leaned forward and pressed his hand on the monitor. “Take care, son.”

Aran mirrored the gesture that usually brought peace to his heart at being separated from his family for such long periods of time. Instead it reinforced his separation.
“Take care, father.”

The screen went blank and the transmission ended.

One more call needed to be made and he’d be officially off duty. The comm dinged and Dar’s concerned face appeared on the screen.
“Yes, Chief?”

“I’m handing over security to your command,” Aran choked out the words.

“We’re already out of orbit, sir. You’re relieved,
Chief
.”

He could only nod in response.

Dar broke protocol and spoke to the years of friendship between them. “See you in three days, Aran. No need to worry, I’ll handle everything.”

His second was the best because Aran trained him to be the best. This wasn’t their first muata together so he had no trouble trusting the younger man. “Thank you, Dar.”

His fist hit the button to end the transmission. The pungent aroma of his sweat dampened skin agitated his heightened senses.

Aran decided the first order of business called for the use of his shower before the injection. He just had to check to confirm that he had a prepared dosage first. The meds created a heavy slumber that was hard to break but it would keep the crew safe in case Aran lost control and left his quarters in search of a female. He reached beneath the table that served as a desk for his communicator unit and storage for his more personal belongings in the shelving underneath.

Lifting the heavy silver case, he flicked the locks and willed his claws to retract. With a minor twinge he managed the feat and opened the box to reveal the long single pronged injector. Bluish liquid swirled inside as Aran held it up to the light to make sure it was a full dose.

A burst of heat exploded in his loins, sending him crashing to his knees. The injector fell from his grip to roll on the floor. Pain lanced through his middle in driving waves as his back arched and his fangs punched through his gums.

Aran rocked back and forth in an effort to push back the pain. Low growls erupted from his chest as his claws broke through and retracted again drawing blood from his fingertips.

Then all at once, it stopped. Aran gasped and fell forward too weak to catch his weight as his face hit the floor. His erection pulsed and throbbed in need. Each minute movement sent desire surging through him.

He had to get to the shower quick. Once he washed the scent of the ship from his skin and cooled his heated flesh, Aran would use the injector. He hated awakening in his own stink smelling of unsatisfied male after three days alone.

Aran pushed to his feet and wobbled to the cleaning unit in the corner of his room. Not much longer. He just had to hold on another few minutes and he could succumb to blessed sleep and relief.

***

Ellie didn’t allow herself to relax as she crept along the narrow hall. Red carpet muffled her footsteps and aided in her attempt to remain undiscovered. She hadn’t passed any of the crew on this level of the ship. Silver and blue plaques mounted on the sleek silver walls labeled the various sections of the ship as she traversed from one corridor to another. If the directions on the lift were correct, this floor contained sleeping rooms for the crew members.

Ellie’s stomach churned at the thought of failing. She hoped to find a vacant unit or storage area and hide away until the ship reached wherever it headed. At that point she’d get off and make her way to the nearest neutral planet to think of her next course of action.

A neutral planet wouldn’t be required to turn her over to security or Palo. Ellie would be safe temporarily while she devised a plan to expose her step father for his wrong doing and find justice for her mother.

So far, luck abandoned her. Ellie sucked in her teeth at the fourth locked door. Her fist banged uselessly on the wall. She just needed one break. One unlocked door wasn’t too much to ask.

Voices carried from around the bend in the hall. Her heart raced. If any of the crew discovered her, Ellie would be turned over immediately to the authorities. Frantic, she pressed on the next two door panels in rapid succession. The voices closed in. Soon, they’d have a direct line of sight of her standing there like a child caught in the snack jar.

She half-ran, half-jogged a few doors ahead. Her gaze snagged on a door panel glowing green.
Green?
The others she’d tried had been red. Praying she wasn’t about to risk her life and spend time in a prison cell, Ellie placed her palm on the square and the door opened with a hiss. A knot swelled in her throat as overwhelming relief had her staggering into the room. The door closed behind her. Ellie touched the small switch inside and heard the snick of the lock engaging.

Her back hit the wall with a thump, ears straining as the voices in the hall rose. Laughter joined the muffled conversation then faded as the danger of discovery passed. A shaky laugh escaped as Ellie straightened.

Her relief was short lived. Running water in the rooms’ shower shut off. Ellie had no time to hide as a beautiful man with long flowing brown hair exited.
A completely naked man.
Water ran down skin of burnished gold creating a small puddle on the carpeted floor. Muscled arms flexed beneath her stare.

Ellie licked her lips and let her gaze wander lower passed a taut stomach with ripples and stopped on the obvious sign of his arousal.

The low growl jerked her eyes up to his face. Brilliant green eyes flared then narrowed. “What are you doing in here?”

His low voice rumbled, the sound sparking a fluttery sensation in her belly.

She tried to think of a plausible reason for her presence but apparently took too long because he snatched up the towel he’d dropped and wrapped it around his waist.

“Leave.”

The rumbling sound came from deep in his chest. Taking a closer look, she realized something she should have noticed right away if not distracted by the magnificent of his body on display. He wasn’t human.
Humanoid yes, human no.
It would have been hard to miss the signs. Wide green eyes with diamond pupils gazed back at her. Thick bronze lashes tipped the half lowered lids.

“You need to leave,” he continued in that devastating voice.

“I…I”

Large hands tipped with…claws drove through his hair as he bowed his head and snarled, “You.
Must.
Leave.”

Ellie shivered, her hand reaching behind her for the door panel. She smacked the wall twice missing the lock. When she finally hit her palm to it the buzzer sounded and a metallic voice recited, “Print not recognized.”

“Fuck!” The stranger’s head snapped up as he stormed in her direction.

His lips pressed tight together as he reached her in four giant steps. Ellie pressed back along the wall, her insides quivering, only to have him lean toward her and brace his hands on the wall beside her head. Screwing her eyes closed tight against his intimidating presence, she waited to hear the door release.

Nothing.

Mouth dry, Ellie cracked her eyes open
to find him studying her. His nostrils flared.

“You smell unbelievable,” he murmured and buried his face in her neck.