Noah: Scifi Alien Invasion Romance (Hell Squad Book 6) (10 page)

“You bet,” Reed responded. “Nice flying, by the way.”

The pilot gave a wave from the cockpit. “All in a day’s work.”

Laura looked back to see Cruz digging around in the medical kit. “How is she?”

“Not good.” Chocolate-brown eyes met hers. “She’s got bad internal injuries.”

“Then give her the nanomeds,” Shaw snapped. “Quit wasting time.”

Cruz’s face tightened, but he nodded. He held up a vial of silver liquid. The nanomeds were tiny medical machines that could move through the body and fix the majority of injuries—heal swelling, cauterize bleeding, stitch things back together, knit bones. “We have to keep a really close eye on her. She’s got a lot of injuries and the nanos could go crazy.”

And kill her. Nanomeds were notorious for having to be properly monitored. But they were out of options.

Shaw stroked Claudia’s black hair off her face. She’d lost consciousness. “Do it.”

Cruz jammed the injector into Claudia’s arm. A second later, her back bowed. Laura winced in sympathy. She’d never had nanomeds, but she’d heard they could hurt, especially in large doses.

Without looking, Laura grabbed Noah’s hand. His fingers entwined with hers.

Watching Claudia fight for her life, watching the men who cared for her worry, made more ice inside Laura melt away.

Hell Squad lived life to the fullest, whether they were fighting the aliens or holding on to their loved ones with everything they had.

***

Noah slicked his wet hair back and tried to focus on the energy cubes on his desk. It was late. The lab was empty, lit only by the lamp on his desk. He’d spent hours holding vigil outside the infirmary with Hell Squad and Laura as they’d waited for news on Claudia.

By the time they’d reached the base, the soldier had been fighting for her life. A thunderstorm had been brewing outside as they’d landed. Noah had decided it matched the mood of Claudia’s squad mates.

Doc Emerson had been waiting at the landing pads for them, and had immediately whisked the injured soldier away. It had taken several hours, but the nanomeds had healed Claudia to the point where the doc was comfortable telling them she was going to make it.

Tired and worried, Hell Squad had been visibly relieved.

Marcus had slapped Shaw on the back. “Told you she was too tough to die.”

The sniper had nodded, then argued with Emerson until the doctor had allowed him in to sit with Claudia.

Everyone had headed off then, and Noah realized Laura had disappeared. She’d been very quiet after they’d arrived back, lost in her thoughts. He’d considered going to look for her, but he’d fought the urge, taken a quick shower and washed the muck of the mission away, then headed into the lab.

He’d already started implementing the ideas the raptor scientist had given them. It was looking promising. He’d made a little progress, but there was still a lot of work to do. He huffed out a breath. He was tired. He should hit his bunk and start fresh in the morning.

He nabbed a pair of dice off his shelf, running them through his fingers. Usually the familiar ritual soothed him. But tonight, it didn’t help. He knew all he’d do in his bed was toss and turn. He couldn’t concentrate on his work, he was too wired to sleep.

All he could think about was Laura.

She had to come to him now. He’d tossed the dice on the table. If she didn’t want him enough, if she was too afraid to take a chance, there wasn’t anything he could do.

He thought of her, in her armor, weapon held with competence, facing down the raptor attacking him. Sexy strength. Courage. Another image followed, of her questioning the aliens—not with brute force, but with that implacable will, and quiet patience. She was unlike anyone he’d ever known.

Fuck
. He wasn’t going to wait for her to come to him.

He flicked off the light and left the lab. The tunnels were all empty, all off-duty personnel and residents asleep—dreaming dreams of the days before or perhaps nightmares of the invasion. He shoved his hands in his pockets. Maybe a few of them were dreaming of a better future. He sure as hell hoped so.

He reached the door to Laura’s quarters. It took him a second to once again bypass the electronic lock.

The lamp beside her bed was on, but the bed was empty, the covers still pulled neatly over it. He glanced around and listened for a moment. Nothing. She wasn’t here.

He left her quarters and headed back down the tunnels. Where the hell was she? The horrid image of her sharing someone else’s bunk rocketed into his head. He thought of Kalina, and how he’d caught her with her personal trainer. Then he straightened. The past was the past, and he
knew
Laura Bladon. She was honorable to the core. She might be scared of what was between them, but she wouldn’t run off to some other guy’s bunk in protest.

Noah yanked his tablet out and pulled up the base security system, accessing the security logs. His eyes narrowed. She was outside. She’d taken the southern entrance out about ten minutes before.

Without thinking, he hurried down the tunnel and was soon stepping out of the horizontal tunnel onto the gentle slope of a hill. There were lots of trees, but ahead, there was a small grassy clearing. He saw a bright flash of lightning, followed by the angry rumble of thunder. The storm had reached them.

He’d only taken a few steps when he saw her.

She had her face lifted to the sky, watching nature’s fireworks.

She stiffened when he came within a meter of her, and he knew she sensed his presence.

“I was going to wait for you to come to your senses and come to me,” he growled against the wind. “But I couldn’t wait,
dammit
. I want you and you want me.”

She spun. “I don’t
want
to want you.” There was fury under her words that matched the storm boiling overhead.

It fired Noah’s blood. “Same goes, honey. I didn’t want an uptight woman who refuses to face the truth.”

She stepped closer, her boots bumping his. “And I didn’t want an arrogant, egotistical genius. I was happy feeling numb.” She yelled the words. Lightning flared, the crack of thunder directly on top of it. “Numb doesn’t hurt.” She thumped her hands against his chest.

He didn’t budge. He was done fighting this.

He grabbed her hands and trapped them against him. The rain started pouring down with a fury that stung against their skin. Australian thunderstorms were rarely gentle things. They were a force of nature.

Just like the emotions swirling inside him for this woman.

He pulled her in close, until his face was an inch from hers. “Stop complicating this. Stop thinking and just feel.”

He released one hand and tangled it in her hair. He yanked out the tie and let the long, red waves loose. Then he used the strands to tug her in so her mouth met his.

It had been less than a minute, but the rain had already soaked them through, and the kiss was fueled by the wildness of the storm. He devoured her and she gripped his shirt and kissed him back with the same primal rage.

They battled each other and soon she was wrapped around him, their tongues fighting, hands traveling over each other.

Another flash of lightning lit the sky, and he had the perfect image of her, head tossed back, hair stuck to her skull, passion etched deep on those strong features. The thunder roared—its disapproval or encouragement, Noah wasn’t sure.

But he was having this woman.
Mine. Only mine.

He dragged her down onto the wet ground. They attacked each other, rolling across the grass. They were soaked to the skin, and neither cared. He pulled at her clothes, felt something tear. He had to get to her. Had to claim her.

Finally, he yanked her trousers down and she lifted her hips in a lithe move to help. He left them tangled on her boots and she kicked them free. He slid a hand up a sleek, strong thigh. Damn, she was dazzling. He found soaked panties and gave them a hard yank, leaving them in tatters. It filled him with savage satisfaction. Then he was plunging a finger inside her.

She cried out, and he heard it over the storm.

“My name, damn you.” He leaned down and nipped her bottom lip. She jerked and he sank another finger inside her. She was tight. Hot and tight. She’d feel so damn good around his cock.

Her gaze drilled into his, her hips rising and falling with the thrust of his hand. “Noah. Noah, do it, damn you!”

He growled. He pulled his fingers out, enjoyed her disappointed cry. He flicked open his jeans and shoved the sodden denim down.

Then he fell on top of her. She grabbed at him, pulling him closer. It only took him a second, then he thrust into her.

She cried out, her head dropping back. It was like a beacon to him. He leaned down and bit into that slim throat. She jerked against him. Her hand slid over his wet shirt, then he felt nails digging into his ass.

“Move, damn you.” Now she reared up and kissed him. She sank her teeth into his bottom lip. Hard enough that he tasted blood. It only enflamed him.

He thrust into her. Again and again. She was making small keening sounds that egged him on. He reached down and angled her hips, saw her eyes widen. He knew his thrusts would be rubbing against her clit. He promised himself that later he’d caress that little nub, lick it, suck it, and watch her come.

But for now, he had to claim her the only way he could.

“God, you’re tight.” He dropped his head to the side of her neck. “So good, Laura.”

“Yes.” Her hands tightened on him. “Noah.”

He felt her body clamp down on his cock. Another thrust and she was coming. As her body contracted around him, he couldn’t hold on. The pleasure was blowing out his threadbare control.

Noah didn’t slip over the edge, he was catapulted. His thrusts lost any semblance of rhythm and he hammered home.

Then they were both shouting into the storm as they came.

He lay there, holding onto her for a while. There was another flash of lightning, but this time, the thunder was a distant rumble. Noah turned his head, realizing the storm had passed. The rain had become a light drizzle, kissing their tangled bodies.

Dammit
. He’d just taken her on the ground, in the rain.

He pulled back. “Did I hurt you?”

She turned her head and his breath caught. She had a radiant expression on her face, her eyes glowing.

He grinned. “I’ll take that as a no.” But still, he wanted to show her more, something else.

He wanted to take care of her.

Chapter Nine

Laura let Noah tug her up, reorder their clothes as best he could, then pull her back into the base. They were both drenched, clothes sticking to their skin, and her hair was a tangled, wet mess down her back.

Thankfully, it was really late and with the hour plus Noah’s stealth—checking at every tunnel intersection if anyone was ahead—they made it to his quarters without being seen.

“In you go.” He gave her a pat on the butt, which turned into an overlong caress.

She tossed him a look over her shoulder.

He grinned and shrugged. “It is a hell of an ass, Laura.”

He looked…younger, easier, with that smile on his face. It made her realize just how much stress he’d been carrying around lately. That furious mating outside in the storm might have been a purging of sorts for her, but maybe he’d needed it just as much.

“Come on.” He grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the bathroom.

His quarters weren’t that different from hers. Well, except for all the electronic guts of comps everywhere—wires bundled on the coffee table, a sleek comp screen on the desk pushed against the back wall, and beside it bits and pieces he was obviously working on.

He pulled her past an unmade bed and into the tiny bathroom.

His fingers made quick work of the buttons on her shirt, then he flicked open her trousers. When he knelt in front of her, her breath caught. He had that same single-minded look of focus he had when he was working on solving some electronic problem. He pulled off her boots, skimmed her trousers down, and then she was naked.

He looked up at her, his gaze traveling up her naked body. She’d never been one to stress over her looks. She was strong, had some curves in the right places, but she was never going to be a stick-thin model…and she never wanted to be. But the look on his face made her breath catch. Made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.

He shot to his feet and turned on the shower. Like most of the quarters in the base, the bathroom only had a shower, small sink and a toilet. She’d heard a few of the larger rooms had bathtubs, but she’d never been one for wallowing around in bubbles. Still the bathrooms were a little tired, with aging tiles, and clouded glass on the shower doors.

“In.” He broke her thoughts by pushing her under the spray.

Oh, so good
. She groaned and through the glass saw him pause as he was pulling his shirt over his head.

“Honey, you don’t want to make that sound, or you’ll find yourself with my cock buried deep inside you again.”

Smiling, Laura let the water wash the mud and chill away. “I just love that you and Natalya finally gave us all twenty-four-hour hot water.” Then Laura raised her arms over her head and moaned again.

The shower door slammed open, and she finally took a good look at Noah Kim, naked.

“You are not built like a genius computer geek,” she said, aware her voice was a little breathless.

He was all sleek lines of muscle and bronze skin. His dark hair was wet around the sharp angles of his face. He closed the door behind him, trapping them together in the small, private space and the warm spray.

“You mean I’m not built like everyone’s stereotype of a computer geek.”

She tilted her head. “Fair point.”

He shrugged, crowding her as he got under the spray. “I was in okay shape before the invasion, but I wasn’t as fit as I am now…I was too busy inventing and running a company. There was never enough time to work out. But after the invasion, I realized I needed everything in good condition to help fight this war. Mind and body.”