The Alliance Boxset Books 4-6

Chapter 7-3

Sula finished placing the rest of her clothing in the storage compartments. The quarters she had been given were small but sufficient for her needs. Once again, her hand moved to the medallion around her neck and she absently stroked it as she picked up the tablet.

There would be plenty of time on the voyage to do more research on Earth. She’d done an extensive amount the last time she’d been there, but that was different. She had been instructed by her father to find out what Councilor Badrick was doing and to report those findings directly to him.

She had read through mountains of reports, many of them contradictory to the next. It was like trying to untangle a ball of string – every time she thought she was on the right path, she would have to start all over again. If not for the human nurse named Chelsea who she’d met shortly after arriving, she would not have known anything that was going on. Sula had caught the human version of a cold and had been miserable.

She’d finally stopped being stubborn and went to the medical unit in the former US Army National Guard building. Chelsea had been on duty at that time. The human nurse had an infectious humor and a compassionate heart which encouraged confidences. Sula had poured out her frustrations, coated with a significant amount of nasal congestion, concerning her research on Badrick. She had broken down in tears and unleashed into Chelsea’s sympathetic ear her frustration about the lack of cooperation from the Trivator forces, her annoyance with the human man that had glared at her like she was some form of pest, and admitted she just felt lousy. That was when she first learned of Badrick’s true treachery.

Sula sank down on the bed in her living quarters. The file this time was not on Badrick and his betrayal; it was opened to Destin Parks. Before, she had only taken an ephemeral glance at his file. Badrick had made a few references to Destin that were less than glowing. After her initial introduction to Destin, she had been more inclined to agree with Badrick – at least until she had learned the depths of Badrick’s deceit. Unfortunately, she’d only had one brief, tense meeting with Destin before she discovered what Badrick had done. She’d been recalled before she could see or talk to Destin again.

“You are a very complicated man, Destin Parks,” Sula murmured, gazing down at his face on the tablet. “But, a very intriguing one.”

She was about to slide her finger across to view the next page when a message flashed across the screen alerting her that another report was uploaded. Sula frowned. She wasn’t expecting any additional reports.

Curious, she touched the icon. Her breath hissed when a vidcom activated and flashed a very vivid, disturbing image before it disappeared. Sula blinked, wondering if she had imagined it. She glanced down at the tablet, trying to reopen the file, but it was gone.

“No!” she groaned, searching for it in every possible way she could think of, but nothing she did worked. It was as if the file had never been there. “Ignoramus!” she muttered, rising off the bed in frustration.

Without thinking, she exited her quarters. Gripping the tablet, she muttered under her breath. She would find the Chief Communications Officer and see if he could find it.

“I see you’ve lost your shoes again,” a warm, masculine voice said, startling her.

Sula’s head jerked up and her eyes widened in surprise and delight. A smile curved her lips and she stared back in silence at the man she had just been thinking about and who was suddenly standing in front of her. Her lips parted when he suddenly strode toward her and wrapped an arm around her waist. The gasp died on a chuckle that was quickly smothered by his lips.

She didn’t think twice. Her arms rose and she wound them around his neck, returning his kiss with a heated one of her own. She vaguely heard the soft thump of his bag when he dropped it. Pleasure swept through her when he wrapped his now free arm around her waist and pulled her even closer to him.

“Destin, your quarters are only two doors down if you and the Usoleum Councilor want to finish this there. If not, I don’t mind a little entertainment, but I’d like to drop off my own bags first,” a male voice said from behind them.

Sula broke the kiss and buried her face against Destin’s chest. She could feel her face heating with embarrassment. Never in her life had she acted so impulsively or without restraint. A shiver went through her when Destin held her firmly against him, refusing to let her retreat.

“Go to hell, Trig,” Destin muttered, glancing over his shoulder. “No one’s stopping you from walking on by.”

Trig chuckled. “I won’t be the only one seeing what is going on,” he said with a nod toward the security cameras. “I’ll just warn you that this ship has very few women on board and the voyage will seem a lot longer than it is because of it. The other warriors wouldn’t mind a little entertainment to help relieve the boredom, but I thought I should let you know, just in case you weren’t aware that whatever you do will be broadcasted far and wide.”

”Got it, Trig. Goodbye!” Destin grumbled.

“It’s a lot more fun with a willing…,” Trig’s voice faded when Destin turned around and glared at him. “I’m at the end of the corridor. Let me know if you go anywhere,” he finished with a nod of his head. “Councilor Ikera.”

Sula murmured a greeting in a barely audible voice. Her hand slid across Destin’s back, enjoying the feel of the muscles rippling under her palm. While she was embarrassed by her behavior, she was also thrilled that Destin was as happy to see her as she was to see him.

She stumbled back when he suddenly twisted, his hands splaying against the wall behind her. Her head lifted and their lips connected again in a long, heated kiss before he finally pulled back to gaze down at her. She swallowed at the intense expression in his eyes.

“Destin,” Sula whispered, lifting her hand to touch his face.

“Come with me,” he murmured, glancing at the camera.

Sula nodded, dropping her hand and hugging the tablet against her chest when he pushed back from the wall and turned to pick up his large green bag. Sula slipped her hand into his when he held it out. Two doors down, he released her hand long enough to press his hand against the door panel. It slid open with a slight swishing sound. Destin nodded at her to enter first.

Sula stepped inside and turned. The moment the door closed, he set his bag on the floor and she placed the tablet on a small table nearby before she threw her arms around his neck and captured his lips again.

Destin’s arms wrapped around her, sliding down to her backside to press her against him. Their breaths mixed in a heated exchange. She was vaguely aware that he was moving forward, so she moved backward with him, refusing to break their kiss. At least, she didn’t until she felt him gently lowering her to the bed.

She sank back, pulling him with her. Her gaze locked with his, her breathing just as fast as his. Her lips parted when he pressed his knee between her legs.

“Destin…,” she whispered, reaching up to cup his face.

“I can’t stop thinking about you. When I stepped off the lift and saw you coming down the corridor…. Damn it, Sula, I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a woman as much as I want you,” Destin muttered, bracing his arms on each side of her. “All I could think about was kissing you to make sure you were real.”

Sula chuckled. “I feel very real,” she whispered, touching his face. “You make me feel very real.”

“Hallelujah for that,” Destin muttered, gazing down at her. “What are you doing here?”

“I told you, I am the Councilor Select for Earth. I have been reassigned to your planet. It was one of the reasons I was so upset yesterday morning,” she admitted, caressing the smooth skin of his jaw. “I didn’t want to deal with a certain arrogant human man who refused to even say two sentences to me the last time I was there.”

Destin’s lips twitched and a mischievous twinkle appeared in his eyes. “Who said he was going to be doing any talking if you came back? Maybe a few moans and groans,” he murmured, lowering his head and pressing his lips to her throat.

“I… I could… I could… deal with a few… a few… Destin!” Sula moaned when he pressed his knee up against her. “Yes!” she hissed out, wrapping her legs around his and pulling him down to capture his lips.