Helion Read online

  She sprang up in bed with a moan, rubbing sleep out of her eyes and pushing her hair off her face. Slowly everything came into focus as she gently lifted Evie out of the cradle for a quick soothing cuddle before looking around for their duffel bag so she could change Evie’s diaper before she ate. But their bag was no longer where she had dropped it by the table. What she saw instead was a perfectly groomed Helion, once again in his armor, eating a meal with four other Keepers, conversing in a strange-sounding language. It was beautiful, lyrical and totally foreign.

  Now the blood had been washed from Helion’s hair, it had an incandescent glow to it in the morning light streaming into the tent. Such glorious hair, falling thick and straight down his back. It really should have been feminine but it was entirely masculine on him. God, she’d never seen such a hot man in her whole life. Sex on legs. So focused was she on Helion’s hair Gwen didn’t notice all the Keepers had gone quiet and were staring at her.

  “Good morning, my lady,” Helion called out, his face impassive.

  None of the previous night’s flirtatiousness echoed this morning, if it had occurred at all. Gwen told herself she was grateful not to have his attention in that way but knew she was lying to herself. The previous night seemed like a dream to her. Seeing his naked body from behind, remembering with embarrassment how she’d contemplated feeling him up…and more. Gwen thought back and had to wonder whether her captor’s statements had really been as heavily laden with innuendo as she imagined. Had he really been tempting her to look at him, to touch him?

  Regardless, the bed she’d been given was like a cloud, the blankets soft and warm, the pillows plush. Her poor, tired body had sunk into it with a sigh of pure pleasure and a moan of delight. Once she’d been assured that Evie was slumbering deeply, so warm, safe, and content, Gwen had leaned back into the pillows and given herself up to sleep, a pair of cold green eyes lingering in her mind as she succumbed.

  “Would you care to break your fast?”

  Gwen hesitated, not wanting to be rude but one hundred percent not willing to sit with five intimidating males while she wore only thin pajamas and had sleep-mussed hair.

  “Thank you, but I need to change Evelyn and feed her before I have breakfast,” she replied, jerking her gaze from Helion’s with effort to once again try to locate the bag with their supplies. “Do you know where my bag is, Commander?”

  Helion gestured to Verdun, who pulled her duffel out of one of the intricately carved wooden chests against the far wall of the tent. He brought it to Gwen quickly, releasing it with a small bow. She changed her girl efficiently, trying to ignore how closely Verdun seemed to be observing the act. As were the other Keepers. One would think they’d never seen a baby’s diaper being changed before. Then again, maybe they hadn’t. Who knew what differences there might be in Keeper society?

  “My lady, that garment you just removed from the young lady, will you be needing that cleansed?” Verdun asked, holding his hand out for the small white object.

  Gwen stared at him dumbly for a moment, still not totally awake. Then she realized he was asking if he needed to wash Evie’s diaper.

  “No, Verdun, these are disposable diapers. Once a baby soils these, we throw them away.”

  “I see. In that case, I assume you will be needing many more of these ‘diapers’ for the young lady?”

  Gwen hesitated in her reply. She did need more diapers. The ones she’d filched from Walmart wouldn’t last very long but she’d much rather go get more herself. Racking up obligations with these aliens was the last thing she wanted to do. Gwen wanted to earn her keep and take care of her and Evelyn’s needs.

  “I will need more. I’m very low on diapers and wipes for the baby. Perhaps, Commander, you would be willing to allow me to make a run for supplies.” Gwen looked Helion in the eyes as she made the suggestion, so she didn’t miss how they hardened and narrowed on her.

  “You will not leave the safety of this camp, little mother. You will supply Verdun with a list of your needs and the items will be procured for you.”

  The cold Commander stood then and walked to the bed to stare down at her from his great height, a rather obvious attempt at physical intimidation. Which worked, damn him.

  “I am leaving with most of my men to go battle the Scourge. Verdun will remain here to see to your needs. You may leave this tent as you desire but you will not leave the camp. Understood?”

  Gwen gathered Evie to her chest and stared up at Helion’s implacable, absurdly handsome face. The promise of the punishment he’d warned of lingered unspoken in the air. Now, in the company of his men, was not the time to challenge his dictates. She knew that. So she swallowed her instinctive rebellion at being ordered around and just nodded.

  “Good. We shall return later today. Verdun, please take good care of the lady and her daughter. And be sure she gets plenty of food and rest. Nathal’s orders.”

  Then with an elegant bow in her direction, Helion turned and motioned his men out of the tent and was about to follow them out when he stopped suddenly at the tent entrance. He turned and stared at Gwen intently, his focus unnerving. He stood there in the sun, his golden armor and his gleaming white hair catching the light. He looked like an angel—cold, detached but so beautiful it hurt to look at him.

  “Something you should know about Keepers is that we have very enhanced senses. Compared to humans, our smell, sight, hearing and taste are all much more developed than those of your people. We can sense lies and we can smell emotions such as fear, anger…arousal.”

  Gwen watched Helion warily, her trepidation bleeding into total dismay. Then Helion smiled in such a way that Gwen shuddered, imagining a wolf spotting prey.

  “Just keep that in mind for when I return, Lady Gwen. You have been warned. If I continue to smell the wet heat of your desire when I return, I could assume you wish to be bent over that bed before I shed my armor.”

  He left the tent before Gwen could pick her jaw up from the floor and form a reply. Her thighs trembled and her sex was slick, so he wasn’t wrong. Just the idea of being bent over the bed pushed her desire higher. It was so wrong but she wanted him, wanted him badly. She wanted to stroke his long hair and feel it all over her naked body. She wanted to rub her hands all over his incredible form and chase them closely with her mouth. It’d been so long since she’d had a man on top of her she was nearly panting from just the fantasy of it.

  It was tempting to find some relief by her own hand but if it was true Keepers could smell arousal, then every Keeper in the tent this morning had known she lusted after their Commander. How embarrassing! She was literally a universe out of his league. She needed to forget about Helion and focus on Evie, who was practically tearing at her shirt to reach her breakfast. Gwen smiled at her and quickly put her to the breast, stroking her soft hair as she grunted like a little piglet. As long as she focused on Evie and their survival, everything would work out. Gwen just needed to find a way to escape that wouldn’t bring Helion’s wrath on her. How hard could that be?

  Well…possibly a lot harder than she hoped. Gwen thought back to the previous day as Evie ate her fill. What a chaotic day, full of such highs and lows she hardly knew what to think about. There’d been so much fear and so much anguish, followed by relief and hope. The Keepers had shown no signs they intended to harm her or Evelyn. The Commander was autocratic and annoying but even so he hadn’t harmed her even when she’d attempted to defy him. But now…now he was adding a whole new element to her reluctant preoccupation with him. Obviously she’d known he was good-looking, all Keepers were. Helion was freakishly gorgeous, however, and all she’d seen of him up until last night had been his head.

  But now…it seemed like he really did desire her. And what should she do about that? He wasn’t the monster she’d thought at first. His statement about a Keeper’s duty still puzzled her. Why would his duty be to see to the safety of all women and children? She’d heard nothing about this aspect of Keepers. Well, actu
ally she’d heard practically nothing about them at all except rumors and suspicion. If Helion spoke true, it would be a tremendous relief to her peace of mind. But then he’d reached his own bed last night and without hesitation stripped off his robe, leaving him stark naked to her stunned eyes. She’d thought his chest was stunning but the sight of his broad back and muscled thighs, meeting at a truly spectacular ass that was skimmed by the long fall of his beautiful white hair… Who knew such long hair on a man could be so, well, thigh-quiveringly sexy?

  If he actually returned her interest, where did that leave her? Having an affair with the sexy Keeper couldn’t be anything but a mistake. They were just too different. And Gwen couldn’t afford to have a booty call when her attention needed to remain on Evie. Keeping her daughter safe was the only thing Gwen had to live for since the invasion. She needed to find a way to deflect Helion’s attention away from her, at least until she could think of a way to escape. But how?

  The hours passed far too quickly for Gwen’s taste and she was no closer to a solution by evening than she was in the morning. After her last interaction with Helion, she wasn’t looking forward to stirring things up with him again. She’d spent the entire day resting, taking care of Evie and eating the delicious food Verdun brought to her. She’d actually been able to play with Evie without fear of being overheard or caught and while Evie napped she’d been able to have a sleep as well. She hadn’t had a day this relaxing since before Evie was born.

  But of course, in the back of her mind at all times was the problem of Helion. As sexy as she found him, sleeping with him was not on the table. Or the bed. But how to discourage a creature that could literally smell when she got hot? Human men couldn’t do that! Maybe if she thought about all the things she found disgusting while in the same room with Helion, then she could trick herself into not responding physically.

  Dozens of thoughts ran through her mind then. Poopy diapers. Spiders. Scourge. Her stretch marks from having a baby. Chihuahuas. Instead of comparing Helion’s eyes to the deepest jade, she could picture nuclear boogers. Instead of seeing his hair as a blanket of snowfall in winter, it could be Alfredo sauce. Bleh. And if all that failed, she could picture herself and her pesky extra pounds getting naked next to Helion’s completely perfect body.

  Soon it became a refrain in her head. Boogers, diapers, creepy white sauce. Boogers, diapers, creepy white sauce. She may have even said it out loud a few times. Verdun had definitely looked at her askance once or twice. But mostly he just observed Evelyn. It was actually sort of sweet. He asked to learn how to change her diaper and how to change her clothes. He didn’t try to observe her breastfeeding but he watched her give Evie little bites of baby food. It was strange, being around this Keeper who actually seemed engaged in everything about her daughter. Even Evelyn’s own father hadn’t wanted anything to do with her, or Gwen herself, once she was pregnant.

  Too soon though she heard the sound of commotion outside the tent, along with the distinct whooshing sound she now knew heralded a lightstepping Keeper. She’d asked Verdun how they did that little move, how they were able to move so fast. His answer had been extremely vague, a non-answer really. He just said it was a talent they had as Keepers, the ability to cut through the air at high speeds. Just another advantage in a race literally saturated with special gifts, it seemed.

  Helion came striding into the tent just then and for a moment Gwen froze. He looked as he had when she’d first met him, covered in gore with a dangerous, predatory look in his eyes. It was a look that said he’d enjoyed his work and was looking forward to going back to the office. Gwen felt herself responding to him in a basic, primitive way, like a woman greeted her man who’d been to war and back.

  And then his gaze swung around to meets hers and the breath literally stilled inside her lungs. That look went completely through her, questioning, daring. It said he knew her body was responding to him and he was ready to accommodate her. For one weak moment she wanted to throw caution to the winds and run over and kiss his lips off. But then Helion’s eyes lit, literally lit from within, like a demon’s. And just like that Gwen snapped herself together again and fell back on her plan. Spiders, boogers, diapers, white sauces!

  “Hello, Commander. You’re looking very…uh… It seems you found some Scourge today…” Her voice trailed off, not sure how to continue with that polite attempt at chitchat. Half her brain was occupied thinking about gross things just to tamp down her libido and the other half left over wasn’t a scintillating conversationalist. She could only blame Helion for that. The way he was looking at her was so intense and feral she was moments away from lying on her back and giving him a blank check.

  Well, he had been looking at her that way. Now his expression went from hot to confused to amused. Gwen regretted the sexy look was gone but amusement was a much safer emotion.

  “Yes, we took down many Scourge today, little mother. I’m eager to get cleaned up but first, Healer Nathal wanted me to ask if you were willing to allow him to do another scan of you and your daughter.”

  Gwen immediately wanted to protest but stopped herself. Helion wasn’t ordering her to get more scans, he was essentially asking. And the previous scan Nathal had done hadn’t caused them any harm. Considering all the Keepers had done for them, protesting some harmless scans would be petty. And by the look on Helion’s face, he was waiting to see if she was that petty or if she could be reasonable. Gwen lifted her chin higher and gave Helion a challenging look.

  “I’m willing to get more scans done. Thank you for asking this time.” She paused for that to sink in, though judging by his smirk he wasn’t insulted. “When does he want to see us?”

  “Now would work, Lady Gwen. As you see, I need to bathe. You may stay of course, that offer to help me wash is still open. And you can be sure I’d return the favor.”

  Helion’s eyes were once again challenging and a hint of that feral intensity was back. Damn. Spiders, boogers, white sauces!

  “Ah, thank you, Commander, but going to do the scans now suits me fine.”

  As Gwen went to pick up Evie, she refused to feel let down by her own lack of daring. Having an affair would be bad, bad, bad! Wouldn’t it? Of course it would. She didn’t need an intergalactic lover. She need a safe home for Evelyn, a job, food on the table. She needed safety and security. And what if they weren’t even compatible sexually? He could have a weirdly shaped penis that didn’t connect with her own parts—how awkward would that be?

  “Very well. Verdun, please escort the ladies to Nathal and bring them back once he’s done. We’ll dine together after I bathe.”

  Gwen nodded and rushed out of the tent ahead of Verdun. This opportunity to leave the tent was really a godsend as there was no way she could watch Helion undress and bathe again and not think X-rated thoughts about him. There were really not enough dirty diapers in the world to remain cold toward a naked, wet Helion. As Gwen arrived at Nathal’s hut and allowed the scans he wanted, her thoughts were consumed with the giant disaster waiting to happen back at the tent.

  Chapter Six

  Helion had found it difficult to concentrate the first few hours after leaving the camp. Battling Scourge while walking around with a massive erection was distracting, to say the least. Not that any Scourge came close to ending his life. He was just modest enough to acknowledge he’d need one arm tied behind him plus an amputated leg to even be injured by Scourge scum.

  But to lust after this human female…it wasn’t like him. Keeper women were the most beautiful women in the galaxy and they knew how to handle a male’s passion. Even if Gwen could take his shaft, could she handle the ferocity of his lovemaking? Keeper women were bigger and stronger than humans. If he got rough with Gwen during sex, he could injure her. Though it was clear to his senses her body wanted him, he wasn’t sure about acting on it, even if he did want her beneath him so badly his cock literally ached.

  In any case they’d had a job to do. The sooner the Scourge were eradica
ted, the sooner he’d be able to return to his home and see to his responsibilities there. His infatuation with the human needed to be put behind him while he was going into battle. She stirred him, without a doubt, but there couldn’t be anything serious between them. An affair wasn’t out of the realm of possibility however…if it was possible. He sent a request to Nathal via their link. It couldn’t hurt to see, could it?

  Tempting though it was to linger and let the woman find him still bathing, Helion took care of himself quickly, eager to be cleansed of Scourge filth and into clean clothing. In truth he was strangely weary today. They’d tracked down and killed hundreds more Scourge but there were always more, and more. In his darker moments, Helion wondered if their taint could ever be erased from existence entirely. There had to be a way but the Keepers just hadn’t found it yet.

  Once Helion was dressed, he sat at the table to wait for the source of unexpected amusement in his current situation. At first he’d seen the human as nothing but a nuisance, but she’d very quickly become a point of fascination for him. He wanted to possess her. Utterly. In every possible way. And she wanted him in return, his senses told him that strongly.

  Although…she’d done something today, something to temporarily negate her reaction to him. It was sporadic at best but still amusing nonetheless. She was a very clever young lady, not to mention extremely sexy. He could only hope that the scans he’d asked Nathal to do bore out the results he wanted. Because he knew he was going to take this woman to his bed, one way or another. If she couldn’t take his cock, he’d find another way, but he fully intended to taste this woman. Something had clicked inside him when he’d rescued her. He didn’t know where this journey would end but he was eager to start down the path.

  “Commander, I have completed my scans. The woman’s health is improving and the child is flourishing.”

  Nathal’s voice played through their mind link, calm and confident as always. His voice betrayed no curiosity about why Helion had asked for these extra scans. Of course he also hadn’t told Helion what he wanted to know.