Helion Page 7

  “Cut line, Healer Nathal,” Helion replied through the link. “Can her body take my cock or not?”

  There was a brief pause, as if Nathal didn’t want to answer. But finally he replied, “Yes, Commander. Her sex is built smaller than Keeper females’ but expands to accommodate males. It would be a tight fit but it’s possible. The lady is on her way back to your tent now.”

  Helion smiled wolfishly, thanking Nathal for the information. There was only one barrier now to what he wanted and that was the lady herself. Rather, the way the lady seemed determined to deny them what they both wanted. This was a hunt he had to conduct very carefully. He didn’t want to spook his prey. He’d start out slowly and seduce her by inches. There was plenty of time. And the reward for his patience would be sweet indeed.

  When Gwen reentered the tent with her daughter, Helion was lounging back in a chair at the table, decently garbed in another of his robes. He didn’t want to scare the girl with an explosion of lust, so he sat with a chilled glass of wine in one hand while resting the other on the arm of the chair. There was nothing at all threatening about his body language but he saw Gwen go on high alert anyway. Smart girl.

  Helion’s expression was kept carefully impassive, though the onslaught of lust in his veins made that extremely difficult. Now he knew he could safely lie with Gwen, he wanted to pounce on her like a beast of prey, tempting and stroking and sucking until she was powerless to resist him. His eyes, unlike his expression, he couldn’t control. And when Gwen looked into them, she definitely knew what he was thinking. That, for all his outward civility, the predator inside him had her in its sights.

  “Come, have a seat, Lady Gwen. Dinner will be served shortly.”

  He stood with those words and held out the chair next to him at the table, compelling her to come instead of flee. His prey moved forward with caution, moving to seat herself rather slowly. She sat down where he indicated, even though he could tell she’d have preferred to sit on the opposite side of the table. Being this close to him, he was sure she could feel his body heat and smell his skin, freshly scrubbed from the bath. And she liked that, if her dilating pupils were any indication.

  “And how is my lady Evelyn today?” he asked, resuming his seat.

  Before she could answer, he shocked the hell out of her by reaching out and deftly removing Evelyn from her arms. Her lips opened to protest that high-handed move, but he handled her so gently Gwen reluctantly allowed him to have his way. Evelyn seemed to revel in his attention as well, if her windmilling hands and legs were any indication. Helion hadn’t held a child in centuries and he’d forgotten how soft and delicate they were.

  “She’s wonderful. She’s warm, clean, well-fed and slept great in that beautiful cradle. I really can’t thank you enough for what you and your men have done for us.” Gwen meant every word of that statement, her sincerity there in the open for Helion to see.

  “I don’t want to be thanked for doing what any honorable Keeper would do, little mother,” he replied, his eyes briefly lifting from observing Evie to meet hers in reprimand.

  “Then what do you want? Why did you bring us here and why are you being so kind? I don’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth but all things considered these are all very extravagant gifts. And I know having us here can only inconvenience you. So what is it you do want, Commander?”

  Helion looked up from the baby at this interrogation, staring at Gwen silently. He wasn’t angry but her questions did require some thought. His hands continued to gently stroke Evie’s soft cap of curls as he considered how to answer. Based on her questions, it seemed obvious Gwen had never met a real man before. Why else would she expect some payment was due for the basic, necessary kindnesses Helion had provided?

  There wasn’t time to formulate an appropriate response though. Verdun entered the room, followed by other Keepers with trays of food. As soon as they left, Helion’s lieutenants came inside the tent, and Helion turned his attention to them and ignored Gwen. He didn’t offer to give Evie back, so she was free to sit and eat quietly, observing his men interacting together, listening to their conversation. They spoke in English so she would understand, though occasionally they would switch to their own language. All in all, it was a very comfortable dinner, until he noticed Gwen grow quite somber.

  “That’s a very serious expression, Lady Gwen,” Helion said. “What are you thinking about?”

  “I was thinking of how I might make myself useful around the camp. I thought maybe I could wash dishes, or cook, something like that. I was a pretty decent cook before the invasion…” Gwen’s voice trailed off when she noticed the expression on the Keepers’ faces. To a man, each one looked varying degrees of outraged and incredulous, Helion more so than all the others.

  “Are you suggesting that we put you to work doing menial labor?” Helion’s voice was soft, but his eyes were not. He was warning her not to continue in that line but of course she didn’t listen.

  “I wouldn’t call it menial labor, Commander. It’s only polite to repay some of the kindnesses the Keepers have shown me and Evelyn by trying to help in some way.”

  Helion gritted his teeth slightly before turning to his men.

  “Please excuse us, men. Verdun, if you would, take the lady Evelyn for a nice stroll around the camp as well.”

  The room cleared in record time. Gwen didn’t even have a chance to protest Verdun taking Evie away, because he had her out of Helion’s arms and out of the tent before she could open her mouth. And with the mass exodus, a terrible silence was left behind. Gwen stared at Helion without speaking, as though waiting to see just how bad of a mistake she had made.

  Chapter Seven

  “Little mother, you are not familiar with our ways. So let me explain things to you. You are a new mother. New mothers in our world do not do menial labor. You rest, you take care of your young. You will not wash dishes and cook for the men of this camp. They are all mature males, fully capable of caring for themselves.”

  Gwen just stared at Helion, an incredulous expression on her face. She’d known she’d committed some sort of faux pas when all the Keepers had stared at her as if she’d grown another head. Verdun, normally so nice to her, had frozen in his seat, looking appalled. But what Helion was saying made no sense to her. And that clearly made no sense to him. This had to be some kind of misunderstanding.

  “Commander, we don’t see things that way here. Women go back to working full time very quickly, usually within six weeks of having our babies, if that long. I assure you, I’m more than capable of handling a few small chores and I’d be happy to do them. I’d feel like I was earning my keep if I at least did something around here. I can’t just eat your food and sleep safely in this tent and do nothing to repay you.”

  Clearly this was the wrong thing to say, as Helion’s lips tightened, his face grim. Why he appeared annoyed by her insistence on taking on some chores in recompense for her and Evie’s keep was beyond her, though. The alien acted like she was volunteering to deep-sea drill for oil or clean out septic tanks.

  “Your repayment is ensuring you and your daughter recover from your ordeal and get heathy. Eventually you and Evelyn will be on your own again and you need to be one hundred percent before that happens. While you’re here, you will rest and care for your daughter and yourself. No Keeper would ever allow you to wash after him or do his chores.”

  Gwen huffed visibly in frustration.

  “Commander, I need something to do during the day. I’ve been working full-time since I was a teenager. Having a baby doesn’t make me an invalid. I can still work. I want to do something…” Gwen watched as the frustration faded from Helion’s face. Too bad it was replaced by heat, by lust.

  “If you want a job, I can give you one. Take off your clothes and lie on my bed. I can keep you quite busy through the night and into the morning.”

  He was entirely serious with this. If she gave him the slightest encouragement, he’d be on her in a moment, sh
e could tell. If she gave him her consent, by word or deed, there’d be no turning back. He’d possess her, body and soul. She was beginning to think that was inevitable. Like going to that office and being captured by this Keeper had been inevitable.

  Gwen wanted to be shocked, even outraged, but she was not. She was panicked, however. As soon as he spoke of getting her into bed, she had to fight not to show just how much she wanted to give in. Her body felt electrified, her nipples hard and her sex wet. That this Keeper wanted her, and so badly, was a shock and a pleasure. She was so tempted to just give in. Who knew how long she’d be here? Could she really fight this attraction? For sure she couldn’t if he did this at every turn, tempting and tempting.

  So what to do? She wasn’t ready to be taken by him. He would consume her. She knew that in her bones. And when he eventually left, he’d leave nothing but a husk behind him. Perhaps there was a way she could satisfy him, at least temporarily, without giving all of herself. If she could deflect his lust away from actually getting inside her, she could at least delay her total destruction.

  “How about we make a deal then, Commander? Clearly you’re a bit…obsessed with the physical. You know I’m attracted to you; I can’t deny it. But I don’t want to sleep with you. I don’t,” she repeated sharply, seeing one of this white eyebrows winging up sharply.

  “If you’re not willing to cede your body to me, what is this bargain you are offering?” he queried with attempted nonchalance. But she could tell he wasn’t nearly as calm as his tone suggested. His eyes were so hot she felt almost singed.

  “I’m offering… Okay. If you promise not to…take things to the next level, I’ll give you a blowjob,” she replied, her face on fire. She’d never made such an explicit carnal offer in her entire life. And the focused, intense look that came into Helion’s face nearly reduced her into a puddle on the floor.

  “You’re offering to pleasure me with your mouth, my lady? I must say, I’m surprised.” He didn’t look surprised though. He looked predatory, as if he could pounce at any moment.

  “I can’t—I can’t have sex with you. But I can see our presence in your tent is making things difficult for you. I’m willing to release some of that tension for you tonight.” Gwen swallowed, trying to find the nerve to continue. “Just for tonight, mind you. That isn’t a standing offer of a blowjob whenever you’re feeling lecherous.”

  Helion stared at her for a few moments, as if he was weighing her offer. Gwen imagined he was debating whether to press her for more than she was offering. He had to know she was just a slight pressure away from tossing all her inhibitions and giving him whatever he wanted. And he hadn’t even touched her—he’d only given her those heated looks. Never in her whole life had just one look from a man been enough to make her hot.

  “Am I allowed to return the favor in this offer of yours? That seems only fair.”

  Gwen didn’t trust that look in his eyes. She had the feeling if she let him return the favor, they’d be going all the way. Not because he’d insist on it, but because she wouldn’t be able to resist once he touched her intimately.

  “No, Commander, this offer I’m making applies exclusively to you. I don’t really like it when a man goes down on me. It’s just… It feels awkward, uncomfortable. But if I can help relieve your tension, I’ll feel satisfied with our bargain.”

  Once again she was subjected to his penetrating stare, resisting the urge to squirm. Her answer displeased him, that was easy to see. Both those brows came slashing down and his mouth tightened into a thin line. But she spoke the truth, the couple of times her ex had tried that maneuver, she’d spent the entire time counting the minutes until it was over.

  “Very well, Lady Gwen. I accept your offer as it stands…for now. I make you no promises for the future.”

  Gwen nodded, reluctantly. She didn’t want to concede the point but knew it would be pointless to argue. That battle would be fought at a later date; she’d gotten what she wanted for now. And now…how to begin?

  Helion seemed amused by her hesitation. She’d been so bold in making her offer but in reality had little experience to back it up. How hard could it be though? He certainly hadn’t tried to turn her down. Men did love their blowjobs. He’d been annoyed when she’d refused to allow him to touch her in return but in the end had willingly taken what she was offering.

  As she hesitated, sure her face was revealing she had little idea on where to begin, Helion took the initiative, slouching back in his chair a little, pushing his hips to the edge. Holding her gaze, one eyebrow raised, he unbuttoned his robe. Unbuttoned it all the way, until the sides opened and fell away from him. His cock was already hard, thrusting up from his body almost obscenely, begging for Gwen’s attention.

  And oh, he definitely had her attention. Her gaze skated down his body and locked on his cock, lust and trepidation mixing inside her. He was so large. She licked her lips and opened her mouth as if to speak, but no words came out. Her ex hadn’t been nearly this big so could she really handle this? Other than the size, it didn’t seem so very different than a human penis. Surely it worked the same as well.

  “Take off your shirt for me, beautiful Gwen. Let me see your lovely breasts while you touch me.”

  His words provoked a heated blush across her skin but she didn’t protest. She removed her shirt, her hands lingering on her bra before accepting it needed to go. She took it off without prompting and watched his eyes feast on her bared breasts. Gwen had always been self-conscious about her body, but her breasts…she’d always been fine with those. They were pale and full, with rose-colored nipples currently begging for Helion’s tongue. And judging by the heated looks he gave them, he wanted to accommodate them.

  Instead, Gwen slipped from the chair and onto her knees, relished what an erotic picture she presented to Helion. Her hands reached out, shaking a little as they met his thighs. Then she rose up higher, allowing the tips of her breasts to graze his calves, watching as he got impossibly larger still. His cock looked huge and red and she hadn’t even yet touched it.

  That touch came just moments later. Gwen rose up on her knees and wrapped one hand around his cock while the other stroked his balls. She experimented for a moment, testing his hardness, stroking his length. Then she leaned forward until her lips gently kissed the head of his cock, feeling the jolt of Helion’s hips as he reacted to her touch.

  Gwen felt all-powerful in that moment. This virile, gorgeous male was putty in her hands and mouth right now. His gaze at her breasts had been hot and admiring, giving her the courage to follow through and take him in her hands and mouth. And he loved what she did, his whole body vibrating with tension and desire. She had such little experience with this. She’d avoided giving her ex head as much as possible and it had been a distasteful experience at best.

  But this with Helion was entirely different, and amazing. His cock was so big she knew she’d never fit much into her mouth, so she took her time stroking him, then put her lips on the tip, licking and sucking gently. She used her tongue to trace the pulsing veins down his length, pulling gently on his balls at the same time. With this Helion could no longer keep his hands to himself and, quick as a blink, his hands were tangled in her hair, clenching and pulling.

  Gwen knew what he wanted, so she allowed him to guide her lips back to the tip and take him inside her mouth. She worked her way down, easing his cock in as far as she could take him. She couldn’t fit even half his length inside, though, so she fisted the rest of his cock in her hand and firmly stroked him in time with her sucking. She became consumed by her task, observing the smell and taste of him, loving the feel of his masterful hands gripping her as he lost control over his body. Everything was a delight to her senses and she relished the act, relished knowing he was at her mercy.

  Before long Gwen felt the signs of Helion’s imminent release—the tension in his thighs, the almost painful grip on her hair, the ragged edge to his breathing. His hips thrust involuntarily now, no rest
raint left in him. Now was the time she’d pull away from her ex and finish him off with her hand. But with Helion she wanted everything, wanted to stroke and suck, to nip with her teeth and swirl her tongue around and around his cock.

  And then Helion growled her name breathlessly as his release hit her tongue in a heated rush of surprising sweetness. Not bitter and salty at all but thick and sweet and somehow energizing. Gwen took everything, every last drop he offered, until he lay slumped back in his chair, drained. She released him then and tried to back away but Helion still had a death grip on her hair. He used that grip to force her slightly embarrassed gaze up to meet his.

  If she’d been expecting any softness, she would have been disappointed. Though he’d just had what seemed to be a very satisfying orgasm, Helion’s eyes were glowing, fierce and possessive. And Gwen knew in that moment no matter how good her intentions had been, what she’d just done had only increased Helion’s desires, not assuaged them. She had a feeling her days of avoiding his bed were numbered…and that number wasn’t high. Not at all.

  Chapter Eight

  Later that night, Helion lay in his bed and stared up at the ceiling of his tent, recalling the names and ranks of all his soldiers, going over the battle plans for the morning, anything to stop him from snatching Gwen from her bed and throwing her into his own. He’d given his word she was safe from his advances for now. She’d set the terms and he’d accepted them and he bitterly regretted that now. He wanted desperately to touch her soft skin, to kiss her full lips, to taste her essence on his tongue. But he knew exercising restraint had given him an opportunity to advance his pursuit of her. Her lust would only amplify by their encounter this afternoon, progressing his own aims to get her underneath him.