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  “I want to hear it.”

  She looked up at his hot eyes. “Everyone else can hear it as well.”

  He loomed over her for a moment before he lifted her onto his lap and settled her over his cock. “Tough. I want to see you, I want to smell you, touch you, taste you and hear you, wife.” She shivered at the combination of the heat of his skin and the heat in the weeping head of his cock as he slowly lowered her onto him. Her body fought his for a moment and then clasped him tight as he pulled her down on him in one torturous move.

  Hydra panted and held onto his biceps as he cupped her buttocks in his hands. He nipped at her lips, goading her into returning his kiss with light strokes and retreats.

  She lifted her head to his and leaned up, tilting her hips and letting her sink further onto him. She moaned softly, and he licked her lower lip before he whispered, “Just like that.”

  He kissed her lightly, lifting her and then flexing his hips as her weight took her back onto him. He lifted and dropped her again, never letting her go completely but supporting her as he set up a rhythm to their joining.

  She kissed him, his lips, neck, collarbone and chest as they rocked together. Each collision of their bodies drew a noise from her, and she gave them to him, one by one.

  The culmination of her orgasm was a low, groaning moan. She pressed her forehead to his shoulder and held tight to him as her body milked his with strong pulses. He shouted and held her hips with a bruising grip as his cock jetted into her.

  Her body continued to clasp and release him for minutes after they were both still and panting.

  A knock on the door caused them both to stiffen.

  Starburn yelled, “What?”

  “There is a message from the Nyal Imperial household. It appears to be a reaction to the formal wedding confirmation that we sent in.” Starburn sighed and stroked Hydra’s spine.

  “Come in, Tangle.”

  Funnily enough, from his angle, Hydra was completely covered by Starburn’s body as long as she didn’t move around too much.

  “The Imperial household would like a reply to their query at your earliest convenience.”

  “What is their query?”

  Hydra could see Tangle’s face as he winced.

  “They want to know why you are throwing your life away on some out-of-system whore.” Starburn’s body took on a heat that was less that comfortable. His eyes were narrow, and fury was radiating out of him along with the heat.

  “Tangle, I think you should leave now, because I have to dismount and you are going to see quite a show.” She levered herself away from Starburn the moment that Tangle was out of the doorway.

  “Okay, quick shower and back into my one and only dress.” She chuckled. True to form, the cleaning bots had tidied up the uniform and the dress. The dress was now clean and waiting for her and a fresh uniform was on its stand, waiting for the next disaster.

  She took the solar shower and came out, slipping on her dress and digging for the belt in the sheets before she found it. With the belt in place, she could move around fairly comfortably.

  “Why didn’t you raid Breaker’s wardrobe for something new?”

  “Because you have little enough privacy as it is without me rummaging through your shit while you aren’t home.”

  He put on his standard at-home uniform of dark loose trousers and a pale, loose open vest that hung to his hips. Today’s claw marks were front and centre with a few bite marks that Hydra didn’t remember making.

  She walked down the hall with him. “Did I do all that?”

  He chuckled. “I asked myself that when you came out of the lav and you had finger bruises on your hips and ass. Yes, we did a little mild damage, and yes, it will heal.”

  She tutted in disapproval. “You also need a brush taken to your hair. It is tangled for some reason.”

  He grinned. “You are welcome to brush it, dearest wife.”

  “So, the long, pale hair has its admirers, does it?”

  “An entire fan club, but you are the only one allowed to touch it.” He lifted her hand to his lips and gave it a gentle kiss.

  Tangle was at the com station, and he looked relieved to see them both dressed. “The Imperium household manager is on right now. He called back.”

  “Transfer it for privacy.”

  Starburn took her to a wall that she hadn’t thought anything of, but after an optical scan, a chunk of wall slid back to display a tiny com centre.

  Starburn hauled her in with him, and the door sealed behind her. He took the seat in the chair and pulled her into his lap.

  He reached out, and the face on the screen was scowling at him. “Guardian Starburn, I wanted to speak to you in privacy.”

  “This is privacy. My wife and I have no secrets from this moment onward. Now, please, explain why you have the right to offer an opinion on the spouse of a Guardian, and put my father on. It is his complaint I am dealing with after all.” The household manager flushed, but he nodded with a jerk. A moment later, a new masculine face was on the screen, and Hydra had seen that face before. It was the Emperor of the Nyal. Caksix Hedderian, the Ninth.

  “My son, tell me why you have bonded to a woman so far away from your own bloodlines.”

  “Father, please meet my wife, Hydrangea Graham of Terra. Now Hydrangea Graham Renix. Hydra, this is my father. Caksix Hedderian, the Ninth, current Emperor of the Nyal Imperium. I am a bastard.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Your Eminence.” She was a little out of her depth, but it was another thing she needed to learn. How to address an emperor while sitting on his bastard’s lap.

  “And you. I am sure that you are a lovely woman, but I have other plans for my son, and they don’t involve him breeding out of the Nyal line.”

  Starburn smiled. “That is my choice, not yours, Father. Just as my mother’s choice had nothing to do with you and everything to do with possibilities. You rejected her attempts at peace and forced the Shosai to continue hiding, but now that I am in the world, you want to get the bad blood out of your line as fast as you can. How goes the effort to gain a son, by the way?” The emperor’s face darkened. “Damn it. You know you are my only son. When I die, you are the heir to the Imperium.”

  “I don’t want it. I have never wanted it.” The emperor’s face softened. “I know that. I wanted what is best for you.”

  “Then, rejoice in my finding Hydra. She is what is best for me. She cleaned me after a two-day tsunami clean up, got me out of my armour and into bed after she made sure that we all ate and had something to drink. She met me with an open mind and still asked me about my day. At no time has she attempted to pry into my privacy. She is a woman so rare as to be one in billions, and I would have been a fool to let her pass.”

  “But… ”

  “Fate put her in my path and was determined that we meet again, so when we did, I caused a scene that put her into the public eye, and then, I manipulated her into coming to the base. I pursued her by what means I have available to meet a good woman. Congratulate me.”

  “Woman, do you have to sit on his lap?” The emperor lashed out at her.

  She raised her arms to show the bands of his arms around her torso. “I sort of do. He won’t let me stand behind him, so I am stuck in his embrace. It is a comfortable place to be. Nice and warm.”

  Caalos chuckled.

  The emperor nodded. “I see. What do your people think of this union?”

  She bit her lip. “I haven’t been able to contact anyone to register it.”

  “So, they may disapprove.”

  “Possible but not likely. My mission was to enter space-faring society, make a place for myself, find a job and when the time was right, bear an heir to my genetics. I am a class zero, so my genes aren’t much of a concern, but I still have to have one child in order to fulfill my contract with the Alliance. That can’t happen for at least a year.”

  “Why?”

  Caalos smiled. “Restrictor shot. I made sure t
hat she was safe before I tried my ham-handed courtship. Until I know it is safe, I don’t want to put our child at risk. I have three years left on my contract, and leaving her with a child and no one to help her raise it is not something I will do.” The emperor nodded. “Three years before you have an heir? That is risky.”

  “Not really. Your bloodline has no direct heir.”

  “No longer true. You were legitimized six weeks ago. You are the next emperor of the Nyal Imperium, whether you want to be or not.” The emperor hung up on his son.

  Hydra looked at the shock on Starburn’s face.

  “Are you all right?”

  He shook his head and reached out to make a call.

  A woman answered, her skin was the deep mocha of Caalos’s and her hair the same white.

  “Mother. I would introduce my wife.” The woman smiled. “I greet you, daughter.”

  “Thank you, Mother.” She pressed a hand to her breastbone. “Hydrangea Graham Renix.”

  “Cadian Renix.” The woman’s face showed her pleasure. “What can I do for you, children?”

  “The emperor has announced that he has legitimized me and I am the next heir of the Nyal Imperium. Did you know of this?” Cadian shook her head. “No. It is a good thing though, if you survive it.”

  “But now, I must watch out for my wife. How can I keep her safe?”

  Cadian kept her smile in place. “Give her the tools to keep herself safe. Have those around you that you trust keep the one you love when you cannot be there to protect her. She seems like an intelligent woman, and I will be happy to meet her in person one day.”

  Dismissed, the call ended.

  “Well, Caalos, I like your mom but your dad sucks.” She kissed his jaw and the tenseness loosened.

  “You are very subtle, Hydra.” He got to his feet and kept her cradled against him. “Don’t be surprised if we are summoned to the imperial court soon. My father is not one to miss an opportunity.”

  She really, really hoped that he was wrong. She literally didn’t have a thing to wear.

  Chapter Ten

  Warp brought her belongings to the base three days later. It was such a relief to have her own clothing back that she gave Warp a bone-cracking hug that had Starburn growling behind her. He pried her away from his teammate and grabbed two of her bags, taking the entire collection of her and her belongings to their room.

  The moment the door was closed, she squirmed to be let down. Starburn set her down, and she yanked the bags from him and plunged her hands into her own clothing.

  “I don’t understand the fuss, but as long as you are happy, I am glad.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and left her to play dress up.

  She burrowed around until she found what she was looking for and gave an evil smile to the closed door. With a little effort, she was wearing an outfit that normally would have been more at home on a sun-dappled beach than a superhero base, but she didn’t care.

  Hydra arranged her hair so that it fell down her back in soft ringlets, slipped on some sandals and walked out onto the balcony to feel the afternoon sun on her skin.

  Tangle was working on some flowers in the garden, and he glanced toward her. He froze in place and didn’t respond when she waved at him.

  Shrugging, she walked around the extended balcony and came in through the common area doors.

  Starburn was organizing the supplies that Warp had brought in, and she walked up behind him.

  “Can I help you with that?”

  He turned and dropped the container he was holding.

  She bent quickly and grabbed it, pressing it back into his hands. “Well? Do you need help?” His voice was strangled. “What are you wearing?”

  “It is clothing to be worn on holiday. Since there is nothing here for me to do, I thought I would go on vacation, so I had to dress the part.” Breaker came into the room, saw what was going on and walked back the way she came.

  He cleared his throat. “That is not appropriate attire for my wife.”

  She looked down. “I am exposing less skin than you do on your days off. What is the problem?”

  He put the container on the counter and gripped her waist, sliding his hands up and then down the bare expanse of her back. “This is a lot of exposed skin, Hydra.”

  She inhaled when he dipped his fingers below the edge of her wrap. “What is appropriate for me to expose?”

  “To others, nothing, for me, everything.” His hands cupped her buttocks under the wrap and lifted her against him.

  She felt the fabric creak under the strain. He shifted his grip and slid one hand into the slit that exposed her left thigh, lifting her against him while the other hand bunched the fabric up as he slid it up the back of her right thigh.

  Hydra felt air against her and looked down to see that they were above the base and he was rocking his erection against her through the straining fabric of his trousers.

  “Reach down and free me, Hydra.” He held her tight as they spiralled through the sky.

  Her hands trembled as she released his cock into her hand, and following his whispered directives, she wrapped her thighs around him, lodging him against her wet opening.

  She held her breath as they dropped altitude, and he thrust into her. She screamed as they came within twenty feet of the ocean surface and shuddered as her orgasm struck her when he changed direction to climb, forcing her hips hard against him and burying him inside her.

  She heard his wicked chuckle as he climbed again, his hands working her slowly on him. She clung to his shoulders as he thrust and retreated inside her, nipping at his jaw. Her nails dug in the moment that they started to fall again, and her excitement climbed with her terror.

  Hydra shuddered as aftershocks gripped her when he resumed their flight. It was like fucking on a roller coaster. All she could do was hang on and pray she wouldn’t die.

  An hour later and her legs wouldn’t hold her.

  Starburn returned them to their rooms for a quick shower, and after, she pulled out a long opaque skirt with no sex appeal and a button-down shirt.

  Two hold-overs from her original Terran clothing.

  Her underwear had long since been destroyed, and she had yet to find anything of comparable fit and support.

  When they returned to the common room, Tangle looked and sighed in relief. “Much more sensible.”

  Warp looked at her, “What did I miss?” Breaker grinned, “Eighty percent of her on display, and what was hidden was easily accessible.”

  Warp looked disappointed. “Damn it. Breaker, you are on the next maintenance round for the shuttle. I miss so much when I have to do it.” Starburn chuckled and even Hydra had to crack a smile. “Fine. Only polite clothing from now on. I thought the Nyal clothing sense was a little more adventurous.”

  Breaker shook her head. “Only during mating season. Will this be your first?” Hydra was surprised. “My first mating season? Oh. Oestrus. No. I have had… ” She paused and counted, using her fingers. “One hundred and twenty cycles so far. I haven’t had any for the last two years. I was thought to be a little hard to manage once I entered Nyal space.” The four Guardians stared at her in shock.

  Starburn asked, “One hundred and twenty?”

  “Sure. That is the reason for the suppressor shot. Terrans can breed every three hundred days or so if conditions are right. I mean, our bodies aren’t up to it, but it is theoretically possible.” She slowly moved into the kitchen and got a pitcher of water, a set of glasses and a tray.

  Her legs were still a little uncoordinated as she took tiny steps back to the conversation pit and winced as she stepped down. The tray wobbled alarmingly, and Starburn got to his feet, taking it from her.

  She poured a glass and sat back, noting that they were all still staring at her. “What?” They blinked as one, and she laughed. “You are looking at me like I am growing another head.” Starburn wrapped an arm around her and pulled her back against the couch. “So, there is a likelihood tha
t one day I might be a father.” She shrugged. “If we are genetically compatible. Just because we fit doesn’t mean that we can reproduce. I can stick a carrot in the toaster, but it doesn’t mean I can have heated vegetables anytime I want.”

  “I think a reproductive specialist can probably move things in our favour.” He stroked her cheek with a smile. “That happens to be my mother’s speciality.”

  Hydra’s eyes widened. “Oh. Right. Well, that would explain it.”

  The others just shrugged and left it alone.

  They watched the newscast and sighed in relief at the quiet day.

  Warp asked, “So, Hydra, did you ever watch all the past newsreels of our exploits on Deyfell 4?” She shook her head, and they all began to rifle through their recordings of their favourite rescues and heroic efforts. They were showing off.

  They watched the vids as a group, booing and cheering, reheating leftovers and munching on cookies late into the night. By the time it was over, Hydra had a much better idea of why they were so close and why they had accepted her in their group. They needed someone to break the tension that occasionally cropped up when they risked their lives over and over for folks who could not and would not understand them.

  She was a combination of mom, the little sister, and the girl next door.

  She dozed, leaning on Starburn while Warp showed a compilation of his greatest hits.

  The chime that alerted them to the call to duty rang, and Starburn set her gently down on the couch, kissing her softly before he left to don his uniform.

  The Guardians tiptoed around her as she drifted in and out on the couch. She smiled and had her nap, secure in the knowledge that she would be safe and that they would be back before she knew it.

  Someone lifted her and carried her to bed, removing her clothing before tucking her in. She smelled dirt and seaweed as she turned to watch Starburn stripping off his uniform.

  “Bad night?” She sat up and held the sheet to her breasts.

  “Not bad. Tangle had to do most of the work.” He pulled off his mask and stalked into the lav while the bots scurried out of their panels in the walls and absconded with the dirty uniform, leaving a clean one on the stand.