Page 61 of Dark Horizon New Dawn

MARINA

Marina woke up after the most wonderful dream. It hadn't lasted long enough, though, and she wished she could return to floating over the beautiful alien landscapes with colors that didn't have a name in any of the languages she spoke.

She was no stranger to the effects of a venom bite, but compared to the Kra-ell, the immortal's was much more potent and delivered twice the euphoric experience.

She was warm and deeply satisfied, but most of all, she felt safe. Peter had his arms wrapped around her, his leg draped over her thighs, caging her in as if he was afraid she would escape while he slept.

Or at least that was what she imagined, what she hoped for.

The night with Peter had been revelatory. Marina had experienced passion and connection that she hadn't expected, and as she looked at Peter, a wave of sweet affection washed through her. He looked so peaceful, his features relaxed in his slumber, and she wanted to believe that it was because he felt as contented as she did.

Lifting her hand, she feathered her fingers over his cheek, the slope of his nose, his forehead. His skin was perfect. There wasn't even a hint of a wrinkle anywhere, not a blemish or even a freckle. It was good that he kept some facial hair, or he would have looked like a boy.

Marina chuckled softly.

Peter was all man, or rather all male, one who knew a hell of a lot about pleasing women. She didn't want to think about the number of bed partners he'd had over his long life.

How old was he?

For all she knew, he could be thousands of years old. All those immortals looked to be in their twenties and early thirties, and they didn't volunteer their age.

Asking was out of the question, and not just because it might be considered rude. It was an unspoken rule for humans to be seen but not heard and to be as unobtrusive as possible.

She'd broken that rule by going to the Lido deck and ordering a drink at the bar like she was a guest. The truth was that she'd expected the robot barman to refuse to serve her and had been surprised when he'd served her with his fake but oddly endearing smile.

She also hadn't expected to find Peter there, sitting alone at the bar.

Marina had taken it as a sign that she should approach him. It couldn't have been a coincidence that the one time she'd gathered the courage to go to the bar, the immortal she'd been watching from the first day of the cruise was there.

Observing Peter during every meal she served, she'd noticed him glancing her way a few times, but as soon as his eyes met hers, he would shift his gaze away, pretending that he was just looking in her general direction but not directly at her.

Sometimes, she was certain that he was watching her, but other times she thought that she imagined it, and approaching him had been difficult.

She was glad that she had. If he hadn't lied about reading her mind, he was perfect for her. Then again, he wouldn't have restraints and nipple clamps on hand if he wasn't into the same kink she was.

"Why are you awake?" he murmured with his eyes closed.

"Am I supposed to be asleep?"

"Definitely." He lazily lifted his eyelids. "You are supposed to be out for hours after a venom bite, soaring on the wings of euphoria."

She smiled. "I was. You forget that this wasn't my first time getting bitten. My body is familiar with the effects, and I don't black out for as long."

His lazy smile wilted. "The Kra-ell?"

She nodded. "Their venom is not as potent as yours, but it still delivers the fun stuff along with the blackouts."

"Were you forced?" he growled.

"Forced is too strong of a word. I was coerced and bribed, but I was given a choice. I could have said no."

He looked skeptical. "Could you really?"

"Rape was not condoned in the compound, but everyone knew that saying no carried consequences. Besides, we all knew that it was impossible to say no to bloodsuckers who could take hold of our minds and convince us that we desired them."

"Was that what happened to you?"

"I don't know for sure. He might have thralled me to think that he was sexy and that I wanted him. He was a nineteen-year-old hybrid whom I found attractive. I was seventeen at the time, but I was born in the compound, and I didn't think that I was too young. I grew up knowing that one day I would be summoned, and when I was, it felt almost like a rite of passage. I was so glad that my first was a hybrid and not a pureblood. I was terrified of them, and I heard that they were brutal. Yogun did his best to be considerate of my inexperience, but with his Kra-ell strength and natural proclivities, he wasn't all that gentle. Not that it was bad. His own natural lubrication and the bite helped make it a good memory."

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