Page 21 of Devil's Night

Perspicacious little human. But her safety was my prime concern, eclipsing any desire for vengeance against Doar. I fixed her with an intense look, allowing some of the steel in my voice to slip through.

“Forget about Doar for now. Getting you someplace secure is my only priority.”

She didn’t argue, simply giving a small nod of acceptance. Good - she was wise enough not to question me on this.

I turned and began leading her down a side street, scanning for the telltale green-glass dome I knew marked the Rulionembassy’s attached inn. Surely they would have adequate security and discretion to keep Nicole sheltered until I could formulate a plan.

Soon enough, the gleaming structure came into view, the sun’s rays refracting through the curved glass in dazzling patterns. I pressed my thumb against the DNA reader at the entrance and stated my identity code in a low rumble.

“Vinduthi bounty hunter Khor Sargon and human companion. Requesting private quarters.”

The computer chimed in acknowledgment, and the front doors slid open with a soft hiss. I gestured for Nicole to precede me inside.

As we stepped through the lobby, her head swiveled this way and that, trying to take in every sight. I couldn’t help but smile faintly at her wide-eyed wonder. To her, everything must seem so bizarre and strange, but to me it was utterly mundane.

I took her hand, savoring her soft skin against my calloused palm, and led her to the guest quarters. Our room was spacious yet spartan, with smooth white walls and minimalist furnishings. But what caught Nicole’s attention were the various amenities.

She drifted over to the food dispensers, studying the controls with rapt fascination. “Is this a replicator? Like from Star Trek?”

“I don’t know that reference,” I admitted. “But yes, it can materialize any food or beverage you desire by rearranging the molecular structure of the base matter.”

Nicole let out a soft laugh of delight, shaking her head in disbelief. Then her gaze landed on the transparent aluminum window offering a panoramic view of the cityscape beyond. Slowly, almost reverently, she reached out to trace her fingertips along the seamless pane.

“It’s beautiful, “ she breathed. “Like something out of a dream.”

I said nothing, content just to watch the play of emotions flickering across her lovely features. She was like a child experiencing true wonder, her sense of awe and excitement utterly captivating.

After exploring every facet of the room, she made her way to the open doorway of the bathroom, peeking inside. A look of pure bliss crossed her face as she took in the gleaming, state-of-the-art facilities.

“Oh, a real shower…” Nicole’s shoulders slumped with relief. “I would kill for a chance to get cleaned up after tramping around in that dusty old house.”

She turned toward me then, catching my gaze through her thick fan of lashes as she wet her lips. “Would you care to join me?”

NICOLE

The steam of the shower enveloped us, the water cascading over our bodies like a tropical downpour. Sargon’s hands moved with unexpected deftness, soaping me up, tracing my curves with an artist’s precision. I felt cherished, worshiped, even as my heart raced with the anticipation of what was to come.

As he washed my hair, he massaged my scalp, the sensation sending tingles down my body. I closed my eyes, indulging in the feeling, the intimacy of the moment. When I finally dared to look down, my breath hitched.

Long and thick, the skin was a deep rich grey, a few shades darker than that of his skin. Soft flanges ran down the length of the shaft, and the thick triangular head glistened with a bead of excitement that made my own body respond with a surge of wet heat.

“Do you want to touch it?” The hunger in Sargon’s voice nearly knocked me off my feet.

My hand trembled as I reached out, wrapping my fingers around the girth of him. The soft flanges along his shaft pulsed under my touch, and I stroked him hesitantly at first, then with growing confidence as I watched his face contort with pleasure.

“Careful, Nicole,” he warned, his voice strained. “I’m not made of stone.”

He captured my hand, stilling my movements, and for a moment, we stood there, our breaths mingling with the steam, desire almost visible in the air. Then he was washing me again, igniting a fire within me that threatened to consume us both.

He turned me around, and I moaned as his soapy hands cupped my breasts, rolling my nipples into hard peaks. I arched into his touch, lost in the pleasure he was so skillfully coaxing from me. One hand slid between my thighs, teasing my entrance before plunging inside, stretching me, preparing me.

The world narrowed to the sensation of Sargon’s fingers inside me, his other hand squeezing my breast, rough yet tender. His kisses trailed along my neck, his teeth grazing my skin, each nip sending jolts of pleasure straight to my core.

“You’re mine, Nicole,” he demanded, lips against my throat, voice thick with desire. “Every part of you belongs to me.”

I couldn’t form words, could barely think as he claimed me with his hands, his mouth, his body. I was his – completely, utterly his, and the knowledge of that sent me spiraling towards release.

“Yes,” I moaned, my voice echoing off the shower walls. “Yours, Sargon. Only yours.”

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