Page 7 of Surrender
While her friends had all gone off to prestigious universities, Fiona had stayed home and attended a local community college instead. This allowed her to keep a close eye on her mother. Instead of becoming a doctor like she’d dreamed about her whole life, she’d gotten a medical secretary certificate and a part-time job in a nearby pediatrician’s office.
It wasn’t her first job choice, but she’d enjoyed working there for seven years—until the war broke out and civilians scrambled for safety in shelters and, eventually, camps like the one she’d spent weeks in with Janie.
Oh God. Mom.
The fleeting remorse she felt over deceiving Merokk was nothing compared to the grief pressing against her chest. She missed her mother terribly and still hadn’t come to terms with the fact that she would probably never see her again.
Saying goodbye had ripped her apart.
Her mind whirled with the many emotions coursing through her.
She glanced up at Merokk. He was a Kall warrior. His hands were stained with the blood of her fellow humans. No matter how warm his smile or his demeanor toward her, he was nothing but a cold-blooded killer.
The Kall possessed technology that disabled most human weaponry, and they preferred brutal hand-to-hand combat. Was it a sword or a battle-ax that had served as his weapon of choice as he slaughtered her people? Large as he was, she could easily imagine him leading a contingent of alien warriors against her people on the battlefield.
Black spots suddenly dotted her vision as her body and mind slipped into a dark void.
I’m fainting, she thought, but didn’t feel the impact of her body hitting the ground.
The last thing she heard was Merokk calling Betsy’s name, and then there was nothing.
Chapter 4
“Betsy?Betsy, it’s time to wake up now. Betsy? Can you hear me?”
The deep, familiar voice slowly pulled Fiona out of the darkness. Her eyes fluttered open and met with bottomless black ones. Merokk gazed down at her with an anxious intensity that rocked her to her core.
He looked concerned—for her.
“Wha-what happened?” She attempted to rise up, but he shook his head and placed two firm hands against her shoulders, pinning her down effectively.
“You passed out. My doctor says you’ll be fine.”
His hands moved lower to rest on her stomach, and his familiarity with her body sent involuntary waves of heat through her center, as well as little shudders that made her breath catch. Her pulse raced as she stared up at her soon-to-be husband.
He was a stranger—a Kall.
How could her body so quickly desire that which her heart despised?
She closed her eyes and willed the last six months to be a nightmare, but when she opened them, Merokk was still there, all dark red skin and pure muscle.
Why did he have to be so beautiful?
“Where am I?” The bed was soft and large, piled high with silky comforters and pillows. The décor in the bedroom was simple but elegant, and Fiona doubted she was in the White House. It was too modern here… too alien.
“This is my ship, theWannok.” He leaned closer and smoothed her hair away from her face, his fingers lingering far too long, causing small shivers of awareness to rush through her. “How are you feeling, Betsy?”
Taken aback by his tenderness, she simply stared.
Her thoughts traveled back hours ago to their first meeting. He’d seemed so imposing, but at the same time… fair. For a Kall, anyway. She’d been rude to him—her anger had won out over her fear and she hadn’t been able to control her tongue. Looking back, she felt reckless for testing him.
Unless you wish to feel my hand applied to your bare bottom, you will apologize.
His threatening words from earlier taunted her suddenly, and, to her shock, sent another gush of pleasure surging between her thighs.
Her traitorous body craved his touch, rough or gentle, and her throat burned as more shame welled up inside her. Her mind spun with all that was happening. It was all so confusing, so fast.
She felt lost and vulnerable and completely at Merokk’s mercy.
