Page 39 of A Darkside Interlude

“I know enough. I know what I want.” He slid his arms around her waist, pulling her close. “Are you with me, Maribel?”

She looked up into his determined eyes—eyes that wouldn’t take no for an answer—and saw her future. With this man, there was no uncertainty.

“Yes,” she said simply, knowing full well that there was no going back, not from this man. That was perfectly fine with her.

“Good.” He kissed her.

In the dim light, in the blissful silence, he kissed her, and this kiss was different. It was full of delicious urgency. Mari felt his hunger and responded with her own, their tongues meeting. His mouth was warm and insistent and wanting, betraying the depths of his need.

His hands raked through her hair. Suddenly, his armor-gloves were gone, and she could feel the heat radiating from his fingertips as they caressed the back of her neck.

He took charge, holding her tightly, kissing her fiercely, filling her with growing desire.

“If only I could strip you naked right now and fuck you to my heart’s desire, I would. You do not know what agony you have put me through, Maribel.” He slid his hands up-and-down her back, making her shiver—in a good way.

Iskar’s touch obliterated all thoughts of the awful experience Mari had just gone through. She liked the way he held her.

As his hands curved over her ass, he let out an appreciative growl. Mari’s insides turned to mush. Her legs quivered. Her pussy throbbed. “I would like that very much,” she whispered, resting her head in the crook of his neck.

She closed her eyes and allowed herself to be swept away.

“Unfortunately, we have too much company here, including your enterprising young sibling.” Iskar’s voice was taut. His whole body was taut, like a wire that was about to snap. “For our first time, I want to take my time. I want to savor you as I please. So wait, my human, until we have arrived.”

“Artoo really asked you to find me? He’s onboard?”

“He is.”

Thank the stars! But Mari wasn’t entirely surprised. As soon as she’d realized her rescuer was the Kordolian, her first thought had been: thank the stars, Arturo’s safe.

As Iskar held Mari close, burying his face in her tousled hair, an extraordinary realization struck her.

For the first time in her life, she, a child of the Dust Alleys, felt safe.

All it had taken was for her to be abducted by a fierce warrior-alien from Kythia, and that was totally okay, because now he was her mate.

“Where are we going, Iskar?”

“Home.”

Coming from his lips, that word sounded unbelievably good.

Slowly, gently, Iskar disengaged from her, placing a possessive hand at the small of her back. “Come with me.” He guided her through a narrow doorway that opened up into a wide cabin. The ship was so dark and still and silent that Mari didn’t know whether they were moving or not. It was a slightly disorientating experience.

They passed rows of armor-suits and vicious looking weapons arranged on racks—sleek alien guns, blades, and other things she didn’t recognize.

Holy moly. These guys are the real deal.

It was like something out of a holo-movie.

“Put this on.” A black garment materialized in Iskar’s hand. It was a large coat of some sort—his coat. “There are others in the cabin. You may feel more comfortable wearing it.”

Two pairs of eyes—one human, one Kordolian—turned toward her as Mari slipped on Iskar’s jacket. It was much too large for her, but it covered up her terribly revealing dress.

And it smelled good… like him.

“Sis!” Artoo jumped up from his seat and ran to her. “You have no fucking idea how glad I am to see you.”

She opened her mouth to chide him about his language, but decided to let it slip as Artoo wrapped his arms around her in a giant bear-hug.

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