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  Of course, Xairn was under no illusion that she actually wanted him—she didn’t. She’d only done it because she preferred his touch to the AllFather’s—as any female in her right mind would. His father held horror and madness in his boney, scabrous hands.

  And what do I hold in my hands? Xairn asked himself as she disappeared briefly into the bathroom. For Lauren or any female? There was no gentleness in him. No tender caresses—of that he was sure.

  It had been all he could do to control himself when she was touching him so gently, healing his wound. Her face had been right on the level of his throbbing secondary shaft and her soft hands on his body had been maddening. His head had been filled with forbidden thoughts—images impossible to block out.

  He could almost see her delicate hands wandering just a little to the right and reaching into his unfastened pants. Her fingers would feel cool and soothing, caressing his secondary shaft. And then she would slip her hand around him and touch his primary shaft, his bonding shaft and he would…But Xairn didn’t want to think about what he wanted to do.

  I am filled with desires I don’t want, he thought in despair. Why could they not have remained dormant? What is it about Lauren that brings my body to life in this way?

  He didn’t have any answers.

  Just then Lauren came back. “Xairn,” she said in that soft, sweet voice he loved to listen to. “I just want to say again how sorry I am.”

  He frowned. “Why are you apologizing?”

  “You got hurt because of me.” She reached out, her fingertips lightly grazing his wounded side in a way that made Xairn quiver. “You were out fighting those horrible splicers to make it possible for me to get home and I didn’t even trust you enough to wait. I went outside the ship even though you told me not to, and gave you a whole new problem to deal with as soon as you got back. I’m so sorry for that.”

  The pleading look in her lovely amber eyes seemed to do something to his heart. It was strange but Xairn felt almost as though he was melting inside somehow. And yet, it was not an unpleasant sensation. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, trying to make his rough voice gentle. “I’m just glad things worked out as they did. I…I would rather die that see you sold as a splice whore.” Just the thought of her being passed around from male to male, taken against her will…It gave Xairn a cold, sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, as though he’d swallowed a fist-sized lump of ice. I would kill them. Kill any that touched her! She’s mine…mine!

  “Hey…” She laid a hand on his arm, shaking him out of the strange, possessive thoughts. Her gentle touch was like fire against his skin but Xairn didn’t ask her to stop.

  “It was good that I came when I did and that you used the cubes with the grieza worms to trade with.” he said in a low, choked voice. “You were supremely lucky.”

  “Or maybe my guardian angel was looking out for me.” She smiled at him and though Xairn had no idea what a ‘guardian angel’ was, he found himself smiling back—a little, anyway.

  “Come,” he murmured. “We really need to go.”

  “Okay.” Her fingers slid down his arm and then she nestled her small, soft hand in his large, rough one. She looked up at him. “Is this all right?”

  Xairn frowned. “I don’t know. What are you doing?”

  “Holding your hand, silly.” Smiling, she interlaced their fingers and gave his palm a little squeeze. “If you don’t mind, I mean.”

  It was a bad idea and Xairn knew it. Even such a light, innocent touch sent his senses into overload. But somehow he couldn’t ask her to stop. “No,” he said at last, his voice sounding hoarse. “I…I suppose it’s all right.”

  “Good.” Lauren squeezed his hand again. “Because I feel safer this way.”

  “You do?” He couldn’t imagine why physical contact with him would alter her feeling of safety or danger but perhaps it was an Earth thing. Or maybe just a female thing—it was hard to say since Xairn had never really known many females in his life.

  Lauren nodded. “I do. Now let’s go get our DNA altered.”

  Chapter Ten

  “She doesn’t seem to be in any danger. Not now at least.” Kat opened her eyes as she spoke and took a deep breath, trying to recover from the intense joining. She was still intimately connected with both her men and though the sensation of being penetrated both in front and in back was still pleasurable, it was no longer so intense as to be overwhelming.

  “It sounds like she was though—and Xairn rescued her just in time.” Lock sounded thoughtful.

  “I’d give a great deal to know the exact details of what happened.” Deep frowned. “But I suppose the important thing is that he’s looking out for her—protecting her as a proper male should his female.”

  “You really think he loves her?” Kat asked, shifting a little. The resulting sensations made all three of them moan. “Sorry…” she managed.

  “That’s all right.” Deep stroked her cheek. “And of course he loves her.”

  “Did you not see the way he trembled when she treated his wound?” Lock asked softly. “He loves her, my lady. But he doesn’t know how to express that love.”

  Deep snorted. “Show me a Scourge who knows how to love and I’ll pay good credit for the sight. They aren’t able to show love because it’s not in their genetics. They’re hardwired for pain and domination—not tender caresses.”

  “Maybe Xairn is different,” Kat said, really hoping it was true. “Maybe he’ll be able to show her how he feels in an appropriate manner.”

  “Being realistic, my lady, that probably won’t happen,” Lock said.

  “Lock is right, unfortunately,” Deep agreed. “He’s more likely to want to tie her to the bed and ravage her than prepare her favorite meals and bring her flowering vegetation.”

  Kat frowned. “I hope you’re wrong about that. Because I can tell that Lauren cares about him too. I don’t know if she knows it yet, but it’s easy to see. The way she looks at him—the way she touches him.”

  Deep shook his head. “She’d better be careful there. It’s the touching that’s likely to drive him over the edge.”

  Kat was troubled. “So you’re saying…”

  “The more she touches him, the more he wants her and the harder he has to fight against his natural impulses,” Deep finished for her.

  “Don’t despair, my lady.” Lock kissed the side of her neck gently in a way that sent a shiver down Kat’s spine. “He cares for her—that much we can see. I would venture to say that Xairn will do his utmost to hold back his Scourge nature in order to keep from hurting Lauren. Wouldn’t you, Brother?”

  “I would.” Deep kissed her cheek. “In the mean time, we know she’s safe. So why don’t we turn our attentions to more pressing matters?” He pulled halfway out of Kat’s pussy and pumped slowly back in, as though to illustrate his point.

  Kat groaned. “God, you’re insatiable.”

  He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Do you want me to stop?”

  She shook her head. “No…no, I think I could be up for round two. And I can tell both of you are.”

  “Indeed we are, my lady,” Lock murmured in her ear. “And this time there is no fear to get in the way. We can all fully enjoy the experience.” He followed his brother’s lead, pulling halfway out and thrusting slowly back into Kat’s rosebud.

  She moaned and threw her head back, letting it rest on Lock’s shoulder. “You’re right—I’m not a bit afraid. Except maybe that you two will wear me completely out.”

  “I doubt that,” Deep growled. “But it will certainly be fun trying.”

  Kat moaned again and gave herself up to pleasure. It was going to be a long, long night and she didn’t mind one bit.

  Chapter Eleven

  They walked down a long stone corridor with massive stalls on either side—some empty and others occupied by alien ships. Not many of them looked as normal as their little silver Kindred ship, but Lauren didn’t get a chance to admire or inspect them.