Dancing in the Darkness Read online

  Raakor lifted his black eyes to his leader and gave a low nod.

  "How's your flare-up?"

  Starr pulled her attention from the fireplace to Charlie and replied, "On the downside."

  There were some miracles, Charlie happily decided. "Good." She stood up with the techbit in her right hand and noticed it was only eight-thirty. The damn time on Kander seemed slower than in space. "I'm going to get some rest." She removed the sound field and exchanged a goodnight with her team before leaving the room.

  Completely ignoring the Omega guard this time, Charlie vanished into her room and started pacing the small space. Besides the fireplace's soft crackles, the only other sound was the open and close of Starr's room, most likely Raakor leaving. All Charlie could do was wait the last painstaking minutes while her imagination further charged her sexual frustrations.

  Chapter 5

  "I wish to see Kal."

  The Omega guard remained statue-still other than the slight rise of her chest until she finally gave the faintest of nods. She peeled herself off the stone wall and led the way to the lift that would take them up to Kal.

  Charlie clenched and unclenched her hands with each tick, nearly colliding into the Omega guard before the elevator gate slid open. She chose to ignore the guard's dark smirk when she entered the small confines of the elevator. Whether the Omega guard knew why Charlie was going to Kal at night was the least of her concerns. But in truth, she was unsure whether she wanted to know that the Omega guard had secretly been told to allow Charlie to go to Kal rather than denying her.

  As the lift hitched at the second to top floor, Charlie blew out a low breath and stepped off first, then followed the guard directly to the sealed doors. The two guards were indeed gone, and the soft light from the overhead torches was the only welcoming sign.

  The Omega guard rapped on the door and stepped aside when the left door creaked open with Kal on the other side. She briefly bowed her head to her ruler, then shifted and presented Charlie.

  Perhaps it wasn't the first time that the Omega guard had brought Kal a bedmate. Shaking off the thoughts, Charlie clenched her hands when Kal's intense eyes locked on her. Under the burning gaze, she already felt bare and spread open, unsure how to handle the situation.

  "Return to your post at our guest's room."

  "Ja, Kal." After a last bow, the guard returned to the waiting elevator and left the two alone.

  Kal took a step back and drew the door wider, silently offering Charlie to enter her quarters.

  Once Charlie passed the threshold, the heavy door closed behind her. Every ounce of Kal's attention remained on her, as if measuring and scheming the night's plan. Sparks of panic flared up in her chest, and her breaths grew heavier each time. Her mercenary skills demanded she know when to fight or flee. Standing there, she worried she'd chosen poorly tonight. But as she peered up, she found desire and want written on Kal's face. Besides anger, they were the first real emotions that Charlie had seen from the Alpha.

  Pulling away from the entrance, Kal slowly walked to the bedroom but glanced back at Charlie. She still wore the same clothes and was barefoot, but her hair was dry with one braid on either side to hold some of it back.

  After a deep breath, Charlie followed into the candlelit room and needed a moment for her eyes to adjust to the warm glow. Unsure of what to say, much less do, she nervously waited for Kal's first move. She slightly stiffened when Kal stepped into her personal space yet keeping a slight distance.

  Similar to earlier, Kal brought her head down closer, clearly scenting Charlie again. A low purr sounded from deep in her chest, most likely pleased by what she smelled from Charlie.

  Charlie nearly grabbed Kal's arms but instead looked over at the large bed next to her. She softly groaned after picturing herself naked with Kal and kissing wildly. But her groan shifted into a grumble when she remembered that Kalmar rarely kissed or did anything orally. They were dominated by smells and bites, lots of biting. A low grunt from Kal made her look up to see those desire filled features had cooled.

  "Remove your clothes first," Kal ordered. "Our scents will cross otherwise."

  Charlie swallowed first, then gave a nod. It was true that a Kalmar would smell their crossed scents if they continued wearing their clothes any longer, especially when they were both so sexually wired. However, the confidence to strip down was hardly easy, especially when Kal effortlessly pulled off her own tank top.

  Kal had backed off a step, giving them both space. She tossed the tank top onto a wing chair beside a bench, revealing her bare upper body. Every muscle down her arms and sculpted lines across her stomach was highlighted with the glow from the candlelight. Already her nipples were hard from the cooler air. For a moment, she hooked her thumb at the waistband of her pants, waiting for Charlie.

  Twice Charlie had to coach herself and remember that this wasn't her first time having sex with a stranger. She was usually far more confident and in control, but she had never been with an Alpha. Even if she felt disjointed with herself, she was utterly under Kal's command. She reached for the hem of her black shirt, slowly pulling it off, dropping it to the floor, then she knelt down to remove her boots.

  Every movement she made, Kal's green eyes burned into her. Charlie had lovers who'd shown her sexual desire, but Kal's passion was raw, hungry, and distinctly primal. She wondered whether all Alphas were this way or just Kal. As she stood up and struggled with the belt buckle, she caught a soft rumble from Kal, as if irritated by the lack of physical contact. But the dangers of spreading one's smell onto the other's clothes were far too great.

  Charlie stepped out of her pants and dropped them with a heavy thud. She stood before the Alpha in her breast wrap and underwear, nearly vulnerable in every way. As she studied Kal, she saw the clenched jaw and white knuckles; she appreciated Kal's self-control.

  "Everything," Kal sharply ordered.

  After licking her lips, Charlie nodded once and easily undid the breast wrap before she touched the soft underwear. Hooking her fingers into them, she slowly pulled them down and felt the cool air instantly brush against the dampness between her legs. She shut her eyes when Kal purred low, smelling her arousal, and it sent shocks deeper in her gut.

  Upon opening her eyes, she became aware of the visible tent between Kal's legs, the loose black pants barely hiding anything. Charlie bit her lip when Kal started pushing the waistband down, creeping lower until finally the hardened penis was freed from its confines. Being so much closer gave Charlie a better view of finer details, like the fact Kal had no hanging testicles. But she was hardly naïve to think that she still couldn't get pregnant and kept medicine back at her room ready for her return.

  With the pants off, Kal added them to the tank top on the chair, then looked at Charlie's flushed features. With a single step, she was close to Charlie again and was growling heavier than earlier. Charlie latched onto thick biceps that had taunted her ever since this afternoon. A sharp gasp jumped from her throat as teeth latched onto her neck, then a tongue brushed across her burning skin. "Fuck," Charlie whispered and dug her nails into muscle. Kal pressed forward into her, the thick shaft even more apparent.

  "Get onto the bed." Kal was pushing Charlie backward and grazing her teeth over a soft ear.

  Charlie grunted when her ass bumped the firm bed, and she tore her head away from the nipping teeth. She sucked in a breath and realized how quickly everything was about to happen, including losing full control. Her fiery blue eyes stilled Kal, long enough for her to speak up. "If you think you're going to rut into me like a piece of meat, you're fucking wrong." She kept a strong grip on Kal's thick arms and did her best to ignore all the power of an Alpha god until a dangerous rumble and bared teeth made her panic.

  Suddenly, Kal forced Charlie onto the bed and shoved her into the middle with sheer dominance. The Alpha's snarl only ended when their faces were nearly touching each other.

  Frantically, Charlie pushed against Kal's shoulder,
and she showed her own display of teeth in silent anger. She dared Kal to push the limits further, but the longer she stared into those eyes, the more she lost her resolve. Her hints of fear were mixed with the thick arousal that continued to pool between her legs. Trembles started low in her belly, passing up to her arms and showing Kal her weakness.

  Kal had her hands pressed firmly into the bed on either side of Charlie. She continued holding Charlie's blue eyes, daring her to push back. When the ticks passed without any further fight, she rocked back onto her knees and grabbed Charlie's sides, forcibly turning her over.

  Charlie was startled by the change, and panic exploded into terror at the thought of totally losing control. There was no way in hell she could allow somebody, especially an Alpha, to take her from behind. She yelled and hastily grappled with Kal, knowing she would probably lose.

  Rumbles and growls erupted from Kal as she fought for dominance over Charlie under her. Their hands slid, and her feet jammed into Kal's solid stomach, but the Alpha was like a vice that gripped down. Kal had Charlie on her belly and snared her arms around Charlie, then suddenly lifted her up, jerking her closer until their bodies molded together.

  A strained cry broke from Charlie, and she pushed against the thick coils of muscle across her chest and stomach that had her locked in place. For the first time, she felt helplessly powerless in bed and actually afraid of what Kal may do to her. She was idiotic to think having sex with the Kalmar Alpha was sane, much less safe.

  Kal released a low huff near Charlie's ear, then snarled, "I won't hurt you."

  Somehow the promise broke through Charlie's fear, and she took a deep breath, dropping her head against the broad shoulder behind her. For a few ticks, she swallowed more air and regained her better senses. The gentle rumbles at her back somehow calmed her further and chased off the last of the panic in her bones. A different kind of tremble started throughout her body as she accepted that Kal might actually be careful with her.

  In every sexual encounter, Charlie had been in control and had rules, never trusting anyone wholly. But this Alpha, a god called Kal, was demanding she let go, and for once the noise in her head died down. She released another heavy breath, losing a weight on her shoulders and withdrawing her nails from the arms around her body.

  As if sensing the shift, Kal gently lowered them both down to the bed, bodies never breaking apart. She pressed her right hand against the bed while her left arm remained hooked around Charlie's stomach. She remained curled overtop Charlie breathing in her scent, never seeming to get enough.

  Charlie moved her hair to one side and bit her lip when Kal nuzzled her ear. Such a small gesture eased her nerves further, and she wondered if there was indeed a softer side to Alphas.

  Kal nudged the reddened ear one last time before whispering, "I'm going to fuck you and keep fucking you until you tell me to stop." Her teeth grazed across the tip of the ear while Charlie groaned in response.

  "Just…." Charlie stumbled with her words, mouth drier than any beer she'd enjoyed on Lerto. "Just go slow at first." Earlier she had seen the size of Kal's penis and knew she would need time to adjust, if possible. The old gossip about the size of Alpha penises was indeed true. She swallowed when Kal pulled her left arm free, and she expected to suddenly be filled, but instead, the thick shaft between her ass was pulled away. Surprisingly, the length was moved between Charlie's legs, under her vagina.

  Kal returned her arm around Charlie's stomach and started nipping against warm skin along Charlie's shoulders. Gently, she rolled her hips, and a soft purr passed from her into Charlie. Her cock slowly pushed back and forth, the movements brushing Charlie's throbbing clit.

  With a gasp, Charlie curled her fingers into the bed's cover and struggled with her body's natural desire to rock her hips too.

  "Relax," Kal ordered in a thick voice.

  Nodding weakly, Charlie gave in to her needs and moved her hips with Kal's own. Her sensitive clit rubbed against the hardened length, easing more and more slickness down her inner thighs. Each push back caused the cock's head to tap against her belly. Her own wetness spread down the shaft, making it even easier to grind together. Their sweat mingled, and her whimpers mixed with demanding Alpha growls. Every pass across her clit built her up more and more.

  Sharply, Kal halted Charlie, and her snarl grew impossibly deeper, passing into Charlie's shoulders. She released Charlie, straightened up, and moved her hand between their bodies, sadly putting space between them. Charlie hissed at the loss of contact but knew what was to follow, even if she was suddenly impatient. She felt Kal's arm tap her ass a few times and imagined Kal stroking her cock to make sure it was hard enough for her.

  Every pulse from Charlie's clit created a thicker ache in her belly, knowing Kal would fill her soon. She had wanted and desired sex in the past, but tonight she was consumed by a different kind of need, one almost foreign to her. When the tip of Kal's shaft kissed her entrance, she groaned in both excitement and welcome.

  Kal went slow and even gentle as she pressed her right hand flat against Charlie's stomach, bracing her. Almost painstakingly, she eased her hips forward and nudged the tip of her cock past the entrance. Charlie's low gasp made her snarl, perhaps in self-restraint more than anything. She continued easing farther into Charlie's tight depths.

  Each push forward caused Charlie to whimper and claw more into the bed cover. Where she had been aching, she was now filled and coming closer to splitting open. Every time Kal reached farther into her, she felt another emotion rise in her chest. A slight burn started around her entrance, and the next push made her latch onto Kal's wrist, a silent plea for her to pause.

  Seeming to understand, Kal stopped but leaned down again until her front pressed into Charlie's back, and she used her left hand to balance her weight. Never moving forward or backward, she remained still inside of Charlie, as if preparing for a rush later.

  "How far are you in?" Charlie asked, short of breath.

  "It doesn't matter," Kal rumbled before biting the skin along Charlie's neck and down her shoulder.

  Too curious, Charlie reached back and grazed the portion of Kal's length that was still out of her. She huffed in frustration, knowing the possible incompatibility issues before they started this night. As if sensing her displeasure, Kal nudged her cock and broke Charlie's negative thoughts until a brief idea dashed through her mind.

  "Can you knot me?" Charlie blurted out. Alphas had to be in a rut to form a knot, but Charlie had no idea if it was the same for Kal.

  Kal's amused rumble transferred through Charlie's entire frame, surprising her. The sound sent an excited chill down her spine.

  "I'm not in a rut, and I'm still not completely in you."

  A blush colored Charlie's cheeks, and she instantly retorted, "You are a little big." A warm huff brushed across her ear followed by a thick chuckle, but all amusement vanished when she drew the cock back out. Heat started rebuilding low in Charlie's gut, but she remained still against Kal's painstakingly slow movements.

  Every precious measure of thickness slid away from Charlie's tightened walls, closer to her entrance. Each heartbeat forced her fingers to twist deeper into the sheets, and a startled gasp came from her lips when Kal paused, nearly at the end. It seemed as if the Kal's ability to go slow was both perfect and maddening for Charlie.

  The wait for Kal to start pushing forward again nearly drove Charlie to beg for it. She bit her bottom lip, resisting the urge to plead for Kal to sink into her. Just before giving in, she whimpered when her cock nudged forward again, deeper into Charlie's silky tightness. Charlie began panting as the Alpha filled her more, needing it all, even when she wasn't ready. This time, Kal's groan overpowered Charlie's own and broke into a moan when they reached the limit.

  Charlie struggled against Kal's hold around her stomach, trying to rock backward and grind on the hard length even if it was too much for her. But a sudden sharpness flared at her neck when Kal's canine teeth clamped on her s
kin, stilling her completely. This time Charlie's whimper was painful rather than pleasurable, and she grabbed onto Kal's nearby wrist. Quickly, she deduced that Kal was reinforcing her control over their current arrangement, and Charlie could only submit. She forced herself to be still, and Kal immediately loosened her bite and licked the spot twice before lifting her head near Charlie's ear.

  "You are still too tight for any more."

  Charlie swallowed and nodded in agreement but insisted, "We can go faster." A gentle nip against her shoulder made her shiver and left her skin burning there.

  Kal lifted her head and adjusted her position, preparing to fulfill Charlie's wish. With slightly more speed, she withdrew her cock and started pushing right back into the tight walls. This time there was no pause or conversation, Kal immediately pulled her hips back, dragging her hardened length through the wet heat. Charlie's whine seemed to encourage Kal further, the speed increasing with each push.

  Sweat beaded down Charlie's brow and across her back, where their skin touched and dragged in rhythm. With her teeth clamped over her lip, she muffled the soft cries and clawed harder against the bed. Lust burned thick in her belly, and each new push became just a little deeper, filling her more. But Kal's sudden stop forced a thick groan from Charlie, and tears pricked behind her eyes.

  "You don'…." Kal faltered between her own gasps but finally ordered, "Don't be silent." She nuzzled Charlie's neck and whispered, "You're safe here."

  Charlie barely managed a weak nod, but it was enough for Kal to start again.

  Kal shifted her knees against the bed, better bracing herself. She started with a gentle push before she drove into Charlie, again and again. Her grunts turned into light howls with each thrust, but she never completely rutted into Charlie.

  Still, the lust and pleasure shot through them and made Charlie cry out, wanting the edge of satisfaction. Needing the last measure, she rocked back against Kal and forced the thrusts harder, sending heated bolts up into her chest. Charlie screamed with every drive until Kal's final thrust broke her into an orgasm, and her last cry was matched with an Alpha's howl. Completely weakened, Charlie sagged all her weight against Kal's hold.