Dancing in the Darkness Read online

  "When did you leave?"

  Licking her dry lips, Charlie drifted back into memories that were difficult but also were a new stage of her life that shaped her into the mercenary today. "Fourteen." Two days after her birthday, she ran away from the adoptive family who raised her on Kander and started her new life.

  Kal hummed low until it deepened into a rumble. "Will you ever settle down again?"

  Charlie laughed softly and looked at Kal before saying, "People in my line of work don't exactly retire." She gazed out at the city and whispered, "We simply go out with a bang."

  A comfortable quietness settled over them, both gazing upon the gorgeous lands and lost in thoughts. For a moment, Charlie was taken back to Earth and was reminded why planets like Kander were so special. One of her last memories on Earth was hiking through a National Park and enjoying the sunny day, birds flying overhead, squirrels racing across the trail, and sounds of a nearby creek's soft babble. She sighed heavily and wished that Earth had survived the interstellar war, but its destruction had saved the Milky Way, for now.

  "What became of your family?"

  Charlie frowned and glanced at Kal, wondering why they were circling back to her family history. Perhaps it was the simple fact Kal had forgotten her own or couldn't remember due to her ascension as a god-ruler. Licking her dry lips, she honestly replied, "They died on Earth when it was blown up."

  "Brothers or sisters?"

  Chuckling low, Charlie shook her head and explained, "Joh. I was pretty much born in a lab." She tightened her arms and swallowed against the faint lump in her throat. "My biological mother and father were donors because my legal parents couldn't get pregnant. But my legal mother did carry me to term… almost." She was born months early and started her life in a plastic box at a hospital.

  Again Kal was silent, seeming to take in Charlie's turbulent life. "Did you meet your biological parents?"

  "Joh, it was a closed deal." Charlie shrugged then softly added, "Maybe I searched for them when I was old enough." She flashed a smirk at Kal. "Doesn't matter now that we blew Earth the fuck up." She tilted her head and asked, "What about you and your family?" Carefully, she watched Kal's features, trying to find some scrap of emotion rather than the firm mask.

  "My people are my family," Kal stated.

  Charlie dragged her fingers through her messy hair and grumbled at the strange reply. She blew out a low breath, debating whether to test the waters between them. "I know the stories that Kal, the High Commander, carries Kalatas inside of them but… you were born just like any Kalmar. You had to have parents." She shook her head and asked desperately, "Don't you remember or choose to forget?" Some part of her ached for Kal no matter the answer. The idea that somebody had to lose their identity to serve a calling was both honorable and horrifying to her. As the ticks stretched on, she wasn't sure Kal would even humor her.

  But then Kal turned her attention directly to Charlie, and behind her bright green eyes was a soft spark. "My oldest memory is looking into the Light of Kalatas, then it fading away, and I was seated upon the throne in front of my people. Whatever my life had been before that moment was meaningless to what I saw in the Light of Kalatas. I am filled with all the knowledge of the past Kals and Kalatas's spirit." She held Charlie's stare with conviction and added softly, "You would understand if you could gaze into the Light."

  Charlie shook her head, and a low heat burned under her skin. "But you are more than just a god." She held out her hand at the city and river in front of them. "You came from a home out there with a family. You probably had friends. A house you were born in. Maybe you rode a horse as a kid. Maybe you broke your arm when you were nine. Or maybe you had feelings for the Omega who lived next door. Or or or…." She crossed her arms again and frustratingly huffed at the distant look on Kal's face, but there was something else that she couldn't read.

  "Sometimes…." Kal hesitated for the first time but pressed forward with a faint shake behind her words. "Sometimes fragments come back like a ghost." She shook her head and added softly, "Each time I try to hold onto them too hard, they vanish." With a heavy sigh, she looked at Charlie and stated, "I am not meant to remember my mortal life."

  "Until your death," Charlie whispered, her heart growing heavy. She was split in half, both disliking and revering the god of Kander. This Kal, whoever she was, had made the ultimate sacrifice for her people, and their god, Kalatas, had no qualms with taking a body and wiping out her individuality. All High Commanders were simply a vessel for the god. However, in the end, Kalatas cared for its people and planet, constantly taking action rather than being a passive god. Perhaps Earth would still exist if its god had intervened and halted doomsday.

  Bowing her head slightly, Charlie whispered, "It's not my place to give such a damn but…." She met Kal's hard stare. "Taking away what makes you an individual is not fair."

  Kal revealed a dark smile and shifted closer. "Every Alpha who's looked into the Light of Kalatas has done so willingly and with a sense of duty." She grew serious, and a rumble filled her chest. "Even you should be able to respect my choice to make this sacrifice for my people."

  Charlie sensed that arguing further about it was a dangerous idea, knowing there were better reasons than this to intentionally provoke Kal's Alpha. She gave a nod and said sincerely, "I do respect your choice more than you probably know." Defusing the situation further, she said, "I should get ready."

  "It is wise that you bathe before you put on your clothes."

  Dragging her fingers through dark blond strands, Charlie bit her bottom lip and knew that Kal had a point. She nodded, then silently followed Kal into the bathroom that was nearly the size of Charlie's own room. With a slightly slack jaw, she took in the local décor such as old crossed swords hanging under twin windows high up and a scenic countryside mural painted on the entire left wall. Directly in the center was a gigantic tub that commanded all her attention. The damn thing easily sat four people comfortably.

  Kal went around it and worked a few knobs that released hot water. It took quite a bit of time to fill, steam wafting through the stately room. Charlie suspected that Kal had turned on the water earlier this morning in preparation of their bath. Suddenly, her heart lurched at the idea that they were bathing together in daylight. Last night had been easier when they could mask themselves under the slow burn of the candlelight.

  Seemingly undeterred by the situation, Kal freed the robe's tie as she approached the stone steps that led up to the tub. Her robe fell and cascaded away from her body, exposing her richly bronzed skin and black mane. With grace, she descended into the inviting water that was giving off a flowery scent and sat down with her back against the tub's wall.

  Slightly shaking, Charlie tried getting a hold of her natural reaction to Kal's beauty and power, but it was useless. She inwardly sighed at herself and decided, for now, to accept how her body wanted Kal so much. It took extra effort to free the robe's slash, but Charlie pushed it off her shoulders and ascended the steps. She felt Kal's eyes on her, burning into every centimeter of her skin. Charlie was beginning to realize their fiery attraction was completely mutual, even if it was considered unnatural among their people.

  After taking in the tub's space, Charlie took a seat to Kal's right, close but never touching. For a moment, she simply enjoyed the hot water that soothed sore muscles throughout her body, especially ones that'd been worked so well last night. She sighed contently, closed her eyes, and leaned her head against the tub. Even though she couldn't see Kal, she felt the desire stirring between them again, and it made her smile knowingly.

  Briefly, she thought back on the earlier conversation on the balcony and curiously looked at Kal. "Has every Kal been an Alpha?"

  Kal canted her head and lifted an arm onto the top of the tub's side. "All but the first." She seemed to read Charlie's curiosity. "Only an Omega can give birth and nurture the people."

  Charlie had heard a different history and mythology about previous H
igh Commanders, but she found it more interesting to learn from a High Commander directly.

  "There is a prophecy that if Kal is an Omega again, it will be the end of days."

  Such dark folklore made Charlie straighten up. "In human religion, Omega always meant the end. Our God was the Alpha and the Omega… the beginning and the end." She noticed Kal was quite interested in the information.

  "Perhaps our gods were related, then."

  Charlie exhaled heavily and said, "I hope not, for Kander's sake." Slowly, her face grew darker as she thought about what happened to Earth. "When the Sworne came to our solar system, to our planet, our God did nothing. He remained silent and hidden… left us to fight alone." Rage started burning in her chest, making her shake all over. "We blew up Earth to save the rest of the galaxy, and nobody gives a fucking rat's ass, much less thanks us."

  Kal sighed heavily and pushed off the wall, nearing Charlie. "I admire your people and especially your spirit to fight." She paused in front of Charlie, though never touching bodies. "Your people are safe here on Kander."

  After settling her emotions, Charlie nodded once while looking away and tried reminding herself that she shouldn't give a damn about what happened to Earthlings. She bit her lip, then focused on Kal in front of her. "No planet is safe with the Sworne out there."

  A heavy rumble rolled through Kal's chest and she stated, "Perhaps the Sworne will fear Kander now that the rebel Earthlings are here."

  Despite the conversation, Charlie couldn't help a small laugh at the joke, but then maybe Kal had a point. Still, she was certain once the Sworne learned of Kander's resources and darakar, it would be the beginning of the end. She doubted it would be this lifetime or even the next, but soon a High Commander would battle the Sworne. Some piece of Charlie wanted to see the face-off even if she already knew the story's end.

  A light touch to Charlie's thigh made her refocus on Kal. As they held each other's eyes, she knew exactly what was to come between them. Normally there would be foreplay, seducing, or even a bit of kissing, but Kal was an Alpha and a Kalmar, both known for getting straight to the point. Still, she wanted to ease into their next fuck.

  "Have you ever been with a human before?" Charlie asked daringly. Nothing was given away in Kal's features, but she saw Kal's pupils dilate. She nearly drifted into waiting hands, wanting to close the distance between them yet restraining herself.

  "Joh."

  The answer was clipped and firm but filled Charlie with a sense of relief and a bit of pride that she was Kal's first. She chewed down on her smirk, not wanting to accidentally incite Kal's Alpha. However, a piece of her wondered if Kal chose her because she was safe, and so that no other Kalmar learned their ruler had an affinity for humans. Soon Charlie would return to space and be off Kander, leaving no evidence of their forbidden affair.

  "Have you been with a Kalmar?"

  Jerked from her thoughts, Charlie was nearly undone when Kal's voice thundered, heavy and thick, making her clit pulse with want. Clenching her hand under the water, she whispered honestly, "You're my first." Kal's low rumble made her bite down on her lip, holding back a moan.

  "I am a special breed of Alpha called a Carnec. We are a blend of both Alpha and Omega." Kal tilted her head, studying Charlie carefully. "Did you know of Carnec Alphas before me?"

  Shaking her head twice, Charlie replied hoarsely, "Joh."

  "We are extremely rare," Kal informed. "Some are even killed at birth."

  Charlie was distraught by the information even if she'd grown up around the Kalmar's harsh ways. "Why?"

  "There are some that see a Carnec Alpha as a mistake of nature."

  "But are there Carnec Omegas too? Do they kill them?"

  "Ja, there are Carnec Omegas." After a low hum, Kal lowered her attention to the steaming water and replied softly, "Omegas are generally prized so even a Carnec Omega can have a place."

  Still disturbed by the history behind Carnec Alphas, Charlie wished to learn more about Kal's own past and especially why her family kept her alive even though such questions would always remain unanswered. Frowning a little, she finally said, "I guess you get why the hybrids feared the Degenerate Kill Order."

  Bowing her head, Kal whispered, "Ja." Slowly, her dark eyes traveled back to Charlie and centered only on her, as if there was nothing else that mattered. Kal returned to her earlier spot, her back pressing against the tub's wall. "Perhaps you would like to learn more about a Carnec Alpha." She placed her hands on top of the tub's side, lifting her body up from the water.

  Kal's wolfish smile caused Charlie's heart to jump to light speed, and she did her best to appear calm. Before even getting a single word out, she watched Kal starting to rise from the steamy water.

  First Charlie's eyes traveled down Kal's neck until her view was filled by the round breasts and hard nipples. The water continued running down Kal's tan skin and twisted across the defined stomach muscles before pooling between her muscular legs and dripping off the end of her cock. Kal slid her ass onto the top of the tub, leaving her on full display for Charlie's hungry eyes.

  With a quickened pulse, Charlie was certain her heart would break through her chest and leave her dead in the tub. Somehow she still managed to breathe and hold a slight poker face even while her stomach quivered over and over. She was utterly confused why she reacted so dumbly to Kal's nudity and hoped it was merely a spell or trance rather than something deeper.

  Kal held out a hand, beckoning Charlie to her, and it seemed to help.

  With her eyes up and locked on Kal above her, Charlie crossed the steamy expanse between them and stood beside Kal, her nipples brushing against a thigh. Now so close in the daylight, she had a perfectly good view of what made Kal a rare Carnec Alpha. Between two muscular legs was the long, thick length that'd both pleased and fucked her last night, making her scream and orgasm. A moan immediately broke free from her lips, and she regretted it until Kal's soft growl made a dull, needy ache start low in her gut. Then she was forced to clench her teeth when Kal grabbed her cock.

  A few times, Kal stroked the length and rubbed her thumb across the tip. She softly moaned, then looked at Charlie. "Do you wish to touch me?"

  Licking her lips, Charlie confessed softly, "Ja."

  From her higher position, Kal grinned darkly down at her lover and shifted until her right leg was deeper in the water and her left foot against the top of the tub. She gave Charlie better access and withdrew her hand, already showing off the hardness of her cock.

  Charlie had touched Kal the past evening, but it was brief and in the dark. Already she noticed a clear fluid beading at the cock's reddened tip. Kal had never ejaculated last night but informed Charlie she could impregnate her lover during a rut. For a tick, her eyes drifted down to the base of Kal's cock and noticed a soft bump. She knew it was the knot that would enlarge during a rut and forever bind Kal to one mate. She envied whoever would have that pleasure one day, if anyone.

  After taking a steady breath, Charlie gingerly pressed her palm against the firm shaft, halfway between the tip and the base. As her fingers wrapped around the length, she realized how much she enjoyed last night and hated their limited time together. Somehow, that worried her, and a desperate voice in her head urged her to have sex one last time with Kal.

  "You don't have to be gentle," Kal whispered, her voice thick and heady near Charlie's ear. She growled low when Charlie's grip increased against her cock. "Better." She leaned into Charlie's space, breathing in her scent.

  Charlie drew her hand down, near the base, and ran her thumb across the soft knot that was a ring around Kal's cock. Inhaling sharply, she asked softly, "Can you get pregnant?" If Kal was both an Alpha and an Omega, then it should be possible.

  Chuckling heavily, Kal brushed her lips along Charlie's jawline until she was near a soft ear, draped by dark-blond strands. "Ja," she murmured. "But I am better at giving than receiving."

  For a tick, Charlie's mind went in several directions
now learning that a Carnec Alpha had both reproductive organs from an Alpha and an Omega. She nearly lowered her hand past the cock's base, wanting to find out if there was a vaginal opening. But a sudden nip against her throat made her clench Kal's cock harder. A snarl filled her ear and caused her stomach to tremble while her clit pulsed hard. The sudden need to have Kal inside her overwhelmed her, and she dragged her hand up the thick shaft.

  Kal hissed between clenched teeth from the hard pull against her cock. She bared her teeth at Charlie before saying, "The tip is sensitive."

  Now intrigued by the information, Charlie rubbed her thumb across the tip of Kal's cock, enjoying the wetness coating her finger.

  Kal tilted her head back and snarled low, nails digging into the stone tub.

  Charlie hardly expected the tip to have so much sensory overload, but it reminded her of the sensitivity level of her clitoris. Gently, she circled the pad of her thumb over the tip, using the fluid to her advantage.

  Kal clenched her teeth and kept growling more and more. She slightly lifted her ass off the side, meeting Charlie's touch.

  But Charlie withdrew her thumb and was overtaken with the desire to taste Kal. She'd only ever given oral sex to another human, female mercenary whom she'd met on Lerto. Never had she entertained, much less wanted to suck on any cock, especially one of Kal's size. Yet she was driven with need, lowering her head until Kal halted her.

  "Joh," Kal ordered, blackness swirled in her eyes when Charlie looked at her.

  Charlie inwardly cursed herself because Kalmar weren't interested in anything oral, and it left her with a broken need. But she straightened up and held Kal's gaze, waiting for their next move. She kept her hand on Kal's cock and massaged it.

  Kal leaned in again and asked huskily, "Do you want me to fuck you again?"

  After a deep breath, Charlie tugged on Kal's cock and confessed, "I need you to." She was startled when Kal suddenly slid into the tub and grabbed her, causing her to yelp. She was forced into the tub, then turned around, bent across and over the side, flushed with want to have Kal in her again. Then finally the tip was nudging her entrance, testing and teasing her.