Chapter 11: Mirage in Love?

"Protection?" Hunter mumbled, staring down and into her face.

"Yes, you know, to keep women from having babies? Condoms?"

"You can't get pregnant..." he began then heard her laugh.

"Yeah, I thought that same thing before Lineal and I got married. I was already three months along when we finally spoke our vows. After that, we were very careful."

Hunter's hand slid down from her shoulder, slicking across her breasts before ending against her flat, muscled stomach. "Y-you could be carrying my baby?" The wonder in his tone make Mirage smile even though she wasn't as happy about the thought as he seemed to be.

"Do you want me to be?"

"I never thought it possible. I mean, I come from a different planet then you, I didn't think I'd be able to conceive a child on an Earth woman."

"I'm not your normal Earth woman, Hunter. Remember?"

He glanced around the cab of the SUV that had become their love nest. "When will we know?"

"A month or two," Mirage answered. "But you never gave me an answer. Do you want me to be pregnant with your child?"

Hunter was quiet for a moment, then his hand cupped her face. "I wouldn't be unhappy about it." He kissed her slowly, marveling at how she didn't pull away from him, how she kissed him back. When her tongue touched his lips he felt a groan growing in his chest that he couldn't stop from escaping. "Mira, I really care about you. You know that, don't you?"

Mira moved her hips slowly, feeling him growing hard inside of her once more. "Oh yeah, I can feel how much you care." She tugged on his hair, bringing his mouth down to hers again. "Make love to me again, Hunter. Make me feel like a woman, like your woman."

Another groan escaped him and he couldn't resist the sweetness of her plea, or the silken walls that surrounded his cock. He moved slowly against her, holding himself up with one hand while the other roamed over her body, touching her breasts, lifting one to his mouth. "Are you sure?" he asked around the nipple he held in his mouth.

"Sure that I want you," she moaned, her hips rising to meet his eager thrusts. Every stroke brought her closer to her peak and she growled her need, her legs wrapping around his hips. "Fuck me, Hunter. Fuck me hard."

The sound of his flesh slapping hers was loud in the steamy interior of the SUV. So was the sound of sex, the wet noise of his kiss, the squelching sound of her juices flooding her sex. It made Hunter groan and he threw his head back, holding his body at arm's length from her sleek, slim form. "Come for me, Mira."

"Come with me, Hunter," she moaned on a gasp. Her body was tied up with emotions, turned inside out with this man inside of her. So many thoughts ran through her head, such as what their future would hold or if they even had a future? But then his fingers slid through the damp curls at the apex of her thighs and she forgot everything but the man who's hard cock was taking her over the edge and into the steamy chasm of bliss. "Hunter!"

He heard her scream his name, felt her body tighten around him and then the first fluttering pulse of her orgasm. He didn't quit pounding into her, nor did he stop teasing her clit wanting her to feel more pleasure, to know he wasn't here just for a quick fuck. He wanted more with her, so much more, and if that included a baby, then he would do his best to impregnate her.

That thought alone was enough to send him over as well, shuddering above her as his cock jerked, spewing his hot spunk inside of her. His hand cupped her face and he bent his head, his lips easily finding hers. He kissed her tenderly, letting his emotions pour through.

"I could have gotten you pregnant then," he said softly, kissing her again.

She opened her mouth to answer when another voice interrupted her. "Hunter, base priority one."

Hunter let his head drop to hit the seat next to her shoulder. "What the fuck does he want now?" he groaned.

Mira pushed on him. "I don't know but if you don't answer, he'll send someone out searching for us."

He groaned again, but started moving. Pulling free from her, he turned, reaching between the front seats to grab the microphone. "Base priority one, go for Hunter."

Shadow's voice came through the speakers and Hunter was really glad that they hadn't updated communications in the SUVs yet. "Hunter, we've have a scenario happening here at base. I need you and Mirage here now."

"On our way, Shadow. ETA about twenty minutes." He hung up the microphone and jumped when Mira reached up and swatted him on his bare ass.

"Move it, Hunt. I'll drive until you get dressed." He stared at her as she pushed past him, already dressed, cocking an eye at him. "I don't think you want to meet Shadow in that state, do you?"

"You're just a regular comedian, aren't you?" He turned around in the seat, reaching for his tangled uniform as she turned the truck around. "I wonder what's going on now?"

"Shadow probably heard you screeching my name from base and wanted to make sure I wasn't killing you."

"Ha ha, so funny." He grabbed for the back of the seat when she spun the wheel, careening back onto the main road. "Damn girl, I forgot the entire reason that Dianna had decided that you are never to drive the truck. Do me a favor and don't kill the could be father of your child."

"Then hurry up and get dressed." She spun around a curve, hearing him swearing even as he tried to pull his uniform up his long legs. "It's one piece of material, Hunter. Quit acting like it's trying to kill you."

A few minutes later, he tapped her on the shoulder. "Get over," he said, nodding at the passenger seat. He glanced at the speedometer and cursed. "Get over now."

Mira grinned, enjoying his expression as he saw the speed she'd been driving. She slid over the console in the middle of the front seat and then watched as he slid behind the wheel. Reaching out, she smoothed down his hair and straightened his collar. "There now no one will know that you got your nookie on."

"Got my nookie on?" He cocked a dark eyebrow at her, an unwilling smile crossing his lips.

"Yeah, you know, canoodling, getting down ... sex?"

"I know what nookie means, Mira. He shook his head. "I just really worry about you some days."

"That's good, you're supposed to." She pulled her seat belt on and then let her hand run over the hair by his ear.

She heard his moan and smiled, winking when he turned to look at her. "Is that all it took?"

"All what took?" Mira asked, frowning in confusion.

"Having sex, with me, to make you so much more loving?"

"More loving?"

Hunter rubbed his head into her hand. "Well, this certainly feels more loving. You're touching me without me asking you to, Mira. You're acting like we are a couple now."

"Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Yes," he sighed even as he stressed the word. "I'm not trying to start a fight, Mira. I'm just amazed at the difference in you." He leaned over, brushing a quick kiss on her white blonde tresses.

"Maybe I feel different now. Maybe I want to thank you for reminding me how it feels to be a woman. It's been so long since any man touched me with desire."

"It's been so many years since a man touched you at all, Mirage." He seemed about to say more when he stopped, switching subjects. "Do you think this has anything to do with the slaves we found?"

"It's a priority one, Hunter. We won't have a clue what this is about until Shadow informs us. But I don't doubt it has something to do with Baer-Braxton and Taylor Braxton. Those are two of the biggest scumbags I've ever met."

"True, to use a woman like those women were used, it takes a particular brand of scumbag. It will be a relief when we finally get them put in their very own, special little room in the tombs." He hesitated a moment and then hit his turn signal before turning into the parking lot that hid ASP from prying eyes. "You will be coming home with me tonight, won't you?"

"Or you could come home with me?"

Hunter thought about it a moment as he spun the wheel hard to go down the spiral ramps. "I don't know if I'd be comfortable there, Mira. It would be like sleeping with someone else's wife in their marriage bed."

"Because of the statues of..."

"Yeah, because of those."

She sank back against her seat, watching as he hit the button that would open the big door outside of ASP so that they could pull into the parking lot. "But..."

"But?" he asked when she didn't continue.

"I loved Lineal and I have stayed faithful to him. I just don't know if I'd have stayed as faithful if I didn't have this curse standing in the way. I have feelings for you, Hunter. Strong feelings. I think that Lineal would have understood if he could have known. He wouldn't want me to be alone all these years. He wouldn't be happy with me if I stayed celibate now that I know we can touch."

"So, that means you're ready to move on?"

Nicholas pulled at the sweatpants that were all Arielle's sister, Cheridon, had that would fit him. They were a bit short and he gazed down at his bare ankles, a touch of a smile upon his lips. Arielle was safe, for now. She was with her sister and now he could leave her.

That thought wiped the smile from his lips and he was frowning down at his ankles when Arielle came into the room. "I know they are small Nicky, but they were the best she could do."

"No, they are great, really," he said, trying to smile but it was a lost cause. "It's not the pants, Arielle. You're safe now. You don't need me to rescue you or to keep you safe. You'll be safe as long as you're here. You don't need me at all." His hand lifted and he touched her hair, letting it slide through his fingers. "You are so incredibly beautiful."

Arielle tried to consider her life without Nicky and she felt a surge of panic shoot through her. Before she even thought of what she was doing, she threw herself into his arms. "No, don't leave me, Nicky. Please."

"But..." Before he could say anything more, her lips covered his and she kissed him passionately, pushing her tongue past his lips and into his mouth. She rubbed against him, letting him feel the taut tips of her breasts against his chest.

"No buts," she whispered as pulled back just a little. "Tell me you'll stay, please Nicky?"

"I want to, Arielle. But you don't even know what I am."

"Then tell me," she said as she snuggled into his shoulder, cuddling against him.

Nicky sighed. He didn't want to frighten her especially after what she'd been through the night before. But there was no way he could stay with her even for the daytime unless she knew, unless she'd come home with him. "Arielle, I'm a vampire." The words rushed from his mouth before he could stop them.

"You're a what?" she asked, staring up at him in confusion.

"I'm a blood sucker just like that brutal animal that tore at your throat earlier."

"But you haven't tried to..."

"No, Arielle. I never will. They left you in that room for me to feed off of. I don't know why they think I am so much stronger, but you were lucky they were right. I don't ever want to hurt you, Arielle. It would kill me if something bad happened to you. They did ... something to me there in that place. I don't feel quite right." His words trailed off as if he wasn't aware he was actually speaking them.

"I don't understand," Arielle said. "What did they do to you?"

"If I knew, don't you think I'd tell you?" He reached up framing her face with his hands. "I'm terrified, Arielle. I saw some of those things that had been experimented on in the lab. How can I promise not to hurt you when I don't know what they've done to me?"