Tovian Read online

  Tov swallowed, thinking of the long-legged elf with the pale pink hair. She would probably be wearing stockings and one of her tiny, tight-fitting skirts. “Yes.”

  “Then hurry up,” he ordered. “I like that elf.”

  And with that, Rilian was gone.

  Which meant there was only one thing left for him to do.

  Callie.

  Chapter Four

  Callie

  The place where they were fighting was a dead zone—the small storage room didn’t have any surveillance cameras. She didn’t have a good feeling when the guards sprinted from the purple zone as if their lives depended on it. And it had gotten worse when Tov exited the spacecraft, closing the door on the device. But when he’d crossed the floor and flipped the red switch, she knew her worst nightmare was coming true.

  She stared numbly at the monitor above the door, one that existed above every door in the station. The words Emergency Evacuation scrolled across the screen. There was a countdown, and it was at 14:09:48.

  But that time wasn’t hours. It was minutes.

  She’d been orphaned in space when she was ten, her parents killed in an escape pod. They’d been forced to abandon ship in a situation just like this, and their escape pod had run out of oxygen before rescue teams could reach them. They had put her in a suit with the last of the oxygen attached to it. After pickup by Rilian’s ship, she’d been the only one to revive.

  The cyborg had been kind to her, seeming to understand what it was like to be orphaned, as well as disliked for her appearance. Rilian had brought her back to the station, and for the last twelve years, it had been her home.

  What the hell was she going to do?

  She didn’t have time to get back to her tiny apartment on the other side of the Flouriant. And she honestly couldn’t get into an escape pod again.

  That meant there was only one option left.

  She was going to have to disable that bomb.

  She tossed her bag onto her shoulder and began sprinting toward the ship with the bomb in it. She glanced at her wrist com. Thirteen minutes. If she hurried, she’d probably have eight to disarm the bomb.

  Although the purple zone was in the same sector as she was, the sprint down the long corridors and down several flights of stairs was the longest in her life. She reached the ship in record time, opening the bay to see a bomb as big as a motorized land vehicle.

  She gaped in awe for a moment, then strode to the panels, examining the wiring. Soon she realized there must be another panel on the other side, and rounded the bomb to see it. While she was examining the connections, she heard the bay door open.

  “Callie.” Tov’s deep, gritty voice sent shivers down her spine. His breaths were quicker than normal, his muscles bulging, the aftereffects of the battle.

  She froze for a few moments, then stood. “Yes?”

  His footsteps grew closer as he rounded the bomb, his dark brown eyes piercing her. “What are you doing here?” He stalked closer and she rose, backing away.

  “Trying to disarm the bomb. What are you doing here?”

  He snorted. “Searching for a stubborn elf.”

  She dropped her wire cutters, unaware she was still holding them.

  “You came for me? Why?” Her eyes went from him to the bomb. “I need to disarm it.”

  “You can’t. It’s an Ardak device.” He closed the distance between them and without warning, picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, grabbing her pack with the other hand. “And I don’t have time to argue with you about it.”

  He slammed a fist on the panel by the door and when it opened, he turned right and sprinted down the hall to the first escape pod bay.

  As she was bouncing on his shoulder, she could feel hysteria start to build in her chest. She licked her lips, trying to focus. “My medicine.” It was back in her apartment, and controlled the anxiety attacks. She didn’t carry it with her because she rarely had them anymore.

  “No time for that.” His voice was laced with regret.

  “I can’t leave without it.” Her voice cracked.

  “Yes, you can. This isn’t like when you were a little girl. You’re coming with me.” His voice was fierce, determined.

  She licked her lips again, trying to ignore the shivers. The worst part of panicking was the clawing need to breathe. She braced herself upward trying to take the weight off her chest and stomach.

  Tov sensed it and set her down, entering the code to open the door to an escape pod.

  She propped herself against the wall, focusing on her breath. “I’m not getting in there. There’s no way.”

  He glanced at his wrist timer, then leaned down so we were eye to eye. “All the other ships are gone—this is the only option left,” he explained patiently, his voice calm even though the alarms were screaming. “We’ve got less than two minutes until this station explodes. You can do it. With me. Together.” He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear with one long finger.

  She looked through the door at the tiny space. “I think I’d rather die.”

  “Enough,” he growled. He grasped her arms securely, backing into the pod and pulling her in after him.

  She ended up sitting on his lap. “These pods were meant for one! You can’t…”

  But he’d already pushed the button.

  She felt bile rising up her esophagus as they shot away from the station, the speed forcing her back into his lap.

  We’re doomed.

  Out the window, she observed the space station. It was receding quickly. “It looks fine! Why are you doing this?”

  Hundreds of other ships and escape pods had already jettisoned—many of them far ahead.

  “We’re the last one,” he muttered, hooking himself to the seat with the safety harness, then hooking straps around her to anchor her to his chest. “I just hope we’re far enough.”

  “Far enough from what?”

  “The blast.” His eyes pierced hers once more.

  “Thank you,” she whispered against his chest. “Thank you for saving my life.” She leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek, but his cybernetic reflexes were too quick. He turned his head and his lips met hers. They were warm and firm, but gentle as they meshed with hers. His arms came up around her and she angled her head slightly, seeking more of him.

  She didn’t know if she was good at kissing or not. But Tov was amazing at it, the kiss was warm and soft and filled with gentle hunger. A sharing. Their breaths mingled as he brushed his mouth softly over hers again and again.

  But then his tongue brushed against her lips and she wasn’t sure what to do. She opened her mouth in surprise when he did it again, and his tongue slid in against hers. Oh. She brushed her tongue against his, tasting him, and a tingle ran through her body, making her shiver.

  A few moments later, there was an enormous noise, as if space itself were ripping apart.

  They broke apart in time for her to see the space station burst into multicolored light going in all directions. Blue, green, orange, red, purple…like rainbows from terraformed planets she’d only read about. Fires burned across the sky and debris expanded outward in a deadly torrent of fire and metal.

  Then the shock wave hit them, and the pod shot forward with the momentum of the blast, spinning over and over, every part of it shaking and shuddering as the wave buffeted them through the blackened sky.

  And through it all, his arms were around her, cradling her to his chest, holding her head and body close. She let herself sink into him, focus on him, until all she knew was Tov.

  When the pod eventually slowed, neither of them moved. She was so shocked at the explosion that she couldn’t speak. Her body was shaking, and she held on to his shoulders for support.

  My home.

  Everything she owned was gone. Not that it was much, but it was hers. The last picture of her parents. Her favorite books. The stuffed teddy bear they’d given her when she was five. Tears blinded her vision for a moment.

 
Tov kept his arms are around her, holding her.

  She looked up into his eyes, and saw that he, too, was grieving.

  Somehow, she wanted to take away that pain. Without her conscious volition, she leaned closer, and their lips met again. As their kiss grew hungrier, a question burned in the back of her mind.

  Why did he come for me?

  As his lips claimed hers, his fingers sliding up into her hair, hope built in her chest. It couldn’t be that he liked her, too. Could it?

  The next time they broke apart, it was so his hands could go to the harnesses that were holding them together. When he was finished, he glanced up at her. The look on his face made her feel closer to him. It was open, almost tender.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  “Surprisingly, I’m fine.” She couldn’t believe that she hadn’t needed her medicine. It must have been because of Tov. His presence.

  She fidgeted, feeling his gaze on her body. The skirt and black corset top were the latest in gothic fashion, but they weren’t ideal for escape pod situations. She felt like one wrong movement could expose either her chest or panties to his heated gaze.

  Heated gaze?

  She covertly glanced at him again. His eyes were still on her.

  And yes, his gaze was definitely heated.

  Chapter Five

  Tovian

  Tovian cleared his throat. “You asked why I came for you.”

  Her eyes darted away briefly, then came back to him. “Yes.”

  He took a deep breath, knowing he was either going to win her or lose her with this next sentence. “The truth is, I came for you because I’ve wanted you from the first moment I saw you.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “It was my first day on the station, and Rilian was showing me around. You were laughing at a thief who was running from security, watching the security team cross the monitors in a chase to the takedown.” He leaned closer and put his lips to her ear. “I found it unbearably sexy. Your sense of humor, pink hair, glowing blue eyes, and beauty have bewitched me. And these short little skirts have been driving me crazy.”

  She gaped at him. “But why…why didn’t you say anything?”

  He shrugged, tucking a strand of her long, pale pink hair behind her ear for the second time. “I knew I was already falling for you. But when I got to know you, I realized you wanted to leave the station for school. I didn’t think I could handle it if we started something and then you left.” He sighed, caressing the pointed tip of her ear with a thumb. “But recently, I had almost decided the heartbreak would be worth it.”

  She didn’t speak, didn’t move, and he honestly didn’t know what she thought. They were both outcasts in their own way, an elf and a cyborg, but that didn’t mean she would like him.

  After a few moments of silence, he asked quietly, “What do you think of that?”

  She stared at him, completely frozen, each heartbeat seemed like an eternity. Pain went through his chest, icy and cold, like the space outside.

  Maybe she’s trying to figure out how to say no. That she only kissed you because you saved her life.

  “It’s okay if you don’t like me, too,” he explained. “You’re so beautiful—and I’m…just a cyborg.” His hand went to the back of his neck, where the light from the chip blinked.

  She brought her hands up to cup the sides of his face, her eyes as serious as he’d ever seen them. “Don’t say that. I’m just an elf. I hoped, but never really thought you might like me.” She put her arms around his neck. “I like you, too. I’ve wanted you for just as long.” Her voice was shaky, her breaths shallow. “And you’re beautiful to me.”

  His body started to burn with a different kind of fire, and his gaze went to her lips, then back up to her eyes. Then to her lips again. She looked so kissable. And he’d wanted her for so long. He bent down slowly, bringing his lips toward hers.

  He took his time so she knew she could stop him. His breathing stilled as his lips met hers once more. His fingers came up to slide into her hair against her scalp, angling her head. The kiss deepened, and she rose to press her mouth harder against his.

  It was better than he had imagined. Their tongues tangled and played with each other, until he groaned and his tongue began to move in and out, sliding against hers with hungry purpose.

  His breathing was heavy when he broke off the kiss and leaned down to nuzzle her neck, brushing her cheek with his.

  She was panting, and when he pressed his lips against the sensitive skin of her neck, she shivered and her nipples hardened against his chest. He cradled her to him, placing a few more kisses on her neck, then pulled himself back. His breathing was rough, his muscles tight.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked after a few moments. “Didn’t I do it right?”

  His entire body tensed. “Was that your first kiss, Callie?” Rilian had told him she kept to herself, but he had thought perhaps she’d had a boyfriend that Ril didn’t know about.

  A blush rose to her cheeks and she pulled back a few inches. “Well, technically no. I’ve been…intimate…once before, but never like this.”

  He pulled her closer to his chest again. “You did fine. I stopped because I didn’t want to go too fast for you.” He shifted, and his hardness brushed against her heat. “Now I definitely want to slow down.”

  “Too fast? I’ve been waiting three years for this.”

  He chuckled darkly. “That’s why we don’t want it to be over too soon.” He gritted his teeth and his fist came down on the console. “This is difficult for me, and if we go any further, I don’t think I can stop. With the aftereffects of battle, this tiny little pod, and your body in my lap…I wasn’t prepared for this.”

  “I don’t want you to stop.” She tried to kiss him again, but he pushed her away, holding her inches from him.

  She climbed up onto her knees, straddling his waist, trying to get closer to him. “Please.”

  He groaned, his head falling against the window behind the seat. His hands went down to the outside of her thighs, his fingers testing the muscles there. “This is dangerous. I’m not…gentle.”

  “I know,” she said simply. Leaning forward, she molded her entire body to his. “Be whatever you are. I don’t care if it’s gentle or not.”

  He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. “All right. But slow. And gentle.” He drew his hands upward to caress her shoulder blades, drawing her toward his mouth.

  Boldly, she opened her mouth and met his tongue again, rewarded by a groan.

  When his tongue met hers, she made an answering noise that surprised him.

  Was her blood racing through her body, as his was?

  He noted that her hands trembled as she reached for the bottom of his shirt, pulling it upward. He raised his arms, allowing her to pull it all the way off.

  “Touch me,” he commanded softly.

  Hesitantly, she brought her fingers up to splay them over his chest. He inhaled, his chest rising beneath her hands. It felt right, being with her like this.

  She brushed her fingertips along his nipples, her eyes widening as they hardened. Moving her lips downward, she kissed one of his nipples.

  He gasped, and thrust his hips gently against her.

  “Your turn,” he murmured.

  Chapter Six

  Callie

  Tov’s warm fingers brushed against the tops of her breasts over the fabric, sending another shiver through her.

  This is what I want. The closeness. The heat.

  Her fingers went to the laces of her corset, loosening them little by little, then slipping it off over her head. The undershirt was next, baring her chest entirely for him.

  He sucked in a breath, and the reverence in his gaze made her feel as beautiful as he said she was. He brought his hands up to cup them, his thumbs grazing her nipples. He shifted abruptly, sitting up, his open mouth going to one.

  It was hot and tender at the same time, and her arms grew weak as he teased the nipple
with his tongue.

  She’d never felt anything like it.

  Soon they were rocking together, her body moving against his over his clothes.

  I never thought it would feel like this.

  He moved his lips from one nipple to the other, trailing his tongue across her chest. Her breasts seemed to swell, the skin becoming as sensitive as the tips. She gasped and arched into his mouth as he lapped at the second nipple with his tongue.

  One of his arms was holding her securely behind her back, but the other was straying down her spine to her hips. When it arrived, he cupped her hip, deepening the rocking motion. He leaned back farther in the chair and brought her over him, his other hand sliding down her back and around to the front, running up the inside of her thigh, brushing over her panties, and down the other.

  It tickled her and she squirmed, her legs moving over his. His fingers found the sides of her panties and she rose for a moment so he could slide them off. Then he pulled her back over him, his hands hot on her body, his lips meeting hers once more.

  He ran his hand back up, but this time it didn’t tickle. When he found the bud of her pleasure, he pressed slightly harder, making her gasp and arch into his hand. He circled it, teased it, again and again until she bucked and mewled against him.

  His hand stayed there, driving her higher, and eventually she broke off the kiss. She couldn’t focus on two things at once, the pleasure making her pant and cry out. She closed her eyes and leaned into his neck as his fingers got faster and faster, and suddenly an explosion of light as big as the one from the space station filled the blackness behind her eyes.

  She thrashed above him and he held her tightly, her body shaking with aftershocks. His fingers slowed their caresses, but he kept them there, the gentle pressure making her feel like she was on the verge of another explosion that was just out of reach.

  After her trembling had almost finished, he let go of her and his hands went to the fastenings of his pants.

  His eyes stayed on her face as he opened them, bringing out the hardness that had been brushing against her.