Page 78 of Darkest Desire

Phoebe had to bite back a moan.

“No, it doesn’t hurt,” she said. “Though…I think having the rings in them makes…makes them more sensitive,” she added, nodding down at the silver rings in her nipples.

“They’re beautiful,” Sirex rumbled softly. “Thank you for allowing me to heal you.”

“Thank you for offering,” Phoebe said. She wanted to say something—maybe suggest that he should try healing her somewhere else…but then she remembered how he had pointed out they were just coworkers now that the mission was over. So she just said, “Thank you,” again, rather lamely.

“You’re welcome.” His face grew serious. “I’m sorry I had to wound you in the first place. I want you to know, I took no pleasure in hurting you, Phoebe.”

“Of course you didn’t!” she exclaimed, frowning. “You’re not a sadist like that bastard, Thruck!”

“But I am still a Broken One—and I always will be. This mission taught me that.”

“You’re not a Broken One!” she protested. “You never?—”

“Please, Phoebe. I know what I am. But I don’t wish to talk about it any further.” He rose to his feet and slid back into the pilot’s seat. “Are you ready for take off?”

Phoebe wasn’t sure what to say. Her nipples were still tight with desire and her pussy was aching and tingling, but it seemed that Sirex had moved them firmly back into the coworkers category.

“I guess so,” she said, not sure what else to say.

He cast a sidelong glance at her.

“You might want to button your blouse. As soon as we fold space, we’ll be back at the Mother Ship.”

“Oh right—of course.” Phoebe hastily pulled her silk shirt closed and buttoned it. But she could still see the outlines of her nipples and the silver rings that pierced them through the thin silk…just as she could still feel Sirex’s hot mouth on her aching peaks.

God, how was she ever going to get over this mission…or get over her mentor, whom she had fallen even more deeply in love with, although she knew now that she could never have him?

33

PHOEBE

It wasn’t until after they had flown through the deep red gash in space that took them instantly from The Twisted System back to the Mother Ship that Phoebe started getting worried about the tingling.

The thing was, it wasn’t getting any fainter. In fact, if anything, it was growing. So was the aching need inside her—an emptiness like nothing she had ever experienced before.

She did her best to ignore it as she and Sirex made their way to Commander Sylvan’s office to present him with The Finger of the Goddess.

“You’ve returned so soon?” Sylvan looked surprised to see them when they knocked on his door. “Was there a problem?” he asked as they settled themselves in the chairs opposite his desk.

“No problem unless you count nearly being killed,” Phoebe said, trying to smile. “But of course, that’s part of the job,” she added quickly.

“Are you all right?” Commander Sylvan asked, looking concerned.

“Perfectly fine, Commander,” Sirex said firmly. “Things got a little dicey towards the end of the mission, but we completed it without any major incidents. I can also say that Agent Jenkins is ready to work on her own from now on—she performed admirably and she’s also the one who secured The Goddess’s Finger.”

He nodded at Phoebe who unwrapped the towel and offered the shimmering opalescent crystal to their boss.

“Well! It is a beauty,” Commander Sylvan murmured, reaching across his desk to take the towel from her and admire the crystal. “Very good work, Agent Jenkins! I know the Head Priestess of First World personally—in fact, she’s my cousin. I’ll call her at once to let her know The Goddess’s Finger is going to be returned to her. I’m sure she’ll be very happy—she has several couples already lined up for fertility treatments.”

“We were more than happy to retrieve it,” Sirex said, nodding and Phoebe agreed.

“Well, you did excellent work,” Sylvan told them. “From now on I’ll be sending you both on solo missions, since you did so well. But I’d like to thank you again for working together on this one.”

“It was my pleasure,” Sirex rumbled, casting a look at Phoebe that she couldn’t read.

“Yes, it was mine as well,” she agreed politely. “Thank you, Commander Sylvan.”