Page 27 of Alien in the Depths

Sofia traced her fingers over his taut muscles, feeling them tense beneath her touch. A sheen of sweat made his skin glisten in the dim light, the cords of his neck standing out as he moved within her.

The room filled with their shared breaths and whispers of pleasure. Sofia clung to him, her body writhing in time with his thrusts.

Zaraq buried his face in the crook of her neck, his breath hitching with each thrust. His fingers dug into her hips, pulling her closer as he tried to anchor himself amid the overwhelming sensation.

Their bodies moved together, two perfect halves of a whole, their synchronized rhythm colliding with the silence of the room. A low moan slipped from Sofia’s lips and echoed in the dimly lit space.

His kisses trailed down her neck, nipping lightly at the sensitive skin there before trailing back up to capture her lips once more. Their kiss was searing, their tongues tangling and untangling as they drowned in each other’s warmth.

Zaraq knew the pressure was building within her again, a taut coil winding tighter and tighter with each stroke. Her fingers traced patterns on his back, nails digging into his skin as he lost himself in her.

Feeling her tighten around him, Zaraq groaned deeply. His movements became more frantic as he chased his own release.He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his hot breath against her skin sending shivers down her spine.

“Zaraq,” she moaned, her head moving from side to side as if delirious. His hand slid down to where they were joined, his thumb applying pressure on her sensitive nub again.

His thrusts became more insistent. He was hers and she was his in this moment of pure bliss. Their souls intertwined with every gasp, every whisper of the other’s name.

“Zaraq,” she cried out again, closing her eyes as a wave of pleasure washed over her. His name echoed in the room as her climax took hold of her, coursing through every inch of her body. Her body trembled beneath his.

Feeling her climax around him pushed Zaraq over the edge, too, spilling into her with a deep groan that echoed around the silent room. He cradled her close as they rode out their shared orgasm together, their hearts pounding in unison.

Chapter 11

Sofia

Sofia woke to find Zaraq gazing at her, his deep purple eyes lightening as she tilted her head up to look at him. The morning sun made his silver-gray skin almost shimmer, and his sleek black hair, usually tied up, framed his face now and spilled across the pillow.

Against the white hotel sheets, still carrying a slightly purple tinge from his Gorian disguise, Zaraq appeared otherworldly. That is, more otherworldly than usual.

“How long have you been awake?” Sofia asked, stretching to shake the sleep from her bones. As she moved, she felt her naked body pressed up against Zaraq’s and a thrill ran through her as she remembered the previous night’s lovemaking.

Because that’s what it was. Wasn’t it? An outpouring of the love that was growing between them?

“Hours,” Zaraq replied with a grin. He brought his hand up to brush a strand of auburn hair from her face, lingering to stroke the soft skin of her cheek.

“Have you been staring at me the whole time, creeper?” Sofia joked, but beneath her sarcasm, the thought of him watching her made her giddy.

“Uh-huh,” Zaraq admitted without an ounce of self-consciousness. “You’re beautiful when you’re asleep.”

At this, he smiled, and Sofia could see the adoration clear in his gaze. It wasn’t something she’d seen before, and it made her both deliriously happy and painfully self-aware.

“Sorry to have ruined the effect,” she replied, trying to ease that tension in her. But despite her words, her hands came up to caress Zaraq’s bare chest, and her voice was soft.

“You’re even more beautiful when you’re awake.” Zaraq gazed at her for another moment and then leaned forward and kissed her. His soft lips sent a wave of pleasure crashing over Sofia.

As they kissed, Zaraq pulled her closer to him, and she felt suddenly safe in his arms. His strength comforted her, and like the night before, she felt his protectiveness. It was as though he didn’t want to let her go—not into the streets of Rikuus, not into the dangerous underworld, and certainly not into Vexis’s company.

When he pulled away, she saw the adoration in his eyes replaced by the same worry that had clouded him for the last several days.

“I’ll be okay,” she assured, without him needing to speak.

She wasn’t sure if she completely believed her own words, but there was nothing more she could say or do. Their plan was already in motion, and stopping it now would only put them all in more danger.

Zaraq seemed to recognize this and instead of arguing with her, he simply nodded, letting his fingers trace the curve of her jaw again.

“I know I’ve told you to be careful a thousand times, so I won’t say it again,” he told her, letting his fingers curl around the back of her neck. The sensation was comforting to Sofia. “But what I haven’t told you yet is that I think I’m falling for you.”

In Sofia’s chest, her heart suddenly did somersaults, or maybe it was bursting into a thousand butterflies, or possibly even melting and exploding at the same time. Whatever it was doing, Sofia had never experienced anything like it before, and it took a long while for her to find the breath to answer.