Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
“C’mere, sweetheart.” V’rex’s voice was a low rumble in her ear and then she was being pulled up close to his big body, so that his broad chest was pressed against her back.
“Thanks.” Gratefully, she snuggled against him. Maybe the Spice wasn’t completely out of his system yet or maybe he was just being nice but either way, it felt good to be close to him again. His big body put out heat like a furnace and despite a desperate day of running through the jungle, he smelled wonderful.
“Welcome,” he rumbled. “Better now, little girl?”
“Better,” Penny whispered and her eyes at last drifted closed as sleep took her.
Eighty
Penny awoke to a big hand shaking her and a voice murmuring in her ear that it was time to get up.
“Huh? What?” At first Penny thought they were still in the Compound and she was going to be late to her job in the bakery. Then she remembered the events of the day before and woke up more fully.
It was lighter in their little cave now—a gray, pre-dawn radiance filtered in through the tall grasses that blocked the entrance. And she didn’t ache so much either, though she was still pretty stiff.
Probably all that exertion you did yesterday, whispered a snarky little voice in her head. I wonder how many calories you burn chopping off a guy’s dick, huh? Bet there’s no listing for that on your Calorie Tracker app!
Penny pushed the thought away and sat up, looking around.
“Is there anything to drink?” Her mouth felt terribly dry.
“Afraid not, sweetheart,” V’rex said apologetically. “If we can find some water, I can purify it for you with my lust-honey, but there’s none around here—at least none that I can find.”
“Okay.” She sighed. “I guess the best thing we can do is get to the NeverBreeders’ launching pad and steal a ship as soon as possible, huh?”
“Got it in one.” The big Hybrid nodded. “And since we don’t know how far that is, we’d better get going.” He hesitated for a moment, staring at her intently. “You, uh, ready to let me sting you again?”
“I guess so.” Though she felt a deep sense of apprehension, Penny held out her arm to him. She had a memory of him stinging her the day before and in her head, his sting was associated with horrible, fiery pain.
But she told herself not to be silly—V’rex’s sting had been pleasurable in the past—if extremely intense. Probably she was just imagining the pain—it had only been a fever dream brought on by the toxins of the plants that had poisoned her.
V’rex himself seemed hesitant to sting her. But then he gripped her wrist, elongated his tongue, and struck, sinking his stinger into the underside of her forearm.
It was like being stabbed with a hot, blunt needle.
The very first time the big Hybrid had stung her, on the day of their Unification Ceremony, the pleasure had been so intense she had screamed. The pain she felt now was every bit as intense as that pleasure—it felt like he was pouring fire through her veins, setting every nerve ending alight with agony.
“Ow! Stop!” Penny gasped, attempting to jerk away from him. “Stop, please, stop!”
V’rex withdrew quickly, his tongue going back to its normal size and shape as it left her arm.
“I hurt you,” he said. “Gods, my lust-honey actually hurt you!”
“It burned.” Penny took in a deep, shaky breath and swiped at the tears that had come to her eyes. “It was kind of awful. I’m sorry,” she added, seeing the stricken look on his face. “I know you didn’t mean to hurt me.”
“I’ve never hurt a female with my sting before.” He sounded stricken. “It only brings pleasure.”
“It’s probably like you said—your, uh, lust-honey is reacting with the plant toxins or something. It’s not a big deal—honestly.”
But she could tell from his face that it was a big deal—a very big deal to the big Hybrid. He looked so upset that Penny had the urge to comfort him, only she wasn’t sure he would welcome comfort from her or not.
She couldn’t help remembering the night he’d told her about how his mother had been killed and his father had abandoned him. He’d taken comfort from her then, pressing his face to her breasts and holding her close.
But that was different—it was back in the Compound, she thought. And the Spice was everywhere, making him want me all the time. Making him think I was some kind of beauty queen.
And right now she looked anything but beautiful, she was sure. Parts of her toga were still stiff with dried blood and she hadn’t had a shower in two days.
“Um, if you think you gave me enough protection, maybe we should just get going,” she suggested.
“I think you should be okay.” V’rex squared his shoulders. “So yeah, let’s get out there. But if you feel sick or dizzy or faint or you can’t breathe, let me know and I’m afraid…” he sighed unhappily. “Afraid I’ll have to sting you again.”