Black Destiny (Black Opals 2)

“What the hell?” he shouted as he went down, his gun clattering across the cold tiles.

Blackie stood above him, her long hair a tangle of waves that seemed to go on forever. Her chest heaved and his eyes moved to the rounded softness that rose and fell steadily. Her nipples were hard, puckered beneath the damp shirt.

She stared down at him and the blue depths of her eyes were stormy, the sheen of sweat on her skin glistened in the low light. In her hands was a gun but she dropped it to her side as she shook her head.

“Why are you here?” she asked hoarsely and he got the impression that she was royally pissed at him for coming back. “For Christ sakes, Kerr, you needed to be on that ship.” Her words ended on a snarl. Oh yeah, she was definitely pissed.

“Well that’s not exactly the welcome I expected.” His tone was light but truthfully he was more than a little confused.

She moved away and he slowly got up. He was several inches taller than she was and the need to grab her small frame to his body, to hold her tight, was so overwhelming that he took a step toward her, his hands outstretched. She flinched and her reaction stopped him cold.

“You should have been on that ship,” she repeated, this time her voice was more controlled.

“I couldn’t leave you like that,” he said simply, his voice halting, full of an emotion that was both foreign and uncomfortable.

“Really.” she said. Her eyebrows arched as she studied him and she made no effort to hide the sarcasm that colored her words as she continued. “You didn’t seem to have a problem with that earlier.”

Kerr felt his face warm as a flush of embarrassment and anger suffused his skin.

“Look, all the evidence indicated you were working for or with the Serpentis. You weren’t honest with us so what were we supposed to think? I still don’t know who you are or what the hell you’re doing on my planet but…” He paused. “I’m sorry.”

“Well I’m not.” Her voice was elevated, cranked up a notch. “Sorry, that is.” Her eyes flashed with an anger he didn’t understand as she continu

ed. “If I’d known it was you slinking down this fucking tunnel I’d have done a lot more damage than knocking you on your ass.”

Kerr felt the stirrings of his own anger begin to take root. The woman was certifiable. She should be on her hands and knees thanking him for his return. He shook his head as the thought ran through his mind, because the mental image it brought was anything but chaste.

Blackie, naked, on her knees, between his legs and begging for his touch.

“Why are you pissed at me?”

She sighed softly and stumbled a bit. It took everything inside of Kerr to remain still but he had a feeling that she wasn’t in the mood for help from him.

“You shouldn’t be here.” Her voice was bitter. “None of this matters now. I’ve failed.”

Her huge blue eyes were no longer angry, but filled with such sorrow that in that moment, Kerr would have done anything to make her pain go away.

“How did you fail?” he asked and took a step toward her. Kerr shook his head. “Everyone is off the planet. Medic made it off Drakkon and that is only because of you.”

He took another step until he was close enough to catch her scent. It was subtle, wholly feminine and he couldn’t believe he’d never noticed it before.

“You were the only one I was supposed to protect,” she whispered softly.

“In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m a big boy. I can protect myself.”

“We’ll die here, on this planet.” She looked at him and her eyes glistened like blue diamonds. Kerr felt weak and he frowned at the thought. Nothing had ever affected him the way this woman had in the space of a few short hours. What was it about her that was so different from the other women he’d known?

Even as he asked himself that question he knew the answer. Nothing about Blackie was anything like the women he’d known. She was fierce, loyal…a kickass soldier and now, he could add sexy as all hell to the list.

“You were meant for great things. That’s why I was sent here—to make sure you lived and continued your journey.” She exhaled slowly and a tear slid from the corner of her eye.

Kerr couldn’t help himself and his hand reached out until he caught the liquid drop on the end of his finger.

“What do you mean? Sent here?”

She inhaled a ragged breath but remained quiet. He was so close he swore he could hear her heart beat. His eyes lowered and he grimaced as the dark bloodstain on her shirt reminded him of her sacrifice.

“Who are you?” he whispered his hand now reaching forward and burying itself between the thickness of her hair and the softness of her neck. She did not resist and he pulled her toward him until the heat of his body was pressed against her form. She trembled beneath him, her head against his shoulder.