I wake up, gazing up at my alien. I rub my eyes. "Everything all planned?"
"More or less. Come on. You're tired. Let's go up so you can sleep."
I mock-groan because the last thing I want to do is actually climb up to the damn ship if I'm sleepy. But I know I can't stay below—nor do I want to. I get to my feet and Kaspar brushes the dirt off my limbs, and then we head over to the ladder.
"You guys going up for the night?" Gloom asks, rubbing his stomach as he watches us.
"That's the plan," Kas says. "You stay put."
"Of course." He rubs his stomach again, thoughtful. "You, uh, think we got them all out? The worms?" He looks a little green around the gills.
Poor guy. He wasn't supposed to eat the damn worms. Just supposed to agree to eat them so we could trust him. I feel guilty—just a little—that he ate the entire tube. Like…who does that?
"Well, you said you vomited sixteen, and there were sixteen in the capsule. So I'm pretty sure you're safe, but we'll get you a med-scan when we get out of here."
Gloom looks relieved. "Thanks, Killer." He glances at me and then lowers his eyes. "Night, Human Female."
Maybe I need a pseudonym, too. Nah. The less he references me, the better. I put a hand on the rope ladder and begin the arduous climb up. I'm getting better at it—my arms are pretty muscled at this point, too—but it's still not fun, and I don't look down. I breathe a sigh of relief when I pull myself into the ship, rolling flat onto my back. A moment later, I gesture out the door for Kaspar to start climbing, and the rope tugs with his weight. I force myself to get off the floor, and my head swims when I stand up. I could take another nap.
I could take all the naps. This just reinforces my worry that I'm pregnant. No morning sickness, no growing boobs, but man, am I sleepy.
I stifle another yawn as Kas climbs up and joins me, and a few moments later, Sterre crawls her way in. "Well?" I ask him. "What's the verdict?"
"The verdict is I need to get my mate to bed. You look ready to fall over, Sunshine." Kas puts a guiding hand at the small of my back. "Come on. Up to bed, unless you want a snack first."
I pat my stomach. "I'm still full of ugly parrot soup from lunch." But we head up to bed, and I crawl onto my side. "Come lie down with me and tell me what he said."
Kaspar tugs off his kilt and boots, giving me a glimpse of very, very fine man, and I'm suddenly less tired than I was before. I can't stop staring at the piercings on his cockhead as he slides into bed next to me and pulls me into his arms. "Well, it's not great information," he muses. "They dumped him away from the compound with the assumption he wouldn't make his way back, so he's not entirely sure how far away we are. But he was able to tell me that the others were expected to hike over several days, and that the compound is on the edge of a river with a scenic waterfall, and that the planet comes into view over the waterfall, like a sunset." His hand skims down my side. "So we just need to find the river and head in the direction of the planet."
I put my hand on his stomach, sliding toward those piercings. Definitely less tired than I was before. "And he knows where the ships were kept?"
"Yeah, he was able to draw me some plans. There's three compounds for the gladiators, a practice arena, the lord's personal dwelling, the barracks for the slaves, and a building for the shuttlecraft. So we just need to get into that building and hijack one of the shuttles." He pauses.
I decide the pause is a good time for me to reach for his cock. I stroke my fingers up and down his length, wondering if he'd complain if I got on top and rode him while he's trying to have a serious conversation with me. Knowing Kas, probably not. He visibly hardens under my touch, and I practically purr with happiness at the sight. "Shuttles. Okay."
"Or a small ship. Either one would work for our needs." His voice grows tighter as his cock stiffens, standing up. "Sunshine…"
Oh no. I look up at him, drawing back. "Are you not in the mood?"
He grabs my hand and puts it on his cock again. "I am always in the mood when it comes to you. I just…need you to know that this is where things might get ugly."
64
KASPAR
Alice is going to hate this next part of our plan. I know she will. It pains me to have to disappoint her, because I never want her to look at me with fear. I want her to smile at me, always. I want her to reach for me with greedy hands…like she is right now.