Space Bounty Hunters Series

Kerry followed her lead down the space station’s darkened corridor. A small outpost on the far rim of Alpha sector, the tiny station was a tin can floating next to a field of pockmarked asteroids. It served only as a listening post for radio communications between ships and the sol system. The workers manning this place were dead. She and Marcus found what was left of them strewn across the control room when they arrived. Small and cramped, the entire station was dark. The damn thing they were hunting had gotten into the wiring system and ripped it apart. They were working only by the lights affixed to the muzzles of their weapons. Kerry knew she needed to stay alert, but the humidity and extreme heat in the small space made her head fuzzy. The creature had also gotten into the temperature control system and mucked it up. This tiny station was an island in the near absolute zero of space. Tropical and sticky. Sweat ran down Kerry's face and neck, pooling between her breasts and the armor plating she wore to protect herself from the creatures they hunted. She was sweating all over underneath her suit. If this lasted much longer she swore she’d just pull the damn thing off and walk around in her tank and underwear. She’d probably have an easier time maneuvering anyway. Marcus took the next turn ahead after stopping to peer around the corner with a mirror. A handy little device and extremely low-tech, it helped them avoid walking into any number of traps. From her vantage point pressed up against him, as they moved along the hallways checking each and every sound, each and every corner, Kerry could see the reflection from her flashlight bouncing off of the armor covering Marcus’ firm ass and corded thighs. He had thighs like a rugby player, built from years of chasing down escaped creatures for their employers. His whole body was a well-toned machine. Each muscle and fiber worked repeatedly in the company gym with one goal in mind, monster hunting. That was what they called it, this never-ending hunt through the Alpha sector for biological oddities, experiments gone wrong or even just dangerous xenos that threatened traffic in the area. Xenos were alien animals from other planets and moons. Most of them were okay, adapted perfectly to their own environment and dangerous only to their own prey. Some were sharp and strong and clever and in Kerry's opinion, utterly homicidal. Occasionally, these dangerous beasts snuck onto cargo ships when they landed or made their way into poorly guarded outposts to try out new human snacks. They had to be at the top of their game to keep up with these creatures. So they trained, and they hunted and they trained for more. Kerry enjoyed watching Marcus train, enjoyed working out with him since they had been partnered together. He was entirely too focused on his job though. That strength, those muscles, and skin needed more than danger and death. They needed to be licked and stroked and scratched. Sometimes, she just wanted to pin him to the gym mat and grind lewdly against his crotch until she felt a response. And those eyes. Turned up slightly at the outside corners with topaz blue irises, they were twice the diameter of a normal human iris, surrounded by a pale blue sclera instead of white. He wasn’t completely human. Kerry didn’t care; she could spend all day drowning in those eyes.

Marcus pinned Kerry's arms above her head. His body pressed against hers, so close he could feel the outline of her breasts and peaked nipples under the thin white shirt she wore. Kerry's body heaved underneath his as she struggled to catch her breath. Rather than straddling her, he scissored his legs between hers with his hips and pelvis off to the side. Kerry took barely a moment to recover from the fall before she continued fighting him, wriggling her body and arms, working valiantly to squirm loose of the grip he had on her wrists. It was difficult to keep a hold of her, but Marcus was pleased at her continued determination. Another person would have given up by now, but not the owner of the strong, and very feminine body beneath him. She managed to get a hand loose only to have it captured by his free hand, the move cost him and Marcus wasn't able to remain in a stable position on top of her. He resorted to resting his full weight on her body to keep her pinned to the mat. Kerry took advantage of his new position to bring her free leg up and pound the bottom of her foot down on top of his knee. The jolt loosened his grip on her other leg enough for Kerry to slip free. Marcus released her hands to try and lift of off Kerry, but it was too late. She locked both legs high around his torso, keeping him close. He had one hand on the ground, supporting most of his weight. Big mistake. Marcus knew what was coming, but couldn't move fast enough to stop it. Kerry pulled his hand out from under him and pushed on his opposing shoulder at the same time. Marcus rolled, seeing the ceiling as his back hit the mat. Kerry punched him in the solar plexus for good measure, then disengaged and scrambled to the edge of the mat. Marcus rolled away from her to hide his growing erection. He'd managed to keep it under control during the sparring session, but he couldn't stop it now. He sat up slowly, reaching for the towel he kept on his side of the mat to place in his lap. Marcus used the time to wait for the pain in his chest to dissipate. "Had enough?" Kerry teased from her side of the mat. Marcus bit back a teasing reply of his own. He couldn't encourage her. Doing so might lead to other activities. Dangerous, extremely satisfying activities that he wanted more than he was willing to admit to himself. "That's enough for today," he said, easing onto his feet. His breath came easier now. His stubborn erection persisted. Marcus turned just enough to address Kerry. "I'm going to change. Meet you out front." Marcus left his junior partner gaping after him as he fled into the men's locker room.

Marcus set the ship down in the docking bay. Above them the automated hanger doors swung closed. Kerry popped up, unable to remain in her seat when they were about to start the hunt. What a hunt too. "I can't believe they sent us on this mission," she said to Marcus. He hummed in bland agreement, his back to her as he ran through the post-flight shutdown. Since they'd returned to the Corporate ship with Kipruto's remains, Marcus had gone ultra-strong silent type on her. Kerry didn't blame him. It was weird and sad, and weird. She still wasn't sure how to feel about Kipruto's death. Of course, Corporate had them sign dozens of non-disclosure agreements. She wasn't even allowed to contact Kipruto's family to explain. They were on lock-down regarding the events of Kipruto Kemei's death. All of this tension with Marcus, the missions, Kipruto, and the Elasians were piling up inside and Kerry just couldn't stay still anymore. She wanted to get out there, blow off some steam, and hunt some rabbit. Dangerous, ravenous, space rabbit. Kerry giggled. She started going through their weapons locker, setting aside net guns, knives, and the like. "Marcus?" "Hmm." "Are we allowed to use the plasma guns?" Kerry asked, posing impishly with the gun cocked at her waist when her lead finally turned around. "It's too much," was all he said before returning to the control panels. Kerry made a face at his back, but put the unwanted weapons in the locker. A few minutes later, Marcus joined her in packing up their gear. She smiled as he double checked her gear before checking his own. Getting back to work like this felt normal, more normal than she had for a few weeks.

Rifle fire cut effortlessly past Kerry’s head as she ducked around the corner. Collapsing to the floor, Kerry cracked the back of her head against the wall. Loud rifle shots sounded in her ear. Marcus was next to her, firing back at their pursuers. It didn’t make any sense. Her muscles were all quivery and weak, darkness threatened the edges of her vision, but the rest of the world was intensely bright. Kerry’s right arm didn’t seem to work, and it was wet. She looked down to see blood pouring from a massive red hole in her shoulder. Cold panic hit. Shit. Shot. Shit. Marcus kept calling her name and firing, but Kerry couldn’t get past the realization that she was spilling blood from a brand new orifice. Her partner turned briefly towards her, then back to holding off the attack. It was only a matter of time until he ran out ammo. They’d only brought the rifles along out of habit. Kerry wasn’t even wearing full armor. They were so dead. An annoying drone of words drew Kerry out of her cold panic. Marcus was in her ear over the comm, his voice low and even. Kerry. Respond. She picked out words, then phrases, and eventually found herself tuning into the entire dialogue. Kerry. I need you. Snap out of it. Kerry. You are bleeding. Stop the bleeding. We need to move. Kerry. Respond. Now.

Sprawled out, Kerry took up nearly the entire area of the bed in their temporary quarters. She'd managed to push Marcus out from under the covers early this morning with her wriggling and scooting as she slowly took up more and more of the mattress. Finally, she was spread eagle on top of the blanket, bare naked to the strange world they were on and anyone who might walk in. It was complete luxury. How long had it been since she didn't have to lay ramrod straight in a bunk on the ship or her own bed in the tiny apartment she held on the Corporate ship? Years, not since she'd left Earth. Considering how vast interstellar space was, she thought engineers would make the quarters a little bigger on ships. Marcus was off getting ready for the day. Kerry buried her face in his pillow and inhaled. She was still feeling a little unsatisfied after a night of frustratingly quiet sex. Elasians had extremely good hearing. Now that they were in close living conditions with a group of them, he kept hushing her in bed and using other means to silence Kerry when she ignored him. She and Marcus could have stayed in their bunks on Tessie I, but space, so much space. The sacrifices made for some extra room. This was her last chance to enjoy the roomy luxury. When they lifted off for the Corporate ship today, the Tessie I would be even more crowded with the thirty strong Elasian task force that Sarana managed to pull together. Kerry didn't even know where Sarana found the armed to the teeth, slightly angry mercenaries. They certainly didn't come from the group of researchers at this base. What joy it would be to spend time in such tight quarters with the additional bonus of Sarana and the good Doctor Holden. A soft whoosh of air entered the room as her partner returned from his shower. Wrapped in a towel, his markings stood out against the bluish hue of his skin from his time under hot water. "Enjoying yourself?" He asked as he sat on the bedside. Kerry nodded, arching herself like a cat and feeling the stretch in the very tips of her toes. Marcus swooped in quickly pressing his mouth against hers in a soft kiss and pulling away before Kerry could turn it into something more.