Wars and victories

Next day they arrived to the station. Beka's friend was waiting in a club. Rhade wrinkled his nose when he smelt that hut and watched carefully looking for other exits. He also studied the other clients, a merchant and paid killers mixture. A group of nietzscheans mercenaries looked at them with distrust. He and Beka sat with her contact, an attractive medium-age human male called Sam. Rhade didn’t like him. His opinion didn’t get better when Beka and he began to talk. Damn, that stupid human was watching her like an especially delightful food and she was flirting with him! How the hell did he dare to naked her with his dirt eyes? Rhade gave them and excuse and got out to avoid the temptation to crush that imbecile head. After a while he came inside again. Beka crossed Sam’s chin and mouth with her finger. Rhade lost patience. He went to them and put his hand on the table between, his bone blades looking at Sam’s face.
“Haven’t you finished yet?” Beka saw him with widened eyes. yep yep... yes of course, see you later Beka, must go”. Rhade had the satisfaction to smell his fear and see how Sam got out almost running. She raised and banged with her finger on his chest. “What the hell do you think you are doing RhadHe sHe sat and forced her to do it holding her arm. She sat down and released his hand sharply. “I was just avoiding you gave some wrong hope to your little friend.”
“Damn it! That’s not your concern, I don’t need your protection or your advice! You are nothing to me!” Actually she was almost shouting. “Beka don’t shout, I just tried...” “Now hear me stupid ubber, I don’t need you. Stay away from me”. Her voice was a menacing growl. He began to anger “We will go to the Maru”. “You’ll go, I stay here and if I want to mate with a maggog ship I’ll do it... get out!” Beka could see the fury in his eyes before he left the club.

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Rhade walked to the Maru, the blood burning in his veins. She called him ubber, he tried to help her and she called ubber! He stopped and rested his back on the wall recovering his breath. Fine, great, he had to admit his posture wasn’t as generous as he pretended. He was jealous and now she was alone on that dangerous hut. Damning himself Rhade went back to the club.
Beka went out without looking her way. Lucky she had sealed the business before Rhade threatened Sam. What did he think she was, his possession? The thing most angered her was that she liked he cared her. She stood to calm down when two arms immobilized her on her back. She reacted instinctively hitting the knee of her back’s attacker. She heard a curse but he didn’t release her. With her free leg she punched the face of anr opr opponent, a nietzschean male and she repeated that movement with another one before she stopped, a gun aiming to her forehead. A knock on her face and a push with the knee in her stomach were surprise attacks. She was recovering the breath as she watched her opponents, the six nietzschean males of the club.
“You are very good fighting, human. Now tell us, what are you and your master doing here?” Beka grinned, of course they thought Rhade was her master.
“I’m not a slave and if you release me I’ll knock your ubber ass”, another punch and she tasted the blood in her lips.
“You know,” he was extending the blood down towards her neck, “we don’t push back some beauty flesh even it is kludge...”
She took advantage of his proximity to push with a knee between her legs and then she noticed her arms released. Rhade caught her arm and pulled her as he opened out the force lance with his free hand. On a few seconds they were surrounded of unconscious bodies. Rhade closed the lance and looked at her. His breath was heavy.
“What... what... did they touch you?”
“Just some knock. They have received more. Let’s go to the Maru, Rhade”

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Rhade waited on the bridge while Beka cleaned the blood. Then he sat down with her on the bed. He took his chin and turned her face to examinate and he disinfected her lip. He also touched her torso softly looking for some broken rib. As he finished he stood up and walked around the room. He stopped in front a metal panel and knocked it strongly.
“It was my fault”, he muttered, “I was stupid, I let you alone in that hut, damn it!”
“Rhade...” he turned and saw her. “It wasn’t your fault. I dropped my guard. Besides,” she said playing it down, “I was giving them a beating”
“Beka... they could kill you... I would never forgive myself”. He put his hands on her shoulders
“You are not my bodyguard Rhade. I can care myself” she seemed uncomfortable, “abouabout Sam, we are just friends, no more”.
“You don’t need to explain me anything Beka” he smiled.
“I know but I want to do it”.
He pulled her into his arms, he needed to feel he could protect her. She put her hands on his back resting her head on his chest. He could hear her heart beating, her breath, that scent he wanted so much. He pressed her more against him and felt how his self-control went. Beka felt his hardness and something hot melted in her core. They separated, unhandy to go so far and frustrated to stop.
“Tomorrow morning the components will be here” she said.
“You must rest now”. It was an order, not a suggestion.
“I know, Thanks Rhade”. She smiled him.

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That huge menacing man approached her. His long hair fell over his shoulders, his black eyes running through her defenceless body, his dark skin brightening. His hand caressed her cheek but it hurts, he broke her clothes and she couldn’t move. She called Rhade but he was not there and the man was nearest her, the scorn and desire mixed in his face. Beka cry out with all the forces of her lungs...
Rhade was embracing her, she was crying. “Wake up, Beka. It’s just a nightmare, just that, you are safe now”. “Tyr... he was coming... I called you... he was near...” she sobbed. “I’m here, I’ll always be, okay?” He dried her tears and stayed with her between his arms till he noticed she slept. Then softly he leaned her on the bed.
He sat on the floor in front watching her. He wa so so much to touch her, to love her that it hurts his chest. He must relax to control himself. He undressed the shirt and did flexion in silence. He didn’t want get out her room, he wanted to smell the scent of her skin.
Beka didn’t know how much time she had been sleeping when he half-opened her eyes. Rhade was doing flexion and it looked like he didn’t realized she was awake so she enjoyed watching his taut arms, his pecs wet with sweat, the muscles of his back moving. She put her tongue all over her lips. By the Divine, she loved him, she wanted him so badly!...
“Have you rest?” Damn it, he probably realized she was watching him since she was awake. “Yea...yeeeeees, thanks but I need a coffee. Oh no, I haven’t the coffee machine, I’m going to kill Harper”. She stretched and woke up. Rhade stood up and she smelt his scent, very personal scent, so masculine... hmmm!
“Beka” she opened the eyes. He was watching her with curiosity.
ethiething happen to you?”
“No, no of course not, why?” He gazed her firmly and arched and eyebrow.
“You had closed your eyes and you had a curious expression on your face”
“Hmm, no really I’m fine”. He put his shirt and went to the bridge. Damn damn damn! ‘Fine Valentine, you're always making a fool’.

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During the travel back Beka noticed a change in Rhade. He asked her about her life before the Andromeda, her choices and hobbies. He spoke about his home and family. Besides she noticed he touched her in a ‘casual way’ more often than necessary, making her tremble.
When they are approached to Andromeda Rhade was still sleeping. She put the autopilot and approached him slowly studying his face. He was deeply slept. His lips were so tempting. Beka grazed them with a finger and he didn’t move. ‘Come on Valentine, your last chance. He wouldn’t even realize it’. She changed her finger with her lips softly and pressed a little more. He was still slept. His lips are wonderful, even better than her fantasies, soft, warm, wet... suddenly she felt his hand caressing her hair, trying to deepen the kiss. She separated sharply. Rhade watched her with the eyes dark of desire, his hand stroking her nape. She went to the pilot seat and stayed watching in front as she was in an asteroid field.