Free Colliding Worlds Trilogy 02 – Implosion by Berinn Rae Page A

in time to avoid an exceedingly tall tree. Roden had to fly the ship at full power, making the speed too fast for a human eye to make out enough detail to know that these ships weren’t native to their planet. If he slowed down, humans would find it odd to see ships with the smallest of wings, used only for steering. Bullets came to mind, the small piece of metal shot from human weapons. While bullets were far less effective than the blasters Roden used, bullets did have their value. His ship, shaped like one and moving like one, felt like a bullet right now. And he’d have to be careful so as not to end up shot into the side of a mountain.
    Draeken ships flew much better in the higher altitudes, where the oxygen levels were lower and fewer obstacles posed risk. Unfortunately, the humans had developed a rather robust radar system, and Roden was forced to fly low — too low for his preference — to avoid detection. A lesser pilot would have crashed by now.
    Flying fast and low required careful focus, a task made more difficult with Nalea’s movements out of the corner of his eye. He wasn’t used to such pleasant distractions while flying. Too bad he couldn’t set the ship to auto-pilot, so he could watch his passenger wriggle in her garb. She’d no idea that every sensual movement of hers only served to make him harder.
    Just as he expected, the gown fit her beautifully. He’d chosen classic silver for the color. A perfect contrast to her golden skin. Her gown matched the threads woven through the fabric of his loose fitting shirt and kilt, not to mention his eyes and hair. A black silken scarf, with his royal lineage emblazoned in silver. He wanted to make it quite clear Nalea belonged to him and no other.
    As possessions went, she was glorious. The deep neckline plunged nearly to her waist, revealing her small but perfect cleavage. The thin straps hid nothing and begged to be ripped. And the length of the nearly transparent gown … it covered her thighs. Barely. The narrow seat back and thick seat belts didn’t help her but were a boon to him. The straps pulled at the fabric, revealing almost everything — and not nearly enough for his taste.
    His only concession was to ensure her shoes were somewhat practical. They were heels, not too high that she couldn’t run if they met danger, and most definitely not high enough to use the heel as a deadly stiletto.
    She spent the next several minutes of the flight fidgeting and tugging at her gown.
    When he hit the point of seriously considering landing so he could seduce her properly, he grabbed her hand. “Stop that.”
    “Why?”
    “It’s distracting.”
    She yanked away. “You really think this is funny, don’t you? You picked the skimpiest dress ever.”
    He shrugged, his wings rustling behind him.
Yes, I did.
The seat back was narrow, designed specifically for the Draeken anatomy, giving him plenty of room to flex his wings. He stretched his right just far enough to brush against Nalea’s bare arm. She shivered, and then scowled, pushing his wing away. He reluctantly tucked his wing back in, although he much preferred the tactile contact.
    He sighed. “If you’re wearing something that is clearly for fashion and cannot hide the smallest blade, then Hillas will have nothing to fear from you.”
If only the fool knew how dangerous you were without weapons.
He cast a sideways glance her way. “We’ll be there soon. You ready to play your part?”
    She rolled her eyes. “Let’s see. Hang on your every word. When Hillas tries to kill me — being his daughter and all — you come to the rescue and are forced to kill him.”
    He nodded. “Good.”
    “Or, more likely, I’m pegged as the assassin. And you’re forced to take down the assassin. All the Draeken people will love you for the hero you pretend to be and sympathize with you for having to kill your so-called lover.”
    He jerked. “Why do you say that?”
    “Don’t play me for a fool, Roden. This