[Atlantean's Quest 03] Redemption (7 page)

He looked even better than she recalled. His body fierce, proud, and oh, so muscle bound. Ariel swallowed hard as he smiled, his white teeth gleaming against his tanned skin. His eyes sparkled, then turned molten as he inhaled, taking in her feminine musk. The change in his expression was dramatic. He was now certain she was the one calling to him, that it was her pheromones that wafted in the air, covering the miles until they’d reached his senses.

Ariel pulled at the vines binding her. She was vulnerable, should he choose to act upon those instincts. His gaze followed her ripe nipples, before slowly making its way down to the liquid molten treasure between her thighs. Her pussy wept openly. His nostrils flared a second time before he focused on her face. He could smell her heat.
Her Atlantean heat.

Ariel didn’t have to read his mind to know he was remembering the dream from last night. She recalled it with clarity. She glanced down at the front of his loincloth and saw the evidence of his memory, bulging hard and thick, behind the hide confines.

Coridan, we mustn’t. Our people are counting on us.

Our people…His gaze bore into hers. You forget, seer, I have no people.

Ariel licked her suddenly dry lips.
You have…

His lids narrowed.

It doesn’t matter. She swallowed. I need your assistance.

And you’ll have it. First, I want to know why is it that your fragrance can reach me over the miles, inflame my blood, draw me like the flowers call to the bees? Why is it you are in Atlantean heat when I am the only Atlantean male left on the planet? Tell me, seer, am I your mate?

It matters not, for I am the seer.

It matters to me.

I cannot mate with anyone or I will lose my powers. You know this as I do.

So you’ve told me, but it doesn’t explain how you can reach me on my private channel of communication, when we both know only true-mates can do so.

I do not have a true-mate. And I will not stay here and listen to this.

Coridan snorted.
It seems to me you have little choice.
He purposely allowed his gaze to wander to the vines binding her.

Ariel growled in warning. Coridan took that moment to grin down at her.

Answer my questions, seer, and I will be happy to free you.

No!

He shrugged. Well then it seems to me we are at an impasse.

Goddess bless, Coridan, release me.
Ariel knew she sounded desperate and she didn’t care.

He moved closer to the bed, his gaze roaming over her ample curves, mapping, memorizing. His gaze froze as he focused on the side of her neck, where she’d been bitten the night before.
You bear my mark, as I bear yours.
Coridan twisted just enough so Ariel could see the claw marks on his back.

Ariel’s breath caught at the sight.
This still means nothing.
Her voice quaked.

Your stubbornness is showing, seer. Perhaps there is another way I can get the answers I seek.

Don’t even think about it.
Ariel glared at Coridan with every intention of making him back down, but she couldn’t stop a quiver of excitement from coursing through her body, racing through her veins. And from the look on his face, Coridan had noticed it, too. Damn his warrior heart.
Coridan, listen to reason. You know my power’s based on the fact that I have not joined with a man and experienced the energy binding process.

You had better not have joined with another warrior.
Menace laced his words, causing Ariel to start. He sounded determined, possessive—all warrior.

You must listen to reason.
She begged him, half hoping he ignored everything and claimed her. Her body writhed against the restraints, a womanly invitation if there ever was one.

Coridan’s eyes flashed as if he fought his baser instincts. Do not worry, seer, I will not join with you while we are dependent upon your powers.

We will not join—ever
. Ariel’s voice quavered in her mind.

Never is a very long time, seer. Do not make vows you will not be able to keep. He shifted, his gaze releasing her.

You heard me. We will not join.
Ariel realized her mistake too late. Her words smacked of challenge to a warrior’s ears.

Coridan simply smiled, and then moved to the end of the bed.

Ariel bit back a moan as she remembered her vision. His head had been buried in her pussy, feeding from her, devouring her. She tried to squeeze her legs together to ease the sudden ache, but it was impossible with the vines binding her feet.

Her body recalled the pleasure and her skin flushed, heating to fevered. Her nipples resembled ripe berries, ready to be sucked into an eager mouth. Ariel gazed at Coridan from beneath heavy lids. She had never been so aroused in her life. It took all she had not to beg him to fuck her.

From the hungry expression on his face, Coridan had been following her thoughts. He dropped to his knees between her spread legs. His gaze left her face, gingerly traveling south over her gently rounded belly, sliding to her mons, and then down to the moist crevice below.

You may say otherwise, seer, but your body calls to me. I hear it. My body recognizes yours as my other half. In the end, I will not be denied.

His vow made her tremble.

Coridan leaned forward until his mouth hovered mere inches from her cunt, his moist breath licking over her skin. Ariel couldn’t seem to be able to think clearly. Her thighs trembled, her pussy wept, and her desire rose to a level bordering madness.

Tell me what you desire, seer, and I shall give it to you and more.

Let me go.

Coridan blew hot air across her cunt and Ariel’s back arched.

Tell me what you desire. Do not think to deny this…us.

I can—

Coridan’s lips pressed against her bare pussy in a tender kiss. Ariel screamed inside her head.

Please…

You taste as I remember in my dream. My back still burns from the scrape of your nails. Do you recall what we were doing when you marked me, seer?

Please, Coridan.

Please what, seer?

Ariel’s lungs heaved. Please pleasure me…warrior.

Coridan exhaled heavily as if he’d been holding his breath, waiting for her response. His tongue swept along the slit of her entrance, enticing. He moaned. Ariel’s sole focus zeroed in on the man between her thighs. Her body thrummed as his phallus-like tongue dipped beneath her folds, finding her clit, stabbing it once in promise, before retreating.

He was trying to kill her. There could be no other explanation for this torture. Her mind splintered as he entered her, his stiffened tongue surging forward, caressing her woman’s barrier then swirling a second before repeating the process. Ariel’s fingers dug into the fur, gripping, hanging on as her body soared toward completion.

His tongue flicked over her clit again at the same time he reached for her breasts. This time Ariel did moan aloud. Luckily, Raoul and Santo were used to her strange noises and seemed to purposely ignore anything that sounded sexual since the day the professor had discovered them pleasuring her. Ariel thought back on the men’s untutored groping. How could she have compared their actions to what Coridan was doing to her now?

She had been a fool.

Coridan speared her once more, a second before he sent a power surge bursting through her. Ariel cried out as her body convulsed in an orgasm. Her womb pulsed, raking her with pleasure and pain. It took several moments before Ariel returned to any semblance of normalcy. Once she had, she realized Coridan had waited, watching her every movement.

Ariel calmed and opened her eyes wider. As soon as he captured her gaze, Coridan stuck out his tongue. Slowly, ever so slowly, he licked her from clit to anus, circling the back orifice a couple of times before retracing his path. Ariel shuddered at the erotic sight and came again.

I must go now, seer. I have to locate the rest of the professor’s men, so I can determine how best to plan our escape. Sleep well. Coridan gave her a knowing grin that told her without words he knew she’d be thinking about him tonight.

You can’t leave me like this
. She whimpered, pulling at the vines.

He moved up her body, his hard muscles gliding across her soft flesh, nearing her mouth.

What are you doing?
Ariel hated the fact she sounded breathless in his mind.

What does it look like
? He stopped, his brows furrowing.

No! We mustn’t kiss. I mean…
Ariel jerked her head away as panic filled her. If he kissed her, she didn’t think she’d be able to hold to her resolve and resist him. Worse yet, he’d
know
. He’d know she was lying about her feelings toward him, about the depth of their connection.

Why not
? His voice sounded suspicious.

Because…I said so.
She knew it wasn’t a valid reason. She knew she sounded petulant, but as seer, she didn’t need a reason.
Now untie me, so we can go.

No.
Coridan paused, his questioning gaze straying to her lips a moment before he slid down her body, resting once more between her thighs.
If they discover you’re missing without us developing a plan, it may be more than difficult to escape this planet, it may be impossible.
He lazily stroked the fleshy area on the inside of her thigh with one hand, while holding her gaze.
I will return as soon as I can. I must ensure the transport is fine, but rest assured I would not leave you. I promise you this upon my honor as a warrior.

If I remember correctly, you have no honor.
The words were out of Ariel’s proverbial mouth before she had a chance to think. She closed her eyes for a second, before seeking his gaze once again.

Coridan’s face hardened and his jaw locked. He stood and quickly stepped away from Ariel as if being near her caused physical pain. Ariel’s stomach clenched, along with something that felt suspiciously like her heart.

Remember, seer, you called me. His nostrils flared. I will return.

He left the same way he’d come, like a whisper on the wind. Ariel shivered at the loss. There was no sense berating herself, but why had she said that to him? She hadn’t meant it, yet it had fallen from her lips like the rain tumbles from the sky. She’d hurt him, purposely so. Ariel had no doubt she’d hit her mark.

She sighed. Maybe it was for the best. This way they’d be able to focus on what was important, saving the Atlantean people—their people. There was no time for physical pleasures, although her sated body told her otherwise.

It was for the best.

Unfortunately, the ache in her heart didn’t agree.

* * * * *

Anger coiled around Coridan’s chest, choking his breath until he had to stop his descent from the trees or risk falling. Ariel purposely reminded him of the shame he’d brought upon his family name to enrage him. Coridan was most certain. Yet had she not spoken the truth? His heart clenched, refusing to accept the emotions bombarding it. Had he screwed up so mightily that his own true-mate would want nothing to do with him?

Coridan didn’t like the answer he received. He’d have to change her mind. Convince her he was not the man who’d so foolishly endangered Ares only days before. He had to let her see and experience his growth for herself.

His heart clenched. Did that growth include returning to a people who’d shunned him?

If it meant being near Ariel, then the answer was yes.

However, there would be no point of him stepping through the transport if he could not change her mind enough to get her to give him another chance. Not that he’d decided one way or the other whether to return. He may be a man without a people, but he wasn’t without a mate. The sooner she accepted that fact, the better off they’d be.

In the darkness, he wound his way through the vegetation, locating several guides along the way. As he neared the transport, he felt the energy shift. No one had disturbed the portal—yet. But it wouldn’t be long. The professor’s men camped only five hundred yards or so away. The only reason they hadn’t spotted the stones already was because of the dense trees growing around the clearing. In a day or less, they would find the secret Ariel fought so hard to protect and lay siege to his people.

His people
… Despite Ariel’s assurances, he wasn’t convinced his people would welcome him back with open arms. If they did, would Ariel go back to her rightful place as seer, leaving him to walk the planet Zaron alone, unmated? Ariel was his true-mate, wasn’t she? All signs pointed to yes, but he’d been wrong before. Only an offer of an energy bind could confirm his suspicions.

Coridan’s emotions stilled. He couldn’t bear the thought of Ariel turning away. He would not allow his past deeds to cloud his judgment. He sent out an energy burst, scaring away the men nearest the location. In their minds, they’d only see wild beasts and spirits from the beyond. That would only hold them at bay for a short while. He needed to get Ariel and escape, but not before she answered his questions.

Coridan peered into the darkness. Whether they joined or not, he had to know the truth. There could be no other way. He would not allow her to escape to Zaron without revealing her secrets to him. He could not. His heart, his very soul, depended on her answers. Coridan replayed her words. They had been said in haste, in fear.

His mind stilled. Had he gotten too close? When he’d stroked her body, she’d been ready to comply with his every whim. He knew he could have pressed her to give herself to him and she would have accepted, eventually. She may not have wanted to but her urges and need were stronger. Ariel had wanted his cock as much as he’d longed to give it to her.

She was a complicated woman who would not be easily controlled, not that he intended to do so. Yet in order for them to mate successfully and raise enough energy to perform an energy bind, she’d have to compromise. Yield her body and mind. Open for him so he could bury his shaft in her body and plant his seed.

The thought of Ariel carrying his child sobered Coridan for a moment. Tenderness and fierceness collided in a firestorm of emotion, causing his body to tense. He rolled his shoulders until the muscles eased. He needn’t worry about what didn’t exist. She had not agreed to become his mate yet, much less bear his children. First came convincing, then he’d move on from there.