CarnalPromise (4 page)

“Mmmm.” She knew she moaned yet her body still operated in
that torpor state. She turned her head toward the sense, wanting the lips that
exhaled against her.

She was not disappointed. The phantasm touched her gently
with his mouth, caressing her soft flesh with his. His hand grazed her body.
His fingers stroked her skin from her waist to the ribs under her breasts.

“Mmmm.” She turned into him, imagined his arms welcoming
her. “Drakkar.” She’d dreamt of him often, envisioned a kinder man than the one
she knew. One still strong and brave but less harsh, one who could love and be
loved in return.

One who would treasure her above all reason.

A low rumble, thick with sensuality, sounded in the
dream-man’s throat. The deep male timbre stirred her, made her remember the
heady heat of Drakkar’s powerful body, the muskiness of his unique scent, the
one that drove her into sexual overdrive. The wetness between her legs
thickened.

In her fantasy, the man fingered her breast. “I must have
you, Jinn.” The hoarse, ethereal voice hovered over her.

“Yes,” she whispered against the soft hairs of his chest.

His penis pulsated against her. The head rubbed against the
moist nub of her sex.

She purred with pleasure. “Take me, Drakkar. I need you so.”
She reached for her mons, keeping the fantasy alive in her mind while she
stroked herself, but hard flesh seemingly halted her movement. Could someone be
lying next to her?

The tip of the man’s erect penis slipped past her outer
labia. “No,” she shouted as consciousness gained ground. A stranger was trying
to take her. She couldn’t let him. She pushed against the man’s frame as true
consciousness finally came to her but her efforts were of no avail.

“Yes,” she heard the deep, gravelly voice whisper as his
penetration slowed. “You are mine, Jinn of Svendia. My mate, as I am yours.”

Her eyes flew open. Although it took a moment to adjust to
the light, she knew whose arms held her.

Drakkar
. How did he find her?

The scant light of the fire globe highlighted his powerful
frame. Pain and need deepened the lines of his face. “I need you too, Jinn.”
His voice was a low coarse roll in his throat. His lips touched hers and
captured her mouth in a demanding kiss as he plunged his penis into her slicked
depths.

The wants of her body took control. An ounce of sympathy
pained her for the torture she had put him through. The small muscles in her
vagina clenched, welcoming him.

Traitor
, a different voice in her mind screamed but
there was no help for her response. She couldn’t resist this. Not now. Not when
she’d been dreaming so thoroughly about the act with him, not when her ultimate
pleasure was within reach. However she felt about him outside the bed, this was
something she could not contain.

“Mmmm.” Her eyelids closed in response. She savored the feel
of him as he languidly stroked his penis within her folds. Her sexual desires
slammed to the fore. She wanted the urges to consume her until the guilt went
away, until she had no other thought and could take no more. “Drakkar, God’s
teeth, I’ve missed this about you. Need this.” She ran her hands over his hard
pecs and large biceps, fingering the skin underneath her touch.

“I know,” he gritted out and hastened the rhythm of his
taking. “Can’t…wait…much more, Jinn. Been too long.”

“I know.” Her own response rushed onward. Her hips arched in
concert with his. A guttural moan from the erotic pleasure escaped her parted
mouth.

Another, deeper rumble from Drakkar answered hers. Even as
her exhilaration built, her eyes fluttered open to study his handsome visage,
memorize again the lines of his face, knowing she would have to escape his
grasp, yet still wanting, needing this completion.

Perspiration moistened his brow. She knew he held himself
back for her. Was he taunting her? Or did he truly care about her sexual peak?

She wouldn’t know, couldn’t take the time to discover this
part of him.
Not yet.

He stroked harder, bent over and nibbled on that receptive
part of her neck. Her carnal urges soared. He stroked again, rotated his hips
to rub against her mons. Finally the effect drove all thought from her mind,
except the one of him sending her into sexual bliss.

“God’s teeth.” She jutted her hips upward and moved them
against him, timing the gyration of her efforts with his penetrations, letting
his body thrust against the most intimate, most sensitive parts of her being.
Pleasure’s surge took her. Higher than she’d been in many moon cycles.

Drakkar rose on his elbows, took the tip of her breast in
his mouth and nibbled as he moved. “Want…you…to understand…need,” he managed to
say somehow through his feverish state. “Must be together.”

“Oh.” She neared the edge of heaven, both pouting and
moaning, wanting him so badly, knowing she couldn’t give in to his demands. She
would not be deterred from her rightful goals. “Must be…warrior.”

“No,” he growled, nearing his completion.

She whimpered with her craving as he thumped her harder,
driving her higher. God, she needed this.

In moments, she peaked, screaming as she climaxed.

Drakkar trailed her but not by far, breathless as he came
and collapsed atop her.

Suddenly the old wood door of the room slammed open. Several
Nyphosian guards rushed in and grabbed Drakkar, pulling him off her and letting
the sheet fall to the end of the bed, exposing both their naked bodies, wet
with the mixture of their essence.

“No,” Drakkar shouted, punching out one of them before the
man could get a good grasp then throwing another across the room as the
remainder of men rushed him. “She is mine.”

Jinn scrambled to the head of the bed and huddled there as
her logic broke through her libidinous haze. “Don’t. Want. Him.” Still panting
from their sex play, she could barely say the words, knowing they were lies,
but she needed to be away from him. Fast. She had other demons to defeat.

Calixte glided in behind the men, standing apart from the
melee, then a half-dressed Hunter, his blond hair tousled, and Drakkar’s friend
she knew as Khariton rushed in. They’d obviously gotten past the men the headmistress
stationed outside, as Jinn could hear the Nyphosian guards moaning.

When Jinn spied Hunter, she knew she had trouble.
Self-preservation kicked in. Her brother Rurik would not be far behind.

“Enough,” Calixte ordered, glancing at a guard in the midst
of helping his fallen comrade off the floor. “Drakkar, I will not have this
Vulgarian violence in my temple.”

“She…is…my mate,” he gritted.

Calixte’s slow-growing smile was that of a cat who’d just
licked the last drop of cream. “I see.” The woman crossed her hands over her
rounded belly. “However I have promised this woman my protection.” She turned a
jaundiced eye toward Jinn. “If Drakkar speaks true and I understand the private
rumors correctly, this would make you Jinn of Svendia. Am I right?”

Jinn nodded. There was no way to dispute that now.

Calixte’s dainty mouth grimaced. “If you had told us from
the first who you were, this event might have been avoided.”

“I must have her.” Drakkar shoved against the men who held
him, almost freeing himself, but as Hunter and Khariton, Drakkar’s second in
command, moved to assist him, the captain of the
Intrepid
waved them
back. “Don’t.” Drakkar inhaled deeply. “We don’t need a galactic incident.”
Drakkar sucked in several breaths then eyed Calixte. “You realize she must come
with me.”

Calixte studied him then looked at Jinn. Closing her eyes,
the woman inhaled deeply. When she glanced at Jinn again, Jinn recognized the
look on the headmistress’s face.

The Nyphosian knew the truth. Jinn was mated to Drakkar,
whether she wanted to be or not. And they had just shared what it was mates do.

Hunter stepped forward. “I have a document from Rurik, the
Headmaster of Svendia, stating he would like the return of this woman.” He
nodded to Jinn. “She is wanted by the Svendian Council.” He pulled out a
bracelet from his waist pack that had a laser data bead attached and handed it
to Calixte.

The headmistress nodded. “I’m sure all is in order. However,
as you can see, this does cause us some considerable concern. I must contact
our headquarters on how to proceed. I know Sophos will have some input. After
all, our lead Nyphosian negotiator didn’t spend all her time and energy brokering
your peoples’ peace for naught. And as I understand it, Drakkar of Vulgaria,
you, yourself, have sacrificed much and badly want this as well. The peace,
that is.” She slowly shot an appreciative glance at his nude frame, eyeing his
body from his head downward and back up again, finishing her pause with that
insouciant smile.

Jinn bristled.

“You are still an official representative of your people in
this treaty business?” Calixte asked Drakkar.

“I am.” Her mate-to-be’s stern visage pissed Jinn off.

Calixte nodded and waved to her guards to release Drakkar.
“Good. However I’m still undecided about this mating issue. Knowing the
Svendians and the Vulgarians as I do, neither of you seem enough ‘in heat’, so
to speak, as you should be. I’m surprised my guard could even hold you.”

“A consequence of an old Earth-based potion, Headmistress,”
Drakkar interjected. “A necessity, at the moment.” He glared at Jinn.

Jinn huffed and glowered back at him.

“Really?” Calixte arched a brow as she looked between the
two of them. Her smile grew more catlike again. “Interesting.” She clasped her
hands together. “Regardless. I must contact Sophos and now Rurik, since I have
a missive from him. I insist you all stay as guests until I hear from them
both.” She turned her purple gaze to Drakkar. “Unless you want that galactic
incident of which you spoke.”

“Of course not, Headmistress.” He granted her a brisk nod.
“And Rurik is not far behind us. He is in the quadrant.”

“Great,” Jinn muttered under her breath.

Hunter was the only one who heard. He cut his eyes at her
and chuckled.

Damn nephew
. As much as she’d done for him, you think
he’d be on her side. They were, after all, blood.

“Excellent. Then this should be settled shortly.” Calixte
smiled again, unaware of Jinn’s thoughts. “Now perhaps we can get some rest.”
She covered her mouth with a well-manicured hand and yawned. “With the child
developing, I really need my sleep.”

“My apologies, Headmistress,” Drakkar bowed to her again.
Hunter and Khariton clicked their heels together and followed suit.

Calixte scrutinized them as she took the data bead from
Hunter. “I will leave the four of you to discuss this further. However, I want
no more forceful persuasion this night. I will post a few guards outside the
door to ensure this. When you are done, I will have one of the men escort you
to your rooms.” She arched an imperious brow, aiming it at Jinn. “I am assuming
though, that at least two of you could share this particular bed. I find
discussion and open communication helpful in these incidents. Am I making
myself clear?” She shot a stern look at Drakkar.

“Yes, Headmistress.” Drakkar deferred to her.

Jinn swallowed. “Yes, Headmistress.” Panic rose within her.
What could she do now? She glanced at Hunter. Could she convince him to help
her?

“Good.” Calixte smiled again then turned and exited the
room, her guards in tow.

Hunter whistled when the last of the guards drew out of
sight. “Fuck that was close.” He wore a stupid grin. “I thought you were going
to kill a few of them.”

Drakkar grimaced. “That would not have been wise, given the
circumstances.”

“And you always do that which is wise,” Jinn spat.

Drakkar’s jaw set. “I try at all times to make the best
decision for my people.”

“How noble of you.”

A deep growl rumbled in Drakkar’s throat.

“Time for us to go, Junior.” Khariton pulled Hunter by the
arm. A low chuckled sounded from both of them as they turned for the door.

“Yeah, I have some unfinished business to take care of.”
Hunter’s voice trailed off.

Jinn panicked. Hunter couldn’t leave her alone with Drakkar.
Her body would betray her again, might make her concede to his demands.
Drakkar
the Ruthless
. He didn’t earn the Svendian title for him for nothing. He
would use their common need against her. “Hunter, do you understand what you’ve
done? You can’t let them take me. I must locate Craddock.” Jinn pleaded, trying
to get him to stay.

Hunter spun on his heel and glared at her a moment then a
haunting look shadowed his normally genial blue eyes. “I’m following orders,
Aunt Jinn. You forget. I’ve seen the damage done on both sides now. Hopefully
with your return all this shit will come to an end.” He smirked, mocking her.
“Besides, turnabout is fair play in my book. You’re the one that yanked me from
Earth in the middle of a fire fight and put me behind bars until my father got
me out. I understand why now but I didn’t then. You might want to think about
that.”

He turned to leave with Khariton but she wasn’t done with
him yet. “Damnation, Hunter, if I hadn’t rescued you from that Earth battle,
Craddock might have killed you. You know he wants to destroy both you and your
sister.” She recalled seeing the boy in action then and was impressed with his
skills, given the Earthers’ limited technology. With Hunter’s newfound
knowledge, how much more combative would he be? Would he be able to protect
himself from Craddock? From Cassius, their uncle’s powerful biodroid? Craddock
wanted to dispose of all of Rurik’s “unpure” seed. How could she convince
Hunter to help free her? She needed to find her uncle, stop him before any more
damage was done.

“He was in no danger, Jinn.” Drakkar had moved closer yet
she had not heard his approach.