DarykRogue (35 page)

“Give me time, Rayder. I don’t know if I can ever trust a
man again. But I know what you can do for me. Help me get revenge on Aramus.”

He nodded. “That has been my whole life for three years,
wanting to destroy his slave empire. By now he has to know something is wrong.
He may have sailed from shore.”

She wiped at her tears and sniffed. “I will help you find him,
no matter how long it takes.”

Though he knew she had far to go emotionally, he also knew
he couldn’t stop her. She would do what she must do.

“We will have a meal and plot and plan, my sister. I vow to
you this day, we will make Aramus pay.”

* * * * *

Xandra barely heard Rayder planning the next step of the
battle plan. Rayder, Xandra, Aknada and Marc sat around a huge table capable of
seating twenty. The dining hall ceiling rose high, wood rafters scarred with
age. The long room was decorated with shields, swords, helmets and other war
implements. Aknada had made a snide comment on not much changing as she’d
entered the dining hall.

Two days had passed since Rayder and Aknada had announced
plans to attack Aramus’ ship. Xandra’s stomach had knotted when she’d heard
their decision. Two days would be enough, Marc had assured, to gather enough
men to their side. Since they’d come to the compound, Xandra realized all of
the men, slave or no, held Marc in the highest of esteem. Except by Aknada.

“How I’ve changed,” Xandra had said to Rayder as he’d held
her last night in his arms.

“How?”

Tears had prickled her eyes. “I’ve accepted killing another
man. It goes against all I was taught in Magonia. Murder is not done.”

“But it was done to your family, my beauty. Murder has
marked you. You cannot run from it.”

She’d cried again, damning the tears. She wanted to banish
all signs of weakness, and yet the ache in her heart wouldn’t allow it.

“You musn’t despair,” he’d said. “You will never be a
murderer. Our revenge is just. Aramus gives us no other choice.”

“What if he does?” Had she honestly expressed such an
opinion?

Rayder had glared at her in the semidarkness, candlelight
throwing menacing shadows over his face. “You would let him go? After all he
did to you and Aknada and Draconus only knows how many other women?”

“No… I would let his hate and evil destroy him. Instead, I
am planning with you to hasten his demise.”

“To save others.”

“That is the only way I can think of it and approve, Rayder.
If we must kill him to save those women in the ship’s hold…I will go with you.”

“You are staying here. I won’t let you face danger again.”
Rayder’s demand had been fierce in its denial.

She’d rolled him over on his back, but of course he’d let
her. She’d straddled his hips, coming down on his cock and holding the hard,
thick length within her folds. She’d hissed in a breath the pleasure was so
staggering. Before long she moved, and hips echoed her need. Each thrust and
drag of his hardness inside Xandra had sent her to the edge, hovering there.
Breathless. Drugged with craving and need so acute her heart felt as if it
might pound from her chest.

“No,” he’d gasped the word. “You are staying here.”

She moved faster, planting her palms near his shoulders and
using her lower body to work him, to screw him deep inside her. “Going.”

He sucked in a breath as she’d taken him harder. She’d
looked down on him as she gloried in Rayder’s vulnerability. She’d taken
control, battered at him with everything she had. He would, on this point at
least, give in to her.

“I’m going.” She’d gasped her words, frantic to make him
understand. “I won’t leave you. I won’t sit here and wonder what’s happening to
you.”

His eyes, glowing with a combination of anger and arousal,
had latched on to hers. With a snarl, Rayder had thrown his hips upward. The
sharp thrust had hit deep within her. Orgasm had erupted, burning her in sweet
pleasure. The violence and strength of her reaction had stunned her to the
core. He’d followed, a guttural cry ripping from his throat. Breathless and
sated, she’d fallen into his arms and slept soundly.

As Rayder and the others planned now, she didn’t know what
to say. She didn’t know if she cared for the feeling, for the darkness it
brought to her life. What choice did she have? She wouldn’t abandon them.

“Xandra?” Aknada sat across from her.

Xandra’s gaze snapped up and collided with Rayder’s. “I am
fine. I was just thinking.”

“Then you missed the entire plan,” Marc said with teasing in
his blue eyes.

She smiled, charmed by Marc’s kindness. Over two days Aknada
had fully recovered, yet Marc hovered her as if he was afraid someone would
harm her. His attention wasn’t fawning, but no one could miss Marc’s devotion.
Well, accept for Aknada. Xandra witnessed Aknada glancing at Marc longingly
when Aknada didn’t think anyone was watching.

Aknada seemed determined to dislike him against her own
will. Xandra couldn’t blame Aknada’s caution. She’d felt the same about Rayder.
Felt? Perhaps there was a small part of her still unopened to Rayder because he
hadn’t said he loved her.

“He is playing with you, Xandra.” Aknada threw her brother a
glare. “We’ve barely reached any conclusion.”

Rayder launched into discussion. “Xandra insists on coming
with with us.”

“That isn’t wise.” Aknada tucked hair behind her ears, but
the thick cascade refused restraint. It flopped over the side of her face.
“Rayder and I are Daryk Ones. If we’re worried about you, we cannot perform our
duty.”

Marc, who sat next to Xandra, said, “Perhaps it would be
better if I team up with Aknada. She can protect me if the need arises.”

Aknada threw him a contemptuous look. “Protect you?”

His eyebrows rose. “Like you said, you are a Daryk One. I am
not. I need protection.”

Though he said it with a straight face, no one could mistake
the tone. He was goading her into a confrontation.

“Be that as it may,” Rayder said as he shoved back his chair
and started to pace, “Xandra is under my protection and will remain with me at
all times. Aknada, if you can restrain your intense distaste for Marc and work
with him, I think it would make sense.”

Aknada glanced quickly at Marc. She pursed her lips
slightly. “I suppose.”

Rayder made a scoffing noise. “Do not suppose. Know for
certain.”

Aknada’s cheeks went pink. Was she embarrassed or angry or
both? “Very well. Marc will go with me.”

Marc shifted in his chair and kept his expression neutral.
“Good. Back to the mission. Sixty men have consented to help.”

“Sixty?” Surprise colored Aknada’s voice. “That is
excellent.”

“Indeed. The ship probably has about that many men working
on it. Possibly less,” Rayder said.

“Is that enough?” Xandra couldn’t suppress worry. “I mean,
enough men on our side?”

Marc cleared his throat. “It will have to be enough. It’s
all we have. We have an advantage. Arcos will accompany us.”

Xandra’s eyebrows shot up. “We won’t be able to sneak up on
anyone with a dragon clomping along, will we?”

Marc smiled. “Normally we wouldn’t. Arcos will fly overhead
as protection. When the time is right, he will use fire.”

Aknada sniffed. “Are you sure you can control him?”

Marc’s threw an angry glance at Aknada. “Yes. He’s been with
me for two years.”

“Your first pet dragon,” Aknada said.

“The first. A rare exception.”

Rayder cleared his throat, obviously tired of the tension.
“Very well. The dragon goes with us.”

Tension remained even as they retired to their quarters to
dress for the trip. Each of them would wear a pack with essentials. Rayder
insisted Xandra give him some of her supplies.

She smiled at him indulgently, half tempted to challenge him
to see the spark in his eyes. “I can carry it all.”

His eyes flashed to hers. “You cannot.”

She lifted the pack sitting on the bed and sighed. “It
barely has anything in it. Water, food, a knife—”

“That’s all you need.”

She rolled her gaze to the ceiling. “You’re stubborn.”

He slipped his arm around her waist and brought her flush
against his body. Red filled his eyes. Pushed to the edge, his gaze conveyed
lack of patience and hunger. He wanted her. His cock hardened as he pressed
against her. She thrilled to the sensation. Gently he walked her back toward
the door.

“What are you doing?” She gripped his shoulders to keep
steady.

“You’ll see.”

Without force he held her against the wall.

Her breath caught as she looped her arms around his neck.
“We don’t have time for this, Rayder.”

“I think we do.” His voice held husky promise, his eyes
flaming with instant need.

His mouth covered hers, hungry and hot and filled with
purpose. She gasped into his mouth as he undid the ties on his trousers.

“Rayder,” she whispered.

“Are you wet for me?” He slid her flowing trousers down her
legs. She stepped out of them.

“Yes.” Her throat was tight with passion, her voice thin and
raspy. When he touched her wetness and drew it up to smooth over her clit, she
gasped in sweet pleasure. “Rayder, now.”

“As you wish.” Male cockiness touched his smile. He kissed
her, tongue deep in her mouth.

Seconds later he lifted her against the door and she wrapped
her legs around him as his cock thrust deep between her legs. She shivered in
ecstasy. He was hot, hard, spreading her wide. Kissing him with heated passion,
she spurred him on.

“Harder,” she gasped her demand.

He complied. Thrusting with steady, deep thrusts, he picked
up the pace. The door started to rattle as the speed of their explosive sex
increased.

Knocking on the door stopped Rayder cold, his cock pressed
deep.

“Hey, are you guys ready?” Marc’s deep voice asked.

“Go away.” Rayder growled his words. “We’ll be out shortly.”

Xandra thought she heard a chuckle and a female voice responding
then footsteps walking away. Heat flushed her face.

“By the god, Rayder, they heard us.”

He panted. His body hard and dominating in hers. “So?”

Heat still pulsed deep in her core, and she ached for him to
continue. “Hurry. They’re waiting.”

He smiled. “With pleasure.”

He thrust again, his eyes red, his cheeks flushed, his
expression tight with furious need.

Xandra’s body erupted into hot, pulsing ecstasy as he
continued to drive, pushing, giving her more. She muffled her scream against
his shoulder. Rayder pounded harder, sounds of pleasure unmistakable.

A scant moment later Rayder thrust to the limit and growled,
a guttural, animal sound of pure male pleasure. He shuddered and shook against
her, hands squeezing her buttocks tight. He leaned against her, still holding
her to the door.

As he drew back and settled her gently on her feet, Xandra
smiled. “Rayder.” With reverence she cupped his face. “You are…”

He smiled, his face still reflecting their powerful
connection. “Yes?”

“You’re the most amazing man I’ve ever known.” Tears welled
in her eyes.

He cupped her face in both his big hands and kissed her
nose. “By the god, Xandra. No crying. You’ll break me.”

That he could be broken amazed her. “Then let us go before I
start truly to cry.”

“My beauty, when we reach the ship, things will become
dangerous. Do not try anything without me.”

She smiled to deflect him. “We are a strange pair.”

“Why?”

“Because we started off hating each other.”

His eyebrows lifted. “You hated me?”

“Of course. You were my captor.” Then she shook her head.
“No. You were so startling. So masculine. I’d never seen a man as handsome and
powerful as you.”

Cockiness returned to his expression. “You felt something
physical for me.”

“Yes.”

He kissed her forehead and released her. “I never hated you,
Xandra. Not one minute. You were amazing from the first moment I saw you. Come,
let us go. We are late.”

“Whose fault is that?” she asked with a teasing tone.

As they rearranged their clothes, his wide smile promised
retribution some time in the near future. “Yours.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Rayder, Xandra, Marc, Aknada and a contingent of sixty men
made their way through the jungle at night. Though she’d endured it before, the
jungle trek this time seemed harder and harsher. The night was hot and sweat
dripped into her face. Though she drank water, the arduous walk made her ache
with longing for a soft bed and sleep.

At the same time she couldn’t say staying back at Marc’s
compound would have proved easier. She would have worried too much. Here, if
she decided to worry, at least she knew what was happening.

Xandra marveled at how long it took to traverse the area
with a large component of fighting force. They didn’t camp for the night, and
as one unfortunate man discovered, the dark was fraught with more perils than
expected. He was severely bitten on the leg by a poisonous plant. Luckily for
him they had a kit with an antidote, a salve concocted by a wise woman at
Marc’s compound. The man felt better, but two other men accompanied him back to
the compound. He wouldn’t be much use to fight for at least a few days, and
Marc didn’t want to send the man back alone.

“Stay close to me,” Rayder had said to her softly.

“What if I’m bitten by something?”

“You should be immune. I’ve kissed you.”

She’d frowned in confusion. “A kiss protects me?”

“A kiss, and since I’ve made love to you, you are virtually
immune to all poisons here. Unless you refuse to kiss me for a very long time.
Your immunity wears out.”

She’d smiled. “Then remind me to kiss you daily.”

“Hourly.” His rejoinder had made her laugh softly.