Marked 2: Marked for Desire (7 page)

Exhausted, she stayed curled up in Leo’s lap. At some point, he stood up with her in his arms, then laid her down on the small bench in the back of the shuttle. He covered her with his flight jacket and swept her hair away from her face.

For a moment, she wondered why he was being so nice. Then she dropped off to sleep, not even knowing where they were going.

* * *

While Princess Sera slept, Leo wracked his brain to find a location that would be safe. Her home was a high-rise apartment complex on Teran Five, which as far as he could tell, she hadn’t been to in months.

Like her people, she was a wanderer, a sovereign without a home. And she was alone.

He’d seen members of old Placidian families pay homage to her. They all wanted a piece of Princess Sera. Mostly they wanted pictures with her or to talk to her. She was popular despite her reputation as a bad girl. Where would she be safe?

Leo’s experience with the Brotherhood had taught him that they didn’t give up. Whoever wanted her dead wasn’t going to stop until she was. His lips tightened. His time under Sethos Prime’s General Ancred had taught him many things. The Primarian soldiers liked to torture people, torment them, test their limits. To stay undercover, he’d tortured men, used sex as a weapon, killed the helpless.

Like the slave woman from Teran Five. Granted, she’d been a Primarian spy who had probably got thousands of people killed, but when she failed during her mission, it had become Leo’s job to punish her. And he had. Slowly.

Part of him had enjoyed it.

The man who had loved Shanie Tao
was
long gone. The princess didn’t need that man. She needed Leo Eyler, who had worked closely with one of the most vicious assassins in the universe.

What would they do now? The cell on Sethos Five had failed but was still intact. Leo knew killing a few of the cell members wouldn’t stop them. Replacements were easy to find. And the ones who failed would have more reason to succeed. Failure was rewarded with death—or worse—by the Brotherhood.

He set the navigation toward Nylar. The princess had no stable home, no safe place, but Leo’s home would be safe for her, he hoped.

It didn’t surprise him that she’d lashed out at him. In the weeks he’d been by her side, she’d kept the perfect, cool facade the rest of the universe knew well. But the mask had crumbled under the weight of sorrow. Her mother had died only a year earlier. Her father was absent. She had no siblings. And he’d pushed her. By seeking control, by forcing her to give in to him, he’d opened up the cracks he had instinctively known were there.

Hadn’t he kept his distance for a reason? He was well aware that his attraction for her went beyond getting into her pants. He was attracted to the core of strength he knew was underneath the persona she assumed for the public. He was drawn to the submissive with a stubborn streak.

When he’d been young, a challenging submissive wouldn’t have interested him. But after being undercover, he’d become harder, rougher. A submissive who didn’t challenge him would be devoured by him, wounded by him. But one that fought him—

He was a fool. The princess wasn’t a Nyral female looking for a dom. She was a public figure with responsibilities. Still, a huge part of him wanted to explore their connection, the way she could reach beyond his hard shell and wound him. For years he’d kept his pain about Shanie hidden, encased behind a wall of ice. Yet around the princess, he lost his temper, experienced the pain of loss, and felt the pang of loneliness. No one had been able to do that in years.

She appeared in the doorway of the cockpit, and Leo only glanced her way. It took an effort not to stare. Sleepy, disheveled, she was a red-haired, sexy witch. He imagined she would look just this way if he spent the night touching her, fucking her. That thought led to another, and he pictured her beneath him, his hands buried in her hair, his teeth sunk in the soft curve of her shoulder. His cock hardened, and he gritted his teeth. Damn it. Why did he have to respond to her presence, her scent? He took a deep breath. “Did you get enough sleep?”

“Yes, I think so.” Her voice was husky from sleep. “Where are we going?”

“Nylar.”

She jerked the captain’s chair around. “What?” Her eyes were narrowed to slits, and her hair was wild around her face. If the drowsy expression had created a haze of lust, the fire that lit her eyes now increased his desire a hundredfold. Her challenge brought out his need to be in charge.

He raised an eyebrow and met her gaze. “It’s the safest place I could think of.”

“No. Take me home.” She crossed her arms and glared at him.

“No. It’s not safe.” He swiveled back to the console.

“It’s one thing to go to a club and play around with that kinky stuff. I’m not going to some deviant planet just to suit you.”

He clenched his jaw and said nothing. Okay. It stung. His culture was misunderstood by most people, but he hadn’t thought she would be one of them.

She yanked his chair around again and leaned down to get into his face. “Take. Me. Home.”

His pulse pounded; his hands itched to drag her into his arms and kiss her. “What are you afraid of? That you’ll like it?”

She lurched back with a gasp, and her hand shot out so fast, he didn’t have time to stop it. His cheek burned where she’d struck him.

He rose to his feet, his blood burning and his muscles bunched. She covered her mouth, her eyes wide. He narrowed his gaze on her face. Yes, she knew she’d stepped over the line. Perhaps it had been inevitable.

If she wanted to play this game, she was going to have to learn the rules.

He grasped her wrists and jerked them behind her back, mashing her breasts against his chest. Her breath came fast, and she bit her lip. In her eyes, he noted a mixture of fear and excitement. Her pupils dilated, and her nipples hardened. It captivated him, spurred him to tighten his hold.

Harder than he’d been in years, he shifted to press his cock against her thigh. When her teeth worried her lip, he smiled. “Shall we find out if you’ll like it?”

* * *

Leo’s smile sent a cold chill along Sera’s spine. All of a sudden, she wasn’t so confident. The hands that held her wrists were like steel. She struggled, using her feet to try and free herself from his punishing grip. She’d asked for it; she’d take whatever he dished out. But she wasn’t going to be afraid. Her chin tipped, and she held his gaze.

He yanked her around and pushed her into the back of the shuttle. When she lost her balance, he didn’t catch her. She hit the floor. Hard.

Facedown, her pulse pounded, her mouth dry. This was it. She’d finally pushed her luck too far. Men had always been within her control, even when she played the part of a submissive. Like the club on Arris, she tempted but rarely delivered. Even when she surrendered and let a man fuck her, she remained the one in charge. She’d skirted close to the edge but always kept the reins in her hands.

Not with Leo. She heard a
clink
, and cold metal slid along her wrists. The snick sounded familiar. The fucker had cuffed her. She rolled away, her hands shackled behind her, and kicked out. He avoided her feet easily. He gripped her arm and jerked her up. “On your knees, Princess.”

Her nostrils flared. “Asshole,” she spat at him.

He bent closer and whispered in her ear, “
Dominant
asshole. Don’t forget.”

She tried to head butt him and missed. He laughed.
Goddamn him
. “I’ll have you flayed alive.” She knew she was going to lose this fight. Already her body betrayed her, heating under his hands. The opposite sensations within her were tearing her apart. Her mind, barely able to function in the throes of need, told her this was dangerous, a mistake. But her skin tingled, and her pussy throbbed with anticipation. It shouldn’t be like this. No man had broken her iron will, her subtle control. He played her like a musical instrument, demanding a response and getting it regardless of her feelings.

His gaze slid over every inch of her. “It would be worth it.”

She wanted to slap his hand away when his fingers trailed over her neck and threaded in her hair. He leaned closer, his lips a hairbreadth away from hers. His hot breath warmed her, and she wanted to capture his mouth, lose herself in his kiss. She jerked her head back. What the fuck was wrong with her? He was probably going to rape her and—

He yanked her head closer, his hand twisted in her hair. “No, Princess. You’re going to take your punishment. You’ve tempted me, challenged me. Now you need to know what happens when you play with this Nyral dominant.” His voice was low, sultry, sexy.

Her pussy throbbed. She almost whimpered. Okay, so she’d taunted him, dared him to dominate her. Maybe making him watch another man touch her hadn’t been a good idea. Maybe slapping him hadn’t been smart. At the moment, she couldn’t care less. His mouth was so close, so warm, so fucking arousing. The desire to surrender swamped her. To let go of control for a moment was almost a relief. Suddenly nothing mattered more than his lips on hers.

When she tried to close the minuscule distance, he backed away. She glared at him. He tipped her head back and whispered in her ear. “Do you want my mouth, Princess?”

She swallowed and closed her eyes. “Yes,” she whispered. Everything narrowed to the space between their lips. Her pulse pounded, and her mouth quivered, but whether it was with fear or need wasn’t clear.

“Beg me.”

This time, she did whimper. She didn’t beg. Ever.

She shook her head, regardless of his fingers twisted in her hair that yanked on the strands.

“We both want it, sweetheart. Beg me.” His breath stroked the shell of her ear, and she shuddered.

She was slipping, sliding down into an endless ocean, drowning in sensation. Whatever he wanted, whatever he asked, she would give. Her mind drifted; a feeling of euphoria washed over her, through her. Reality slipped away.

The feel of the cold metal cuffs, the floor digging into her knees, the sting of his fingers in her hair all overwhelmed her. All she could focus on was the next moment, his hot breath on her sensitive lips, his attention completely riveted on her. It was the most helpless and the most powerful emotion she’d ever experienced. She didn’t just
want
his touch; she
needed
it. “Please, Leo. Please, kiss me.” A single tear squeezed from her eye.

“Open your eyes,” he demanded, his voice sharp.

Her eyes flew open and met his gaze. God, he was gorgeous. His blond hair, his glittering blue eyes, and the fascinating scar that ran down his cheek all combined to ensnare her, defeat her.

He sank to his knees in front of her, his fingers clenched in her hair, her scalp tingling. His thighs were hard against hers, and her nipples hardened against his chest. The temptation of his neck was too much, and she brushed his skin with her lips until he jerked her head back, raising her face to his. She shook with anticipation. Just a kiss. That was all she begged for. But she wanted so much more.

He towered over her, his head bent down so his mouth was close to hers, his gaze still locked with hers as he stared at her. He slid his free hand around her waist and yanked her against him. She gasped when his chest crushed her breasts, creating cascading electricity through her system. His mouth descended, taking, dominating.

Her senses spun. His lips, his tongue in her mouth, and his hand sliding to cup her ass made her shiver. She slipped deeper beneath the surface of sensation, floating…

She wanted to give him everything.

“Princess.”

When had he stopped kissing her? She blinked. His face was expressionless, or at least she couldn’t read it. What the fuck had just happened? Her head was fuzzy, and she struggled to maintain a coherent thought. One thing was clear: Leo Eyler had proven he could dominate. Bitterly, she accepted this fact. With only a kiss, he’d stripped her of control over her mind and her body. “Take the damn cuffs off. I got it. No taunting.” Her mouth tightened, and she kept her gaze on the floor. Shame swept over her. She’d have done anything he’d wanted. She would have fucked him right there on the shuttle floor. No man had ripped away her control like that before.

His fingers gripped her chin and lifted her face. “Look at me.” His tone was gentle but firm.

She met his gaze. There was no condemnation, no judgment. He reached around and released her hands. “I’m good at what I do. And you’re very receptive.”

Her nostrils flared, and she glared at him. “Meaning what? That I’m a slut? You’ve been watching the vid streams.” She scrambled to her feet and rubbed her wrists. “Now that we’ve established I’m susceptible to you, we can agree I won’t challenge you, and you can keep your damn hands to yourself.”

Okay, it was her pride talking. She didn’t want him to see her vulnerability, so she turned her back on him. She had a reputation, yes. But most of it wasn’t deserved. Shit, if she’d slept with all the men they’d said she had, she wouldn’t have had time for anything but fucking. She gritted her teeth. “What’s the real reason we’re going to Nylar?”

“I told you. It’s the safest place I can think of.”

Safe? Not for her. If she couldn’t resist him in the back of the shuttle, how was she going to resist him on his home planet where being dominated would seem normal?

She took a deep breath and turned to face him. And found him right behind her. The heat from his body was going to make her spontaneously combust. She stifled the urge to reach out and slide her fingers over his skin. “Can’t you just leave me alone?” Her voice shook.

“No, apparently I can’t.” His gaze remained steady.

She couldn’t back away, couldn’t breathe. When she inhaled, her senses were clouded by his unique scent. Her whole being was filled with him. “You’re crowding me.”

“I am?” He blinked and stepped away.

Immediately she wished he hadn’t. What was wrong with her? She shook her head, trying to clear it.
Focus, Sera, focus
. The only reason the man came anywhere near her was because her life was threatened. That was the issue. “This is insane. Why are they trying to kill me?” She let out the breath she’d been holding. “The Brotherhood wanted the Teran Five minister dead too. I have no idea why. I’m not the head of anything.”