Mercenary's Reward (11 page)

Instead of withdrawing, though, Tarin continued to suck and swallow. Every pulse of cum was taken until Jai lay shaken and satisfied.

In the aftermath of passion, both men were silent. When they finally rose, they did not speak as they dressed. Jai did not know what to say, and Tarin would not meet his gaze. It seemed to Jai that they were both disinclined to discuss what had transpired, though he couldn't be sure.

With their clothes on and the moment passed, Tarin got down to business. They spoke of plans and payment until it was time to fetch Mieli.

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Mieli expected that being Jai's lover would mean a far different life than she had ever known but had been ill prepared for the reality of it. The speed with which they left her planet was dizzying, and without the familiar surroundings of her world, time became elastic. It seemed that in only a few hours she found herself hustled out of the forest and into a strange world of flying machines.

Jai was grim faced and moved with an urgency she instinctively mirrored. It was only when they were ascending into space that the enormity of it hit her. Onboard the stark vessel that had lifted off from the planet's surface with a rush of fire, she watched her world become nothing but a ball of light in the vast sea of space. The stars that had once filled her night sky were suddenly all around them.

Mieli knew without being told that they were being smuggled away. Whether it was because of her presence or something Jai had done, their departure was eloquently clandestine. Now, alone with Jai in what appeared to be a cargo vessel, she wished desperately that she could ask him where they were going. Any information at all might ease the sudden trepidation she felt.

It wasn't Jai that made her fearful. She honestly believed he would do what was in her best interest. Mieli trusted him, but she had begun to doubt her own ability to adapt to a strange new world. How would she learn his language? What if she made a mistake and he got in trouble for helping her? Useless worries plagued her, and she focused on the shimmering stars outside her window as a distraction.

THE SEATS WERE not comfortable in the slightest, but then, weapons ships were not designed for the transportation of passengers. The pilot was being paid to look the other way—literally, since he hadn't seen either of them when they boarded and would be in the flight pit when they disembarked.

Jai was nervous about their next flight as it meant they had to depart this ship and sneak onto a civilian carrier that would take them to the large port at Herv III. From there, Jai was responsible for securing their passage to Raston, where his own small ship waited, along with what possessions he had.

From the corner of his eye, he watched Mieli in her seat. She looked far more comfortable than he, but her small frame was not wedged into the chair like his was. He'd put her closest to the round window, and she'd never once moved her gaze from the view. Not for the first time, Jai wondered what she was thinking.

Reminded again of the language barrier, he frowned as he realized that there would be little time for teaching her Tribe Standard. He had powerful and dangerous enemies, and he must eliminate the threat they posed. Finding time for teaching Mieli the language was a luxury he couldn't yet afford.

Before they'd left Mieli's planet, Tarin had given him as much data as he could, including the transmission logs from his commander's ship in the days prior to the crash. Hopefully, there would be some clue to the identity of his saboteur.

Tarin had not, by word or look, betrayed any emotion at their parting. The interlude between them had already begun to take on a dreamlike quality, and it was difficult to wrap his mind around the depth of feeling the other man had confessed to. As pleasurable as it had been, it was still nothing compared to the intensity of desire Mieli inspired in him.

Of course, there had been something about Tarin. It was not the same with Mieli—she was tiny and delicate, arousing all of his protective instincts. Tarin was his equal, at no disadvantage, and capable of giving as good as he got. What transpired between them had happened because Jai wanted it too. Truthfully, he didn't know if he would turn down an opportunity to do it again.

Jai felt no guilt or remorse over what they had done but wondered for the first time what Mieli would think. He had no way to tell her even if he'd wanted to, but a sudden image of himself, on his knees in front of Tarin rose in his mind. Jai felt his cock stiffen as he pictured Mieli watching him suck that huge shaft, maybe even touching herself as she had done in the forest.

Unable to thrust the fantasy away, he unbuckled his harness and Mieli's as well. She gave a little smile when she turned and saw the rigid proof of his lust. That small curve was like fuel on the fire, and Jai roughly stripped them both before he drew her to the floor.

JAI WAS FEVERISH with desire, and Mieli eagerly responded to his unspoken commands. Whatever thoughts had so occupied him during the early part of their flight, he was done with them now. She was grateful for the distraction, as well, and eagerly met his advances with her own.

Free of their clothes, they came together on the floor with urgent need. For once, Mieli forgot her ever-present need to please him and just let go. When he pressed her onto all fours and began working that big cock into her from behind, she spurred him on, pressing back against him in raw demand. But he wouldn't be rushed and used shallow thrusts to drive deeper and deeper. Pinned by his hands on her hips and lashed by the sensations in her cunt, Mieli bucked and moaned as the pressure between her legs mounted.

When Jai was as deep as she could take him, he began a furious rhythm that drove her to orgasm without warning. Her flesh convulsed, and her arms gave out as she came. With her hips held high by Jai and her upper body pressed to the floor, Mieli moaned in time to his continued thrusts.

MIELI'S ORGASM WAS almost too much of a good thing, but Jai managed to hold on to his control and ride her through it. His fantasy was uppermost in his mind, and he desperately wanted to feel her suck his cock before he came. He gave one final thrust and withdrew from her slick cunt.

When he pulled her up and pressed her down to his erection, still slick from her body, she didn't hesitate. She popped the head into her mouth and wrapped her soft hands around the wet shaft to pump in time to her sucking. Bliss rocked his body, and his balls drew up so tight that they ached. Every lick and flick of her tongue caused his cock to pulse and tremble.

Mieli was merciless, flaying the sensitive underside of the tip with her small tongue. Finally, he let his control slip and his cum rushed up, eager to escape and desperate for release.

IN THE AFTERMATH of their frenetic coupling, Mieli was a little mystified by Jai's behavior. After he had righted himself and helped her refasten the straps that held her in her seat, he'd sunk deep into his own thoughts. Without verbal communication, she was left with only her intuition to tell her that whatever weighed so heavily on his mind were not doubts about her.

It wasn't what she'd anticipated, but their physical relationship was actually very good. Better, in fact, than any she'd ever had. Admittedly, there had been little time for romance in her chosen career. The years of study and practice had provided little respite, and the long hours had left no time for adult fun. What sex she'd had since coming of age had been a result of opportunity rather than forethought. Her first lover, during her second year of medical training, had been a regular study partner. They'd laughed and talked, studied and slept together. When the year ended, Mieli had been assigned to a new campus, and they'd parted with only a little regret.

Successive men had fallen into the same pattern. Lovers of convenience, they were classmates and later fellow doctors who had as little time as she to develop deeper relationships. With Jai, though, Mieli was in uncharted waters. The passionate intensity that characterized their sex was unexpected and far too enjoyable. It might be easier to maintain some perspective, some control, if she found their coupling less erotic.

Pensive, Mieli gazed out the small window into space. Her emotions had been so unpredictable lately, and she no longer felt as if she knew herself. She could look back only a few weeks and see a person she didn't understand. She was somewhat ashamed of the thoughts and feelings that had governed her actions. As good a man as Jai was turning out to be, part of her wondered if her early manipulations were completely necessary. He might have helped her without any pretense on her part.

The irony was that there was no one to criticize her now. Jai was the only one she had to please, but she found herself wanting to be a better person. Whatever her reasons or methods, she was here, about to start something new.

The wildly teeming port of Herv III was like a slap in the face. Mieli had never seen so many people in one place. From under the stiff hood of her cloak, she could only catch occasional glimpses of the throng that pressed from every side. Jai's firm grip on her upper arm kept her close as he waded through the worst of it. He'd made it clear she was to keep her face hidden, but the strange surroundings and the enormity of the place had her tilting her head back in the hopes of a better look.

The small cargo vessel that transported them from her planet had taken them into a large spaceship that made the vessels which had attacked her planet look puny. Before they disembarked, Jai had taken a cloak from his new pack and drawn it over her. She'd been grateful for the cover because what she could see of the aliens around her made her certain that she could never blend in.

For the most part, the ones on the spaceship had been uniformly large, frightening, and nasty looking. They'd also been outfitted in a style similar to Jai's new clothes. It was only as they approached another vessel that she began to see more varied attire and less intimidating figures. Mieli thought they were probably not soldiers like Jai, though none were as small as she.

Now, as Jai tugged her along in his wake, she gaped at the transparent walls and alien technology that made even the floor come alive with images and characters. Suddenly he stopped, and Mieli, lost in her preoccupation with her surroundings, slammed into him. They were at a clear console that came alive under Jai's hand. His fingers danced over the display with lightning speed as he tapped and dragged bizarre symbols.

In a moment, the screen went blank, and he was once more threading them through the crowds. Mieli was both fascinated and intimidated by the sensory overload around her. She clung to Jai's hand, eager to not be lost and alone in this turbulent place.

THEY WERE CUTTING it close, but Jai was confident in his knowledge of the terminal, and he got them to the passenger ship with a few minutes to spare. It was pure luck he'd found a transport to Raston departing that day. The next one wasn't scheduled for another couple of planet cycles, and Herv III had a planet cycle lasting seventy hours.

Raston and his resources there was tantalizingly close, and he practically ached to have Mieli safely away from discovery. Until he could procure an identity for her and assimilate her well enough to pass for a citizen, he wouldn't be able to rest easy. There was also the small matter of discovering who wanted him dead.

He seated them quickly once they passed through the airlock, and made sure that Mieli was against the wall. Already her diminutive stature had drawn more than one curious glance. Her cloak was without designation; that alone was unusual, but the best Tarin had been able to get on such short notice. Besides, any designation on someone as small as she might have caused its own share of problems.

Not for the first time, Jai felt an uncomfortable tightness in his chest. He'd felt anxious nearly their entire journey, but as their destination approached, he realized that he was worried about Mieli. Back on her planet, his decision had seemed clear-cut. She needed him, and he wanted her. It was only as he brought her further into his world that he began to wonder if it was truly that simple.

Although they had shared their bodies, he knew nothing of Mieli's mind and whether she would be able to adapt to the life ahead of her. Jai was confident he was well equipped to be a full-time mercenary for hire. He'd been at it for years part-time, and his commissions had provided the bulk of his income. Now that he was “dead,” he would have to purchase a new legitimate identity, but his mercenary alter ego could remain unchanged. That is, after he'd killed the ones who'd figured it out.

Once he returned to mercenary work, his ability to provide for Mieli was assured. He wondered, though, what kind of life it would be. He would spend a good deal of time in space as he traveled to complete contracts on various Tribe planets and stations. His ship had adequate quarters but nothing of interest to occupy Mieli. Jai knew she'd been a doctor or some other medical type on her planet. He wondered if she would grow tired of a life that consisted only of him.

The remainder of the journey stretched out before him and provided hours of uninterrupted contemplation. He wanted to push aside his doubts and tried to remind himself that he was ruthless, a fearsome warrior, and a heartless mercenary. It almost worked. The feel of Mieli's cloaked form at his side was all it took to make a mockery of his pretense. He hungered for her body, but he needed her to
want him.

The powerful feelings she'd roused in him back in the forest were not just about sex. There was something about Mieli that made him want more, made him want to let down his guard and hold her close. At first, he'd attributed it to her beauty and the unabashed way she gave her body to him, but it was more than that. Now, as he questioned whether he could make her happy, he acknowledged how important that was to him. She must be happy because she made
him
happy.

In his own mind, he admitted that he wanted all of her. Her body was his, and if he kept to the plan he'd made, that might be all he ever had of her. Just a week ago, he'd have been fine with that, but his encounter with Tarin had changed his perspective.