Mercenary's Reward (5 page)

Her breasts were exquisite, and he toyed with the taut peaks until she began to buck against him. Buried deep in her body, he could feel her muscles clench and spasm around him. He trailed one hand down to the top of her sex and ran his fingers over that slippery flesh.

She reacted right away. Her legs wrapped around his hips, and her hands came up to grip his arms. Whimpers escaped her throat, and her whole body trembled. It was so blazingly hot and so close to his fantasy of her. Jai couldn't hold back his release any longer, not with her tight sheath pulling at his cock and her lush body open and needy beneath him.

MIELI WAS LOST. Her body felt stretched almost beyond its limits, but she'd never been so needful. She was afraid now, but only that he might stop. He was buried so deep and lodged so tightly she thought she could feel his heartbeat in the throb between her legs. His hands were unerring. They moved across her flesh, rubbing and stroking until she was mad with need.

When she was sure she couldn't take any more, he suddenly shifted. His hips pressed even harder, and his upper body came over her completely. He caught her hands with his and pinned them to the ground on either side of her head. She tried to look into his face, but she was too short, and they were too close. Only the underside of his jaw was visible.

There was an intensity to his actions that was new, and he began thrusting with fierce slams of his body. The motion ground his pelvis into hers and jabbed the thick head of his cock over and over into the deepest part of her body.

The new rhythm was exactly what her body wanted, and it only took a few moments for Mieli to come, her flesh clamping down and squeezing futilely on his shaft. In the midst of her orgasm she felt his body tense, and the rigid fullness inside her began to pulse. She could actually feel the hot gush of his seed against her inner walls, so great was the pressure. It made her body clench in aftershocks until the hot, wet cream began to seep out around his still-buried shaft.

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The fire was out, and Jai felt a cool breeze drift across his bare back. Without the meager glow, the features of the woman beneath him were lit only by the moon. Her eyes were closed, and the lashes cast deep shadows across her cheeks. He'd never seen anyone so beautiful in his entire life.

In a warrior's career, there was only the battle and whatever it took to win it. Impossible dreams had no place in that world, and even if they did, he was certain he would have lacked the imagination to envision this. Around his cock he could feel the clinging walls of her sex, so tight and wet he couldn't bring himself to withdraw. Her body was laid out under him in a carnal display that surpassed the most lurid smut he'd ever seen.

For the first time, he'd felt what sex could be. More than just something to satisfy lust and aggression, it could fulfill desires he had never acknowledged before. The distraction of coupling now past, his thoughts came back in a rush.

Jai knew now he'd been a fool to try his hand at politics. His nearly successful murder was proof that he'd made enemies. Powerful enemies if they could make his commander look the other way. Jai was a deadly man but not a well-connected one.

His life had changed forever when he crashed into this forest. Now he had to get back to Raston, the planet where he kept his private ship, and find out who wanted him dead before they could try their hand at it again. But first there was the healer to deal with. She was enticing, but a liability that could see him killed.

They were still connected, his satisfied flesh firm enough to penetrate her core. He pulled away slowly, savoring the involuntary clenching of her inner walls, and came to rest beside her. She was quiet, her eyes closed as if asleep, but he knew she was awake.

"Woman.” Jai saw how badly his speech in her language startled her. Those luminous, dark eyes flew open, and she turned her head to look at him where he was, propped up and watching her. “You name?"

Her lips trembled, but she didn't speak. Jai pointed to his own chest. “Jai. Name is Jai.” He turned his finger back to her. “You name?"

This time her lips parted, and she spoke barely above a whisper, “Mieli.” Her hand rose and touched her collarbone. “Mieli."

"Mieli.” Her name on his lips felt good. “Mieli."

"Yes.” The hand at her throat came forward and tentatively touched his chest. “Jai."

Before she could pull back, Jai captured her fingers and held them to his heart. He could feel a small tremble, but he couldn't tell if she was cold or nervous. Either way, he was satisfied for now. He used his hold on her to bring her with him as he lay back on the pallet and closed his eyes to sleep.

MIELI WAS MORE than a little confused. The man, Jai, seemed to be asleep, but she was wide awake. And very troubled. She had expected the intercourse to be uncomfortable, even painful, and she'd steeled herself for that. In her wildest dreams she would never have imagined she might find pleasure. It was disturbing and added to her already formidable self-loathing.

She moved to draw the blanket over her, then stopped suddenly. Between her legs was sore and sticky wet. Moving quietly, she rose from the pallet and went to the fire. She carefully added branches to the barely glowing embers and coaxed the flame back to life. After a minute or two, she settled some water on to heat.

While she waited for the water to warm, Mieli watched Jai. He was large and intimidating even in his sleep, his frame thickly padded with muscle in a way that was not natural for her people. She remembered how powerful and immovable his strength had felt while he used her body, and she found herself on the brink of tears.

She'd tried to be clinical and detached, but with her body still sore and aching, she only felt vulnerable and scared. He had not hurt her, but that didn't mean he couldn't. Only a fool would blithely assume he had no other intentions for her. In the moment she had felt that they had reached some affinity, but what if she was wrong? What if he didn't need or want her anymore and he just left again?

His body was whole. After a single day alone, he had healed his wounds completely. Obviously, her skills as a doctor were nothing compared to what any soldier could do.

The one hope left for her was that he would take her with him. If she wanted him to do so, her role was clear. A doctor he didn't need; a bedmate he might be persuaded to take.

Her studies of behavioral medicine had taught her well, and she knew that to maintain some control in their relationship, she had to distinguish herself from a victim. When he made sexual demands, she knew she must consent, even make demands of her own. But she had not been truly prepared tonight, and the most important part had nearly been forgotten. To establish a relationship and possibly engender some feeling from him, she must not only allow him to do what he wanted but act as if it were her choice as well.

All was not lost, though. She had unexpectedly found pleasure in the act, and that seemed to have worked. There had been a change in him, and afterward he had seemed more interested in her, asking her name and giving her his when he could have just turned away. He even expected they would continue to sleep together.

Over the fire the water had begun to boil. She carefully added a bit to the pail of cold water at her side and with a small cloth from her pack bathed her body in the firelight. The warmth of the water soothed her tender nipples. They were hardened from the cool night air and sensitive from Jai's vigorous attentions.

The slippery flesh of her labia and upper thighs was a testament to the length of his orgasm. She'd never felt anything like what had happened to him when he peaked. The cum she wiped away was thick and white, and once it was gone, she felt much better. The act itself had been mildly traumatic; the evidence was no less so.

It felt to Mieli as though she had passed some invisible barrier between the person she had been and the woman she was becoming in this new world. She had given herself sexually in order to gain favor with Jai, and she would do it again if necessary. What was more, she could easily imagine now that she might give herself over to anyone who would help her achieve her goals. There was something about this first time, though, that she would never forget.

When she was done wiping away the residue of their coupling, she rinsed the cloth and laid it out to dry. Mieli felt suddenly that she either must lie down to sleep or give in and cry her heart out. Overwhelmed by her feelings and the events of the day, she crawled back onto the pallet and pulled up the blanket. With Jai on his back next to her, there was very little room, and the blanket would not cover them both.

Without giving it too much thought, Mieli pressed up against him and rested her head on his upper arm. That close together, she was able to pull the blanket over them both. He was so warm she could feel the heat through to her bones, and within minutes she was asleep.

JAI WAITED UNTIL her breath had deepened into slumber before he lifted his arm from beneath her head and used it to pull her tight to him. With her head resting against his side, he could look down on her face and feel the curve of her waist under his hand. Already his body was hard and aching to feel hers again.

Mieli. It was an unprepossessing name for such a beautiful woman. He'd watched her rise and bathe in the light of the fire. In her absorption, her face had been unguarded and troubled. When she'd parted her legs and touched the swollen pink folds at the juncture of those creamy thighs, he'd gone rock hard.

From where he lay watching her, he could see the shine of his cum on her body. He knew that the men of her race did not have bodies like his. There were so many species in the War Tribe that differences in size and shape were common, but for her it must be very shocking.

From the careful way she touched herself, he guessed she was sore. Her cunt had been so tight, it was a miracle he'd not torn her. After she had finished and knelt naked and glorious in the night, he'd watched her expressive little face. She looked tired and by turns both sad and determined.

When she moved back to the pallet and settled against him, he'd felt uncomfortable with her presence at his side. But now, with her nestled in the curve of his arm, he marveled at the intimacy of the position. It both disturbed and thrilled him to be so close to her with the warm, spicy scent of her hair teasing him every so often.

Usually after a combat-challenge, the combatants did not cuddle. They leaped apart; one to nurse their wounds and the other to exult in their victory. Of course, if any of the Tribe warriors were to act like Mieli, they would be an object of scorn. To debase oneself so, without any fight whatsoever, was without honor.

To be fair, she was not a warrior. He knew she must be a doctor for her people. Regardless of the crude methods she'd employed, there was skill and training to it. Among his people, non-warrior class military personnel and the citizenry conducted their lives much more casually, bonding and having children. It was a worthy life, but one that those who fought rarely came into contact with.

Even in that world, though, women were fiercely equal to men. The closest one might find to a submissive would be a well-trained bride or a mistress. Generals and assemblymen, emissaries and commanders, they would have women like this.

Jai's free hand tightened into a fist. Young warriors like him were kept in the dark about too much. He understood the reasoning, because if everyone knew, there were be no one willing to fight for such paltry rewards.

He vowed then that when he was back among the Tribe, he would no longer play these warrior games. It was possible to make a lot of money outside the service, but no rank could be achieved as a civilian. His plan to be a commander had demanded his climb in the military. But if money and power could buy off a commander, could induce him to sell out one of his own men, then money and power were more important than rank. And they could be had much more quickly than a commander's title.

There was a plan forming in his mind, and Jai dispassionately considered the new course of his life. The way of a mercenary was considered undesirable, but it was the only route left to him. He was dead to the Tribe. Luckily, the bulk of the money he'd earned as an assassin had been spent on his physical enhancements and the remainder was in a civilian account. The road ahead was clear to Jai. As for Mieli— He pushed the thought away. He would handle it in the morning.

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Mieli had slept fitfully on the uneven ground, but it wasn't that discomfort that woke her. The sharp report of a soldier's gun jarred her awake in the predawn light. Hands snatched her up from the ground. In the dim light, she could see Kyre holding the smoking weapon that had woken her, and she looked into the familiar face of a young soldier from camp.

"Birn?” Her voice sounded odd and faraway to her ears.

"Mieli, are you okay?” Birn's eyes dropped to her naked body, and Mieli flushed in shame. She tried to turn back to gather her clothes, but his hands stopped her.

"I'm fine. I need my clothes.” His grip didn't loosen, and she pulled hard. “Let me go."

From several feet away, Kyre spoke angrily, “Why bother? You've been whoring yourself for the enemy. Are you too good for us now?"

Mieli was stunned. The surprise of their arrival and the upset of last night had fogged her mind. Suddenly she remembered Jai and twisted to look back at the pallet they'd shared. Birn was caught off guard, and she managed to wrench away.

The large form of the alien was clothed, and from his sprawl, she could tell he'd been crouching by the fire when Kyre had shot him. Blood still pulsed sluggishly from the gaping wound in the back of his head. She almost dropped to her knees, but Birn caught her before she could fall.

"You shot him in the back.” Unmindful of her nudity, Mieli turned on Kyre. “You miserable coward. He wasn't even armed!"

Across the distance that separated them, Kyre's rage was nearly palpable. “I came back for you. I had no idea you would sink so low.” He closed the gap between them with forceful strides and stopped only a foot away. His gaze traveled the length of her body in a heated sweep. “What a slut you are. If I had known how desperate you were for a fuck, I'd have done it myself."