Pradorian Mate (10 page)

She watched him cautiously as he rose to stand. His yellow-flecked eyes stared at hers searchingly, as if they anticipated finding something. Maybe they were probing for her thoughts as she had observed him.

That thought made blood rise to her cheeks and her eyelids lower like a thick red curtain, hiding her eyes from his searching gaze.

“
Did you see anything you liked?” He spoke softly, toying with her now as he came even closer.

She swallowed hard. Her throat felt dry, and her pulse was now beating stronger, echoing in the depths of her ears.

“No,” she said, feeling cornered by his closeness.

Archail smiled. “I have a feeling you did like something,” he said again, close enough to touch her now.

“Yes… I mean no!” She corrected herself quickly and wondered how fast she could run to escape his torturous toying.

“
Which is it Sara: yes or no?” He kept his voice low, his smile dangerous and masculine at the same time. Sara tried not to be afraid as his hand rose to cup her warm cheek, gently forcing her face upward. “Maybe we should find out.” It sounded more like a threat than a promise.

Sara wanted to back away from him, but her feet wouldn’t obey. It was as if the sand itself was holding her in place. Feeling his touch—a touch that was warm, gentle, and pleasant—she reminded herself that she didn’t want this to happen. She opened her mouth to protest, but before any sound came out, Archail had claimed her open mouth with his own.

His lips touched hers firmly. His tongue at first tasted her, but without waiting, he probed deeper into her mouth, tasting more of her and trying to trigger a response in her.

She was shocked at first by his onslaught, and she remained still beneath his persistent perusal of her mouth. But to her surprise, she found his warm taste quite pleasing and arousing. She felt sensations that were new to her, and without thinking of the danger, she opened her lips further, allowing him free access to her mouth.

When a soft moan escaped her lips, he took the liberty of allowing his hands to follow their own path. His left hand circled around her, supporting her back and pressing her closer to his aroused body, while the right hand slipped easily under her short top, claiming one of her juicy, full breasts. He cupped it in his large hand and made soft circling moves with a finger around her rising red bud, sending pleasure throughout her now trembling body.

Lost in the ecstasy he evoked within her, Sara moaned once in pleasure and again in protest as his mouth left her lips to follow the path of his right hand, meeting the rosy peak of her breast. The sensation of his mouth on her aroused peak, felt like burning lava liquidating everything in its path. As the sensation traveled lower through her body, it created kindling flames in the depths of her female center. Sara’s moans deepened, and as her knees weakened from under her, she felt herself falling.

Archail lowered her gently in his strong arms. Sara landed softly on the sand below as he continued to pleasure her body.

Sara lost herself in the sensations of divine pleasure as he kept teasing her breast. With one lustful lick after another, his tongue wet her. Soft, slow nips with his teeth played along her nipple, and his sucking made her body crave more. Logic played no part in her mind anymore. She was lost in the promise of pleasurable fulfillment. Her blood pounded through her veins, leading her deeper down this flaming path. Her body arched, meeting his touch with eagerness and yearning for more of him.

“Yes,” Archail moaned, in a low passionate growl. “Yes, my little one.” He drew back away from her for a moment and impatiently pulled aside the small colorful skirt she was wearing. He then positioned himself between her legs and pressed the hard tip of his arousal against the soft, wet entrance of her burning center.

He was ready to push deep inside her when the aroused haze of Sara’s mind cleared and she realized what she was about to do.
She was about to give herself to a male who was holding her captive, a male who was using her and had done the same to others like her. This male, an alien, had probably killed others like her.
Had she gone insane?

“
No.”

He pushed slightly, pressing her entrance to open for him.

“No!” She yelled this time and pushed his chest as hard as she could. She hit him as she tried to force him off her. “Stop!” she yelled, hitting him again, this time on his jaw to emphasize her words.

Archail went still for a moment that seemed like an eternity, his face as hard as a granite stone, and his breathing coming in sharp gasps as he held himself still.

Sara held perfectly still, watching the battle for control rage in his eyes. Finally, he managed to calm himself and regain his wits enough to look down at Sara’s face. He was still on top of her, and the tip of his arousal had broken through her soft entrance. She held her breath and waited. Archail pulled away from her in a decisive movement. Standing up straight, he looked down at her his brows furrowing low above dark gold eyes,  before saying in a cold, drawn voice, “I am not a rapist, but next time you want to play, think carefully about how far you want things to go.” He then turned his broad back to her and walked away.

* * *

Archail swam in the lake, choosing to linger in the soothing waters for a long while before swimming ashore and donning his long leather cover.

He heard a noise between the trees and, watching carefully, saw his second-in-command approach. “Dar,” he called out, “What brings you this way?”

“I was asked to inform you that the ceremony will now take place earlier, within seven rises of the moons.” Dar imparted the information in a formal, distant voice.

“
I see,” Archail said thoughtfully.

 
Dar hesitated for a second before speaking. “I will need to report back to the council. Is she informed yet, my Vasil?”

Archail shook his head. “I am aware of the council needing to hear of this.” His thoughts weighed heavily on his mind. “She will be informed tonight.”

Dar looked straight into Archail’s eyes. “We all know how crucial time is, don’t we?”

Archail stared back at his second-in-command. “Time hasn’t been a problem for us for quite some time now. Has it, Dar?”

“We made our choices long ago, Archail, and we have to live with them. Now it is their turn.” Dar stepped forward. He placed a hand on Archail’s shoulder. “If you have doubts about this, you can end it. You don’t have to go through with this. You weren’t meant to.”

Archail covered the hand on his shoulder with his own and patted it. “You may go. Tell them to be ready within seven moon cycles. She will be there willingly,” he said, ending the subject decisively.

Dar pulled back before replying, “The others agreed immediately. It will be very simple to achieve.”

Archail looked down for a moment, seeming to observe the ground. He looked up to Dar, his eyebrows softly lifting. His eyes looked slightly unfocused as though his mind was somewhere else. “Given the choice, I don’t see how any of them could say no.”

“Orora has agreed,” Dar proudly informed Archail.

Archail nodded curtly and grinned at his friend before glancing back toward his home. His smile melted away. “So there is one left.” He then left Dar to watch him walk away, determination in his steps.

Chapter 8

The sun slowly descended toward the horizon, spreading its auburn light over the forest and setting the trees afire with color as they danced and swayed in the soft breeze.

Archail walked for some time, taking the longer path around an outcropping, so he would have the time to put his thoughts in order. He knew what he had to do. He had to succeed, and judging by her actions so far, she needed a push in the right direction. He knew exactly how to deliver it. The large Pradorian told himself it had nothing to do with the way his body felt every time he was around her or the way she responded to his touch when he held her. It was simple survival. Since the others had agreed, why wouldn’t she? As he headed toward the cave, he concluded it was time to give her the choice.

Sara sat quietly on one of the dining room chairs, drinking the purple alador liquid. Archail appeared in the room so suddenly that Sara almost jumped out of her seat.
Good, she’s affected as much by my presence as I am by hers.
The realization gave him a feeling of satisfaction. He recalled her eager response to his touch. His body immediately tensed with a need for her, but he forced himself to keep a distance, knowing very well the time had come for them to talk seriously.

He moved over to the chair opposite hers and pulled it to the other end of the table, putting some distance between them, before sitting down.

Sara watched him the entire time, her eyes tracking his every move.

“
Sara.” He waited patiently for her to look at him, but when she didn’t, he continued in a smooth, deep voice. “We need to talk.”

“
I have nothing to say to you,” Sara replied, sounding annoyed with him. Her eyes stared at the glass in her hands, as though it would give her a way out of this situation.

“
I don’t need you to say anything. I just need you to listen to what I have to say,” he said patiently. “Can you do that?” he asked, prepared for her reaction.

“
Well.” She raised her dark-blue eyes from the glass to stare straight at him with a fiery anger gleaming in their depths. “It’s about what
you
want, isn’t it?” She rose suddenly from her chair pushing it carelessly, causing it to bounce dangerously before it fell down on the floor, and ignoring it, she continued. “You wanted us here, so you got us here. You want us to sleep with you. You don’t have to ask, so you just take. You decide where we stay, what we do, and when we do it, right? You’re a monster!” She finally screamed out as she slammed her fist on the table. “Well what about what
I
want? I don’t want to talk to you, listen to you, sleep with you, or do anything else that involves you! Is that clear?”

She turned abruptly and left the dining room, heading toward the bedroom, without sparing him another glance. Archail felt as if someone had thrown a cold glass of alador on him as he watched the bedroom door close. He stood up slowly, trying to remind himself that he had to stay calm in order to talk with her, and this conversation really had to happen now.

He followed her into the bedroom, and as the door closed again behind him, he folded his long arms over his broad chest. He leaned back against the door, thinking it would keep her in the room.

“
Get out!” she yelled when she saw him standing there, blocking her only exit.

“
We can do this the easy way or the hard way. The choice is yours.” He emphasized the last words.

* * *

Sara detected the threat behind his words, but chose to ignore it.
This man, this Pradorian male, had awakened emotions within her that she hadn’t felt this strongly during her entire former life. He was fearsome, stubborn, and persistent. At the same time, he could be thoughtful and powerful, yet gentle. What was wrong with her? Why was she thinking like this about him? He was her captor and her enemy.
He wasn’t
 
human,
she reminded herself.

Her confused thoughts and feelings only made her anger flare more. In the absence of a clear plan of action, she rushed toward him with her fists raised and threw blows at him. He unfolded his arms with such speed that she didn’t see his move until it was too late. He caught her hands in a tight hold behind her back and pinned her against his firm body.

“Are you finished yet?” Archail asked in a low warning tone, his face only inches away from hers.

His warm breath poured over her upturned face. The muscles of his body tensed against her, and fear rose within her once more. He was toying with her again. He was telling her, in no uncertain terms, which of them was stronger. She tried to wriggle herself free from his arms, but her efforts only resulted in her being drawn even closer to him. Her breasts now rubbed against his naked chest as he reacted to her struggle by holding her tighter in place.

“Let go of me.” She practically pleaded as she saw the threatening gleam in his eyes.

“
Not yet. I am a monster, remember?” he said in a low, promising growl as he closed the remaining distance between them and claimed her lips with his own.

Sara resisted him in every way she could. She tightened her lips closed, arched her back, and tried to pull away from his persistent mouth. She even tried to kick his shin, but he was stronger and extremely determined. He pressed on his advance, kissing her until her mouth softened under his. A small gasp of air escaped her mouth, giving him the opportunity to claim her mouth with his tongue. He was tasting her, probing her, and biting her gently, sucking away her ability to resist with every thrust of his tongue.

Sara continued to resist him, but as Archail persisted in claiming her mouth and demanding a response, her will weakened. She reluctantly gave in. Her sense of desire for him became as strong as his was for her, urging her to respond to him. He held her close to him, but somehow her hands, now free of his grip, came to rest on his shoulders. She returned his kiss, thrust by thrust, tasting him, licking him. She lost herself in his arms and the pleasure he offered.