SnaredbySaber (9 page)

“Which way do we go once we leave the
valley?”

“We continue east.”

No hesitation. Yes, she thought he was
telling the truth. But she didn’t trust Saber, and began forming her own plan.
He didn’t have her best interests in mind, and he
still
hadn’t told her
why he’d kidnapped her. While she was certain the Dearbhorgaills were involved,
he hadn’t confessed. Not yet.

No, she couldn’t trust him. And she didn’t
have to stick with him either. At the first opportunity, she’d strike out on
her own once more.

“How did you find me?” she asked, feigning
nonchalance.

He slid another glance over his shoulder
and grinned before turning his attention back to the path. “I followed your
trail. Once I caught your scent, it was easy to find you.”

“I see.” She wasn’t stupid. She wouldn’t
make the same mistake again.

Something was up with Eva. He couldn’t put
his finger on the what, but she was too quiet, had been too biddable for the
last two days.

They’d covered a lot of ground, more than
he’d expected they would. Another two days trekking and they’d reach the
resort, or at least one of the small towns on the coast where he was positive
they’d find transport.

Not much longer to seduce her to his way of
thinking.

At least she was sleeping close to him
during the nights, even though she said it was to keep warm. He breathed in her
scent, fresh and green after they’d bathed at another pool. She murmured in her
sleep and he drew her closer

Bluebird stirred and shambled out of their
resting place—an old lava cave. Other birds were calling in a dawn chorus.

Saber ran a hand over Eva’s hip and nuzzled
at her collarbone. He kissed the soft skin and aimed a second kiss at her lips.
She gave a sleepy groan and turned into his arms.

For an instant he froze, then he went with
the moment, arranging her firmly against him and settling in to kiss the hell
out of her. Fuck. She was so sweet. Even when she was giving him the silent
treatment, she amused him, made him think about their future.

Kids.

Pets.

His own family.

Hell, they had the pet thing sorted
already, although he’d been thinking more along the lines of a cat or a dog or
the local equivalent. His brothers were gonna laugh their asses off when they
saw Bluebird.

She gave another sleepy groan and wrapped
her arms around his neck. Her breasts flattened against his chest, and he gave
in to temptation and slid his hand under the ragged shirt to explore the silky
skin beneath. He pinched a nipple, felt it harden beneath his fingertips.

Unable to resist, he slipped a hand lower
to smooth over her butt then rolled her beneath him, parting her legs with his
thigh. She froze for a second and he thought she’d nix his plan for some
morning loving, but she surprised him by relaxing again and giving him free
access to her body.

Saber fingered her, teasing her until she
moaned and her folds became slippery with her arousal. He sucked her neck, taking
pleasure in the act, knowing he’d see his mark of ownership later in the day.

With increasingly urgent hunger and a
pleasurable ache in his balls, he rose over her and pushed deep inside her. Her
snug channel flexed around him while she encouraged his thrusts by placing her
hands on his ass. Desire kicked in his belly, urged him to move faster, shove
deeper and harder. He resisted, wanting to give Eva pleasure first, make this
good for her. His hand tangled in the hair at her nape and he claimed her mouth,
giving her steady thrusts at what he hoped was the perfect angle.

The hands at his butt tightened,
fingernails dug into his flesh. She cried out against his mouth, gasped hard
and came in a violent spasm of pleasure.

Thank you, God.
Saber increased his pace, plunging into her with hard thrusts.
Words spilled from his lips. “Fucking you is heaven, Eva. I love the feel of
your cunt around my dick. The husky sounds you make, and the fuckin’ sweet way
you give me pleasure.” Dirty words. Explicit words.

Nothing less than the truth.

She made him feel whole, completed him, but
those words he’d utter another time.

Later. Later he’d let his real personality
shine through once she stopped acting like a flighty filly ready to flee at a
moment’s notice. Or maybe that was where he was going wrong. He was being so
careful with her. Maybe he should loosen his restraint and act the alpha male.

“Feel so good enveloping my cock. So wet.
Tight. Just fuckin’ perfect.” His lustful thoughts spilled out. The hands
bruising his backside dug into the muscle and the liquid heat surrounding his
dick seemed to grow hotter, her arms clutching him in a tight embrace. “Wanna
fuck that sassy mouth of yours. Your ass.”

Mine, he thought.
My woman
. Not that
he’d say it aloud. Not yet. He still had some self-preservation. Instead he
concentrated on chasing his orgasm.

“One day I want to fuck you in a big, soft
sleep-bed. Maybe after I’ve taken you on the kitchen counter.” His cock seemed
to lengthen as he growled the words into her ear, his balls pulling painfully
tight.

“That is not very sanitary,” she said in a
prissy voice. “Kitchens are for food and cooking.”

“You got cleaning products in that kitchen
of yours?” Saber pulled back, pushed home and groaned, coming so hard he saw
stars. Pink ones, which made no sense at all because that was a girlie color.

“Of course,” she gasped.

Saber withdrew a fraction and growled again
at the sensations that jerked his cock. Long moments later, when the
contractions trailed off, he pulled out of her and arranged her on his chest
like a living blanket. “You got cleaning products, then we’re having sex on the
counter. I’m gonna drape you over and take you from behind.”

His feline rolled under his skin, and Saber
gave an involuntary thrust against her leg. “You got another one in you?”

“Again? I’ll start waddling like Bluebird.”

“You got another one?”

He slipped a finger between her legs, gave
a slow, firm rub, watching her eyes all the while. Long dark lashes lowered,
but not before he saw the deep blue of her eyes. She wanted him.

“Don’t you think we should start walking
instead of lazing about in a cave?”

Saber didn’t answer, merely drew her head
down and laid one on her. Lips, teeth, tongue. He gave it everything and almost
cheered when she softened and started responding.

“Ride me. Take what you need.”

“But you’ve just—”

He lifted her a fraction and set her down
over his groin, right where she could feel his interest. Her lashes lifted,
giving him a great view of her sexy blue eyes.

“There’s something wrong with you.”

“Ain’t nothing wrong with me. All my parts
are working fine. Wanna have you again, before we start our day.”

He lifted her, holding her up while he
waited for her to obey his silent demand. She just stared, her mind working in
ways mysterious to him since she kept her features expressionless. He figured
it was a strategy she’d learned in the market. Don’t let anyone know what
you’re thinking because knowledge gives them the advantage.

“I can tell you exactly what to do,” he
said.

She tilted her head. “You haven’t before.”

“A mistake on my part.” Saber waited until
their gazes connected. “Take my cock—now.”

She bit her lip, a hint of uncertainty
creeping into her face.

“Then ride me hard. I want you to feel me
when you walk, and I want to smell me on you. I like that.”

The uncertainty shifted into
incredulousness. “It sounds as if you want to own me.”

Saber felt a slow grin take residence on
his face, guessed his eyes sparkled with the same smugness beating in his
heart. “I do,” he said quietly. “But the chase is fun too.”

Her mouth turned mulish and he figured he’d
pushed a bit far. Too bad. This was him.

He rolled her under him, made sure she lay
on the bed of soft grasses he’d collected the previous night and pushed his
knees between her legs. He thrust inside her, watching her face. He started
slow, using every bit of his expertise to tease another orgasm out of her. She
was slippery and wet, liquid heat around his dick.

When she started responding, digging her
fingers into his shoulders and making sexy little moans at the back of her
throat, he increased his pace and took his own pleasure. They came together,
not as hard as the first time, but still ultimately satisfying.

Saber smoothed her blonde hair off her
forehead and placed a gentle kiss on the skin he revealed. “I could go again if
you’re interested.”

“I’m sore,” she muttered, her words hot
against his throat. “And I believe I smell like you, both inside and out. Goal
achieved.”

“Good,” he said, choking back a snigger.
“My work here is done.”

Saber the cat-man was kinda hot. She’d have
some great memories once she arrived back on Dalcon.

Casey would be pleased she’d finally had
sex. During one inebriated night, years ago, Casey had told her it wasn’t good
to let your lady parts dry out. Gave guys the wrong idea. Made them think you
didn’t enjoy sex, didn’t care if you ever had sex again.

Recalling the words now, Eva worried
slightly about Casey. When she saw her again—
if
she saw her friend
before she reported for duty—Casey would demand answers to her pointed
questions. She had been there for her when Pryce died, had helped her with
decisions, even though they’d been on different planets. It was time for Eva to
repay the debt of friendship.

She pushed against Saber’s shoulders and
wriggled out from under him. After dressing, she scuttled outside to find a
bush. This outdoor plumbing was the pits. If she had money she’d buy one of
those climatic suits. Regulated body temperature and took care of everything
else too. Casey wore them on some of her missions.

Business done, she needed to ponder her
escape. Saber was dragging his heels, slowing her down. But she’d escape the
smug cat-man if it was the last thing she did. She’d pop his arrogance balloon
and shove his nose in her success, should they ever meet again.

Saber Mitchell wasn’t going to best her.

The Dearbhorgaills weren’t going to beat
her.

She would triumph.

They rounded the base of one of the
volcanoes during their morning walk. The air was full of a strange scent,
something Saber said was sulfur. Ugh, the stench reminded her of a rotten
dravy
egg. She picked her way around rocks and boulders, wincing when a sharp piece
of rock dug into her big toe. The socks were wearing thin and wouldn’t last
much longer. Wearing the same shirt for solar days was as annoying as her lack
of undergarments, although Saber had remarked on the convenience.

In the distance, in the valley they’d
traveled through previously, a herd of large grazing animals were visible plus
the usual flocks of birds, much bigger and leggier versions of Bluebird, who
also fed on the grasses and plants.

They climbed a rise, the heat of the day
making her shirt stick to her sweaty skin. Saber came to an abrupt stop and
swore.

“What is it?”

He pointed at the red river that flowed
from the top of one of the cones. It glowed and sparkled in the solar light as
it oozed down the slope.

“And I repeat,” she said. “What is it?”

“A lava flow. We won’t be able to cross it.
We’ll have to walk around it. That way looks best.”

She followed his gesture with his gaze and
groaned. “We have to go around the base of
that
smoking hill too?”

“I think so.”

“What happens if there’s another one on the
other side?”

“There’s not much cover that way,” Saber
said. “Those birds are always flying over. We need hiding places.”

“My socks aren’t much protection against
these rocks. The rocks in that direction are worse.” Hopelessness threatened to
buckle her knees, and she staggered to a shady spot and sank to the ground.

Bluebird followed and settled in beside her
with a contented honk.

“I’m so tired,” she whispered. “I don’t
think I’ve ever been this tired.”

Saber frowned at her, glanced in the
direction he’d proposed they travel. “Why don’t I shift and check out the
route? If it’s viable, I’ll come back to get you. You can rest out of the sun.”

“Thank you,” she said and closed her eyes.
“Do you think it will take you long? Will I have time for a sleep?”

“You can sleep, kitten.”

Eva sighed, her weariness evident.
“Thanks.”

“You can use my trousers as a pillow,” he said.
“Don’t let Bluebird play with my boots.”

“I’ll put them under your trews. Try not to
be too long.” A nice touch, Eva thought as she opened her eyes and reached for
his trews and boots.

Saber’s smile was tender when he stooped to
steal a kiss, and a flash of temper boiled inside her. She had difficulty
restraining a snappish retort. “Take care.”

“You too, kitten. Keep under the cover of
the rocks in case the birds fly over while you’re asleep.”

“It might be cooler under those two trees
down there. They should be okay for a screen.”

He glanced at them and gave a swift nod.
“See you soon.”

She watched him transform to cat, the sucky
and crunchy sounds a little freaky, although she had to admit his cat shape was
very sexy.

He gave a low grunt and loped off. Eva
waited until he disappeared from sight, then waited for a little more time to
pass before climbing too her feet. She was tired. True. But not too tired to
seize the opportunity he’d given her to escape. “Happy birthday to me,” she
muttered and slapped the dust off her butt.

She checked her surroundings for danger,
noted Bluebird appeared relaxed and untroubled, and set off in the other
direction. Hopefully, Saber was wrong and the fiery river ended or thinned
enough for her to safely cross.

Eva kept to the tree line as much as
possible and found a wide path, which made traveling swift and easy. She passed
other varieties of animals but took her cues from Bluebird. If he scuttled for
cover, she followed suit.

She stopped to collect some fruit and ate
it as she continued, knowing it was best for her to put as much distance as
possible between them because Saber would attempt to track her. She came to
water—a narrow stream—and after checking it for obvious predators, she waded
into the middle and used its meandering path as a trail, hoping that might
confuse the arrogant cat-man.

Bluebird honked from the bank then wandered
off to graze. Eva wasn’t worried, since he did this often and always seemed to
find them at day’s end.