Take Me (19 page)

“I'm not quite sure.”

He lifted his gaze and then went still. “Go back in the cabin.”

The urgency of his words and the sudden rigidity in his body sent a chill through her blood. “Dillon? What is happen—”

“Get in the cabin, now!”

She turned on her heel and rushed back inside, the air locked in her lungs. Her body trembled and she glanced in the mirror above the dresser at her pale face.

Oh gods. It was bad. Whatever it was, it was bad.

“Krystal…”

She turned as he came back into the cabin. The grave expression on his face had her gripping the wood frame on the bed.

“What is it?” she whispered, her stomach in knots.

He took a deep breath. “The planet is under attack.”

“No.” Her knees went weak, but she held her ground. “Oh gods. Dillon…”

“It appears the electronic and communication field has been jammed and that is why I cannot call out.” He stepped forward and cupped her face, dropping a kiss on her lips. “I need you to stay here.”

“Alone?” Fear clotted in her throat.

“The pods have only just entered the hemisphere. It is quite possible no one has spotted them as of yet.”

“Do you not have a way to track them? Wouldn't the planetary army be aware—”

“Not with our electronic field jammed, and these pods are stealth.” He gripped her hands. “I must go and send out the alarms as soon as possible.”

“Take me with you.”

“If something happens to me—”

“Then let it happen to me, too,” she interrupted harshly. “I will not leave you. If you do not take me then I will follow after you leave.”

“You are stubborn.”

“You have known me since I was a child. Do not pretend to be surprised.”

Dillon sighed and shook his head, but did not reply as he pulled on his clothes.

Krystal hurried to follow suit, pulling on her dress from last night.

“We must hurry in our trek back to the city, Krystal.” He turned to her again, his gaze intense. “I know they will not hesitate to kill me and I do not want to imagine what they would do to you.”

“I love you, Dillon. And I refuse to leave you. We will get through this; we have to.” She took a deep breath. “I am ready.”

Dillon groaned and took her lips in a quick, hard kiss. “I love you, kitten. Let us go.”

 

The scream came from inside his room. Despite his intentions to meet with his superiors, Ryder backtracked and typed in the code at his door, his heart pounding with sudden fear.

The door slid open and he lurched inside, prepared for the worst.

Talia lay in the bed alone, though she thrashed beneath the blankets.

He rushed to her side and sat down on the bed, the mattress dipping beneath his weight. Touching her forehead, he checked to see if she was feverish. She was warm, but not overtly so.

She groaned and jerked her head away, her hands raised as if to strike him.

He caught her wrists and pinned them to her side.

“Talia, open your eyes.”

She continued to struggle beneath him, gasping and making little cries.

“It is Ryder. Relax, princess.”

Her brows drew together and she went limp beneath him, before her lids opened. Her gaze was confused and took a moment to focus on him.

“A nightmare?” He stroked his thumb over the furious pulse on her wrist.

“I…I am not sure.” She blinked and a shudder racked her body. “Yes.”

“What about?” he asked, while he kept up the soothing strokes over her wrist.

“It does not matter.” Her eyes closed, but the anguish in them had been real enough. “Do you plan to send me back to Zortou?”

Her question threw him and for a moment he could not even answer.

“I see.” Her voice cracked and she jerked her hands away, rolling onto her side and drawing her knees up to her chest.

“Talia—”

“Please, touch me no more,” she cried. “I am a whore in your eyes. A prisoner whose body you find fulfillment in, I understand that. But I beg of you, do not touch me again.”

Ryder shook his head, his gut twisting at the pain in her voice.

“That is not true and we both know it.”

“How do I know it?
How
, Ryder?” She made a choked sound and then gasped in a shaky breath. “I do not ask, I beg you. Please leave me be. For you know not how close you are to breaking me.”

“Breaking you?” he whispered and placed his hand on her shoulder, pulling her onto her back so she had to look at him. “If anything you have broken me, Talia. What kind of soldier gives his heart to a prisoner?”

Her eyes widened, a sheen of tears reflected in them. Her mouth parted and her tongue darted over her lower lip; it was his undoing.

“Gods, how can you doubt me?” he rasped and lowered his head, crushing her mouth with his own.

Her moan mingled with his as her hands gripped his head, holding herself against him.

He slid on top of her, pressing his knee between her thighs and against the heat of her sex. His tongue slipped into the moist cavern of her mouth, tasting her sweet passion and circling her tongue.

Her hands slid out of his hair and moved to his shoulders as she ground herself against his knee.

He lifted his head, his hand already moving down to cup the weight of one of her breasts.

“I should be in a meeting soon.”

“Please do not leave me,” she pleaded, her hands sliding lower to unfasten his pants. “Not yet. Please, Ryder.”

“Talia…”

“Please, Ryder. I need you.”

Fuck the meeting
. Ryder jerked off his shirt and eased his pants off. He could be late. He slid the straps of Talia's dress off her shoulders and kissed the curve of her neck.

Pulling the fabric down her body, he exposed her breasts and the hard pink nipples. Pulling the dress farther, he paused to kiss the crater of her navel before drawing the dress over her hips and down her legs.

“Beautiful,” he murmured, burying his face between her breasts and then turning his head to flick his tongue over her nipple. “You are so beautiful, princess.”

She sighed and dug her nails into his shoulders. “Make love to me, Ryder.”

With a groan, he opened his mouth and drew one stiff nipple inside. He flicked his tongue over the ridges and dents of the areole, then sucked on the tip until she cried out.

He switched to the other breast, repeating the process with the other nipple until his cock was rigid with need.

“Inside me.” Her hand wrapped around his erection again, her fingers rubbing the drop of pre-cum over his flesh. “I can wait no longer, Ryder.”

He grasped her wrists and pinned them above her head in one of his hands, and then used the other to guide his cock between the moist folds of her cunt.

Lifting his gaze, he looked down into her eyes and saw the heat and trust there. With their gazes locked on each other, he thrust into her hot center.

Her eyelids fluttered shut and the air hissed from between her lips.

“Oh gods, Ryder…”

“Mmm. Yes, princess?”

The walls of her vagina squeezed around his cock with such pressure that he groaned, glancing down at where they were joined.

“I think I am in love with you,” she blurted.

He lifted his head and met her gaze, expecting to see humor, but her expression was raw with honesty.

He lowered his mouth to hers, hoping to convey his emotions in the kiss as he started to move slowly inside her.

Her flesh hugged him as he pulled out to her entrance before sinking back inside her. He slid his hands up from her wrists to intertwine his fingers with hers.

He increased the pace of his thrusts, moving in and out of her, feeling her heart pounding beneath him nearly in time with his.

His fingers tightened around hers and she lifted her lips, gasping. The walls of her cunt clenched around his cock as she orgasmed.

His sac tightened and then he was exploding inside her. There was a roaring in his ears and his throat locked with emotion as he emptied himself again and again.

Dimly, he heard a sound, a small beep, but it was out of his head before he could analyze it.

The slick walls of her sex massaged him through his orgasm. He dragged in a harsh breath and his muscles relaxed, his weight falling heavy on her.

Touching her lips, his lips curved slightly. Gods, he loved her. He could no longer deny it. To himself or to her.

Her eyes widened.
“No.”

“Talia, I—”

“Ryder!”

Stinging pain exploded in his buttock and then radiated down his thigh.
Fuck.
He reached back to remove the dart, but knew the damage was done.

“Well done, Natalia.” The male voice came from behind him. “Although I am not sure you needed to fuck the bastard to show your loyalty to Zortou.”

Already Ryder could feel the dart's poisoned tip taking effect. He stared down at Talia, seeing the horror and fear in her eyes as he struggled to pull himself off her.

Please do not leave me
. Her words from earlier echoed in his head.
Not yet, Ryder
.

“Oh gods, Ryder.” Her words were hoarse as her nails dug into his shoulders. “I am so sorry.”

His eyelids grew heavy, her face and words distorted. One thought filled his head before all went black: whom had she really betrayed?

R
yder's body became a dead weight atop her and his eyes drifted shut. Terror clotted in Talia's throat as her gaze shifted to Franklin.

“Did you miss me, baby?” He stepped forward and grabbed Ryder by the hair, jerking him off of her and throwing him to the floor.

What was happening? Had the Council instigated the attack early? Or were they here because they'd realized where she was, and had come to return her?
Never
.

Her heart beat faster and she glanced around for anything that might work as a weapon.
You are not the same person as you once were. You do not have to go back to that life.

Talia grabbed the lamp off the bedside table, but Franklin swung around and knocked it aside with a roar.

She jerked back against the pillows, her eyes wide, her pulse pounding.

“I am sure each day we have been apart has been
agony
for you, Natalia.” He sneered and lurched forward, grabbing her arm and dragging her forcefully from the bed. His gaze raked over her naked body. “You little bitch. You will regret the day that you whored yourself to him. And he will not live long enough to regret the poor choices he made.”

He planned on killing Ryder? Oh gods. What had been on the dart Franklin had shot Ryder with? Her gut clenched and bile rose in her throat. She gripped his jacket, tears burning her eyes.

“Franklin, what—”

The sound of weapons fire came from the hall, drowning out her desperate plea.

Franklin cursed and glanced down at Ryder before tightening his grip around her arm.

“Attire yourself. Now.” He released her and strode to the door, going to speak to someone in the hallway.

Without a thought, Talia rushed to Ryder and knelt down. She pressed her fingers against the pulse in his throat and the air hissed out from her clenched teeth. Tears of relief spilled down her cheeks. He was still alive. But for how long?

She grabbed her dress off the ground and tugged it on. If Franklin came back and she had not obeyed his orders, she would not live long enough to get Ryder the help he needed.

“Come. We are leaving.” Franklin reentered the room with a strip of fabric in his hand.

He grabbed her wrists and jerked them behind her back, binding them with the fabric.

“Will he die?” she asked, her words shaking.

Franklin stepped in front of her, and the cold malice she saw in his gaze sent a chill through her blood. “It is almost certain.”

His words barely had time to sink in before he dragged her out of the room. Her chest constricted with agony and tears blinded her vision.

Ryder could not die. She would find someone to help him.

The world outside was unrecognizable. Smoke and fire burned in every direction. Women and children screamed as they tried to find safety and avoid the combating soldiers from both worlds.

It was truly a field of war. Her feet stumbled, the blood left her head, and she grew lightheaded.

“Keep moving,” Franklin ordered and nudged her in the back.

A familiar face surged through the chaos and Talia lurched away from Franklin and crossed the grounds.

“Ines!” she cried. “You must help Ryder. He is in his bedding chamber—”

Franklin's hand bit into her shoulder with enough force that her knees buckled and she fell to the ground with a cry of pain.

She glanced up with a whimper, hopeful that Ines would be running toward the building. Talia's brows drew together and she took in a deep breath. Ines had not moved, but instead looked at Franklin with blatant irritation.

“What treachery is this?” Ines demanded. “You promised that she would be disposed of.”

Talia blinked, unable to draw in a breath. Whatever response Franklin made, she did not hear it. There was a roaring in her ears and everything spun.

Ines had betrayed them
. Ines was the reason Ryder was near death, why the people of Belton were running for their lives.

“Get up.” Franklin pulled her to her feet again.

Talia's gaze landed on Ines's again. The now-familiar hatred was once again in the other woman's eyes.

“Just follow orders, Ines.” Franklin dragged Talia away from the other woman and farther across the grounds.

This was it. There was no more hope. For her or for Ryder. Oh gods.
Ryder
. Tears burned against her eyes again. Why did it have to end this way? If Ines had not betrayed them, then Belton would have gone ahead with the preemptive attack as planned and all would have been well.

“What are you giving her to betray her home planet?” Talia demanded.

“She came to us, if you must know. And as to what we are giving her…it is of no concern to you.” He glanced down at her. “I do not care for this belligerent side you have acquired. You were much preferable when you only opened your mouth to accept a cock inside it.”

Bastard
. Hot anger swept through her. “Where are you taking me?”

“A place where we won't be disturbed.”

Every part of her went numb; the blood left her face. Yet she grew strangely calm. He would kill her. She was almost certain. But only after he'd raped her until she wished for death.

Her bare feet grew sore from walking across the terrain; her arms ached from being tied behind her back.

Death. For years she had wished for it on Zortou, saw it as her only escape from her hellish life as a Rosabelle. And then came the irony of finding safety and love as a prisoner on Belton.

Her stomach twisted and she blinked away any remaining tears. Perhaps death would be the preferable option again if Ryder assumed she had betrayed him. That is, if he lived to assume anything.

Franklin's grip on her shoulder tightened. “Keep moving.”

Live or die. The decision was out of her hands.

They entered another building, one she had not yet been in. He opened the door to a room and then thrust her inside.

Talia fell to the floor, her shoulder hitting the hard surface first and sending sparks of pain through her body. She could not stop the sharp cry that escaped.

Franklin smirked, obviously pleased that he'd hurt her.

He stepped into the room and then knelt down beside her, untying the strap that bound her wrists behind her back.

Talia let out a ragged breath. Tingles spread through her body, and the blood began to circulate again.

“He is dead by now,” Franklin taunted. “You realize that. Do you not, Natalia?”

The sheer agony his statement evoked sent a shudder through her body, but she clenched her teeth. She would show him no reaction. He wanted her anger and ultimately her submissiveness. He would not get it. Never again.

“Where did he first fuck you, baby?” He stroked the back of his hand across her cheek, a tight smile on his face. “Was it in your bedchamber before he stole you from us?”

Her skin crawled at his touch and she slapped his hand away. His palm came back twice as fast to glance across her cheek. Tears of shock flooded her eyes, even though the slap had not hurt much.

“How quickly you have forgotten your place,” Franklin chided with a rough laugh as he stood up. “But I will enjoy reminding you.”

All of a sudden she didn't want to die. She wanted to kill him. Kill this man who had taken away any hope she'd had. Talia ran her tongue over her lips and glanced around the room. There was a stove and countertops full of cooking utensils. They appeared to be in some oversized kitchen.

“Why are you not out fighting with the soldiers of Zortou?” she asked, with the hope of diverting him.

“Fight?” He lifted an eyebrow and then went to pour himself a glass of water. “Me? I am a Council member, Natalia. We govern, not fight.”

And where
were
the other Council members? She had yet to spot Ramirez or Victor.

Her glance landed on the knives on the other side of the room, suspended above the counter near the sink. If she could somehow get over there and retrieve one, then perhaps she would have a chance. As he had said himself, Franklin was not trained to fight.

“What are you doing?”

Talia jerked her gaze away from the knives. He stared at her and then looked at the knives.

“What are you thinking, baby?” Franklin crossed the room and gripped her arm, jerking her to her feet. “That you would take one of the knives and use it on me?”

Yes
. She didn't answer, just lifted her chin and met his gaze stoically.

“You little bitch. I would have broken your wrist before you could get within an inch of me.” His grip on her arm tightened and she winced. Would he break her arm anyway?

“Gods, it is true.” A voice called from the doorway at the other side of the room. “You have recovered our precious Rosabelle.”

Without looking, her gaze still locked on Franklin's, Talia knew Ramirez and Victor would be in the doorway.

Franklin's gaze lit up with what looked like excitement and he released her, turning toward the door.

“Gentlemen, you made it. Where is Ines?” His tone sharpened on the last question.

“I have no idea, quite honestly.” Ramirez offered a small shrug. “She said she would return in a bit.”

“I see.” Franklin did not sound pleased, and Talia looked over to see his jaw was tight.

“Natalia, my darling. Gods, how we have missed you.” Victor crossed the room toward her.

No. No. No.
Talia took a step backward, her pulse jumped and her stomach knotted. Gods, she could not handle their attentions any longer.

“Your state of dress is completely inappropriate, though as always you are beautiful.” Victor seemed to not notice her distress. He closed the distance between them and reached out to touch her hair.

“No!”
The word exploded from her and she jerked away. “Do not touch me. Any of you!”

Ramirez froze and Victor's gaze jerked to her, his eyes widened in surprise. Only Franklin gave a soft laugh of amusement.

“Natalia, you are confused.” Victor's voice soothed as if he spoke to a child as he approached her. “All will be well shortly. All too soon we will take control of Belton and relocate our headquarters—”

His words ended in a gasp as Franklin's arm slid around his neck. The flash of a knife was a blur, but the line of crimson that appeared at Victor's neck was all too real.

Talia lurched back with a scream, blinking in horror, as Victor fell limp to the ground at her feet.

“Actually, Victor, there's been a change of plans.” Franklin muttered and then spun around and leapt after Ramirez, who had run toward the door.

The older man did not stand a chance against Franklin, and his scream was cut short as Franklin slit the man's throat.

He'd gone mad! Nausea swept through Talia. She groaned and ran toward the knives, determined to defend herself before she took her last breath.

She reached the knives, lifted out her hand to grab one, and was pushed harshly to the floor. Franklin straddled her and pinned her wrists above her head.

She flinched and then let out a long whimper, making a poor attempt to prepare herself for death.

“You have nothing to fear, Natalia.” His breath was hot on her neck. “I had to kill them. There was no reason to keep them any longer.”

Had to kill them
. He had just killed two men without provocation!

“Don't you see, baby?” His gaze softened and he drew the flat side of the knife across her cheek. “It will be just you and me now.”

You and me?
A shudder ripped through her body. Oh gods. His obsession with her had taken a sick turn. All his violent tendencies toward her and obsessive behavior made sense now.

“Once this war is over—and it will not be long before the troops are successful—then you will sit beside me as my empress.”

He believed himself to be the future emperor of Belton? Gods, he was beyond mad.

“Franklin, you must cease now,” she pleaded. “Please, you will not succeed. Ryder has—”

“Do
not
mention that man's name again.
Ever
, Natalia.” His jaw clenched and he rolled the knife on her cheek, the movement light enough that she only felt pressure, but not the sting of a cut. “You will soon forget him. I know that you love me, baby. I know—”

“How foolish do you take me to be?” A calm female voice said above them.

Talia jerked her gaze up and saw the moment Ines brought the clublike weapon down onto Franklin's back. His head reared back as he gasped in pain.

Talia whimpered and thrust him off her, rolling to the side.