Read Talson Temptations 3: Talson's Net Online

Authors: Marie Harte

Tags: #mf

Talson Temptations 3: Talson's Net (3 page)

BOOK: Talson Temptations 3: Talson's Net
7.88Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Relieved yet disappointed that she’d never go through
another mess like this again, she sat back and came up with a decent story to
fool Quinn into believing she’d just needed some time to herself to regroup.
Bad enough Talson had captured her before she’d turned the tables on him.

* * * * *

Two weeks later

 

The sudden hand on Rowe’s shoulder startled a small shriek
out of her. As if her uncle’s basement vault wasn’t creepy enough.

“Damn, Rowe, what’s with you lately?” Quinn Larsen ‘Or Ryi,
her security advisor and a giant of a man who scared most Otra when he so much
as twitched, stared at her with concern. “You’re as jumpy as my sister after an
hour with my mother.”

Having met Quinn’s daunting mother, she could truly feel for
his sister. It was no wonder the pair had spent so much of their younger years
with Rowe’s family—back when she’d had any.

“It’s nothing, Quinn. I guess I’m just spooked about the
increasing pirate attacks.” Another attack a few days ago had nearly decimated
the crew aboard a Chartrell shuttle transporting invaluable cargo. Not only had
the cargo carried artifacts from Werfal 6, but it had been transporting her
Uncle Fulton to the New Hattan Antiquities Center as well. Thus her journey
into his basement—searching for evidence of the guilty party among the wreckage
he’d shipped into the vault for safekeeping, pending an investigation.

Still, she had to admit the real reason for her unease had
yet to show himself in the two weeks since she’d tied him to a ratty bedpost in
the Barren district. Waiting for Talson to exact his revenge filled her dreams
with anxiety and a sexual need so intense it bordered on pain.

Quinn gave her another one of those strange looks he’d been
shooting her recently. Studying her like a damn bug, the way the rest of the
world normally did. It bothered the hell out of her. Quinn was practically
family. He’d never treated her as anything less than his equal, uncaring of her
parentage.

“What’s with the looks, Quinn?” she snapped.

He shook his head, but his nostrils flared and his eyes
began to glow. Then he turned away and took a few steps in the opposite
direction. “Nothing,” he muttered. “I just remembered there’s something I need
to attend to in the main office. You’ll be safe enough down here, but ring if
you need me.” He nodded at the buzzer on the wall.

He stalked down the hall to the stairs, and she listened
until she could no longer hear him. Talk about strange. Sure, her anxious
behavior had been suspect. But she had a valid reason for her paranoia. What
bothered Quinn?

Normally the sensible, easygoing man in her life, Quinn
acted more like a brother than a close friend. Not that she couldn’t clearly
see how attractive he was to most women—or in Quinn’s case, women
and
men. Tall, dark and handsome was one thing. Add that aura of danger that clung
to him like a second skin and it was no wonder Otra and human alike threw
themselves at him on a daily basis.

Hell, had Rowe been normal and not a hybrid freak with
little libido, she’d probably have thrown herself at him as well.
Unfortunately, sex had never been a priority in her life. She’d tried it a few
times but found it unsatisfactory. A few years ago, what little spark of
sexuality within her had died. Or so she’d thought until she’d met a certain
man with lips that could melt steel and a cock that never quit.

At the memory, her heart raced and her nipples beaded under
her thin blouse, making her doubly glad to be alone in the basement. This
underground space housed all of Uncle Fulton’s precious commodities. Its only
access came via a locked elevator and the guarded stairway Quinn had recently
taken. She could rest easy down here, protected from intrusion.

She swallowed the annoying disappointment that continued to
rise anytime she thought about not seeing Valis Talson.
Like I need that
trouble again. I have enough on my plate with Keilor.

She spent the next half hour looking through the evidence
and came up with several surprising ideas. They only added to the unease she’d
had lately. The problems she’d suspected were worse than she’d thought.

And speaking of problems… The elevator signaled its
approach, and her cousin, Fulton’s son, stepped out. Though he’d been adopted
into the clan, his resemblance to her uncle was uncanny. The same narrowed,
untrusting eyes, arrogant nose and thin, displeased lips. He might have been
Fulton Chartrell eighty years ago, considering most Otra weren’t considered
mature until they hit sixty. Despite his youth at forty-one, her overbearing
cousin could hold his own as a walking headache on two legs.

“Keilor,” she said flatly. “What a surprise.”

He grinned like a shark eyeing its next meal, and nodded
with that touch of haughtiness that never failed to annoy her. “Ah, Rowe. I was
hoping to see you today. Working hard, I see.”

Not even bothering to look at anything but her body, he
watched her with a thoroughness that made her more than uncomfortable. He
lingered on her breasts and licked his lips, and she quickly moved away from
him into the shadows.

She coughed to hide her nerves. “Yes, well, I’ve managed to
locate a piece of the detonation device that caused the malfunction in the
shuttle. I’m sure Uncle Fulton will want to see it right away.” She wasn’t sure
what to make of her find. But she couldn’t worry about it now, not with Keilor
so close. She refrained from giving in to the urge to shudder in his presence.

He waved aside her concern and took a step toward the
section of damaged craft gleaming under the overhead light. “Father’s at a
charity function tonight. You know, appearances.” He sneered with disgust. With
Keilor, if there was no money to be made, why bother? “So, what have you
learned about the bomb?”

His quiet intensity told her more than she wanted to know.
Shit.
For days now, evidence had continually pointed in his direction as the man
behind his uncle’s attack. But she hadn’t wanted to see it. Keilor Chartrell
could be an ass, a pervert and a sneak. But guilty of attemped patricide? Yet
the dark intent in his gaze convinced her otherwise.

And if he really had attempted to kill his father, might he
not also be involved in the attacks Val had accused Chartrell of having
committed?

Aware her cousin waited on her answer, she forced a sigh and
shrugged. “I wish I could tell you more, but I think the design is Otra in
scope.” He’d know she’d recognize the technology. No way to fake her way around
that. As a technical expert in the engineering department, Rowe knew her way
around ships and their engines. “I’d venture a guess that bomb belonged to the
San clan. The design is a bit crude, but heck, they’re known as the barbarians
of the outer rims. I could see them throwing something like this together.
They’ve never made any bones about how much they hate Uncle Fulton. It fits.”

Though his face gave nothing away, his tension eased. “San,
you say?” He stepped closer to the piece she’d been studying.

Deliberately holding her ground, she watched impassively as
he leaned over the table to study the object. Should he step a fraction closer,
he’d touch her leg. Knowing Keilor’s inherent ability to sense fear, she worked
hard to keep her heartbeat level and her body loose.

She launched into speech to keep him focused on the debris.
“I know the San are pyrokinetics, but they’d need to use a device to throw us
off their scent. I mean, blowing up the shuttle without an incendiary would
immediately throw suspicion on them. The presence of the bomb not only shields
them from suspicion, but by using it, they better contained the blast. As it
was positioned, it would have killed Uncle Fulton if he hadn’t stopped for a
fuel check. The damage showed little impact to the storage areas of the craft.
That’s over a million credits in rare Otra artifacts.”

She almost had
herself
convinced the San clan had
made the attempt on the shuttle.

Keilor stood to his full height and dusted his hands off on
the front of his slacks. Expensive and designed to impress, the slacks sat well
on his long legs but did absolutely nothing for her. Not that she’d ever
thought of him that way. They were cousins through her aunt’s marriage, not
through blood. Keilor had pestered her for sex since she’d turned twenty, six
years ago, but his interest had always left her cold. Val Talson, on the other
hand…

“Well, well.” Keilor’s eyes turned silver. He took a step
closer.

She immediately retreated and wanted to call herself ten
kinds of fool. His
psychei
fanned out, brushing against hers, and she
realized she’d intrigued him further by showing her unease.

“What?” She crossed her arms over her chest and waited. She
glanced subtly at the wall by the elevator and wondered if she’d be able to hit
the communications link before he could grab her.
Come on, Quinn. Don’t
forget I’m down here.

He took a deep breath and smiled, shooting her a look of
utter male satisfaction. “You’re in Selection.”

“Selection?”
She scoffed, trying to ignore the worry
growing inside her, and paced away from her cousin. “I’m no more ready to marry
and have children than a two-year-old.”

“Really?” His voice deepened, and she felt real fear. Like a
true predator, Keilor stalked her. When she moved one way, he countered another
and edged her closer to the corner away from the only exits. “Then why is it I
can sense your readiness?” He closed his eyes and breathed deep. “I can almost
taste your need. Your hormones are bursting with flavor, Rowe. With
temptation.”

She stared, mortified he might be right, especially when he
stepped so close his chest brushed hers. To her horror, her nipples swelled.
Yet the drive to procreate didn’t override her disgust. Physically she
responded, but her
psychei
didn’t reach out to him the way it had to
Talson.

“You’re crazy.”
Please,
psychei,
don’t fail me now
.
A familiar tingle of power surged through her mind, and she wanted to sob with
relief.

“Crazy?”

“You should step back, Keilor.” She kept her cool and
smiled, a gentle mental push swaying Keilor enough that he stepped back. “It’s
too hot down here to stand so close. I have to get back upstairs.”

He shook his head and his lapse gave her enough time to walk
purposefully around him toward the elevator.

He grabbed her arm and yanked her back. “Not yet,
sweetheart.” Funny how the false endearment on his lips made her ill, but Val’s
had made her wet. “I’ve been waiting a long time to have you use it on me,
Rowe.”

Her heart thundered. “What are you talking about?”
Let me
go. Let me go.

“I’m ready for you now. For years I’ve wondered just what it
would take to get you to use your
psychei
on me. It’s incredibly
seductive.”

He pulled her flush against him and ground his cock into her
lower back. “Keeping your talent secret was smart. Works better on the
unsuspecting, hmm? But I know. I’ve always known.”

She couldn’t escape, and her struggle seemed to excite him.
“You’re mistaken. I’m half-human. I don’t have any
psychei
.”

She tried to elbow him, to pull out of his hold, but he only
gripped her tighter and squeezed her so hard she had trouble breathing.
Suddenly dizzy, she sagged in his arms, aware he’d amped up his
psychei
to make her dwell on her terror. The prick.

“I overheard your parents talking about you when you were
younger.” He thrust against her ass with an enthusiasm she couldn’t ignore.
“That’s it. You feel good, Rowe. Real good.”

Nausea overwhelmed her.

He continued, his voice caressing, soft, while he held her
with crushing strength. “Even humans have a limited psychic ability. Obviously
your Otra father had it, but it seems your human mother had a touch of it as
well. It’s a miracle really. Despite your inferior genetic structure, you’re
remarkably attractive both psychically and physically. Traits that should serve
us well in our coming years together.”

He reached around her to the front of her slacks and hovered
over the button holding them closed, increasing her dread. “Oh, that’s good,”
he rasped and shivered, no doubt awash in her emotions.

She tried to decide how the hell to disentangle herself from
the crazy bastard. Another slight shift of her hips proved his strength
immovable. She couldn’t budge from her position against him.

Any attempt at freedom would have to come by outwitting him.

“Very clever, cousin.” She relaxed and startled him into
loosening his hold. Then she turned around with a smile on her face. Placing
her palms against his chest, she felt his heart pounding and decided to use his
arousal to her advantage. “You can sense my Selection, hmm? Finally, a man who
passed the test.”

“Test?” His husky voice made her want to cringe. Keilor
wanted her. Even if she hadn’t been raised to consider him family, she wouldn’t
have wanted him. The dickhead thought it was okay to use force to get what he
wanted.

Not surprisingly, her thoughts went to Val. Though he’d tied
her up, she’d never felt unsafe that he might hurt her, only that he’d sense
how much she wanted him and seduce the truth out of her.

Not wanting to alarm Keilor, she stroked his chest and used
her anger to camouflage her fear. “I may be half-human, but I’m all woman. I
know what I want in a mate. I want a strong, dominant lover. One who can’t be
tricked or denied out of what he desires.”

She leaned close and nipped at his bottom lip. His eyes
practically exploded with light. So intent on claiming her, Keilor failed to
note the change in her stance.

Chapter Three

 

When her knee connected with his balls, Keilor’s eyes grew
comically large. His almost silent mew of distress pleased her to no end.

BOOK: Talson Temptations 3: Talson's Net
7.88Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

Mate Of A Dragon Villain (Skeleton Key) by Mandy Rosko, Skeleton Key
Shades of Temptation by Virna DePaul
The Genesis Key by James Barney
Courted by the Vampire by Sandra Sookoo
The Terrorist’s Son by Zak Ebrahim
Silent Retreats by Philip F. Deaver