Tara The Great [Nuworld 2] (27 page)

attention. He was a conqueror, and she’d given him reason to conquer her again. Was

that all she’d accomplished?

* * * * *

Darius’ blood boiled.

Tara lay there, spread out on the bed, more beautiful than she’d been in the many

dreams he’d had since she’d refused to share his bed. She challenged him more than

any other conquest he’d attempted. The look in her eyes suggested she wasn’t

submitting to him, but managing to get him to do as she wished.

Their fight this afternoon stirred feelings inside her that needed satisfying. He’d

known that as soon as she’d thrown the first punch. He’d been so distracted by the

sexual aura radiating from her while she’d attacked him, he’d been unable to

concentrate enough to fight back.

He thought for sure he’d have control once he seduced her. Maybe he shouldn’t

have stated his intentions earlier that day, and instead, just carried out his plan to

empty the house and attack her. Instead, he’d given her ample opportunity to prepare

her defense.

Now, as he looked at her deliciously naked body, he realized how far he was from

winning her devotion. The best thing he could do at the moment, with his thoughts so

muddled by the ravenous power she had over him, was to satisfy her to the best of his

abilities.

He prayed Tara would never truly be his enemy. He wouldn’t stand a chance.

* * * * *

Their lovemaking was hot and passionate. He teased her with his fingers and

tongue, ravishing every inch of her body. She surprised him by placing her hands on

his chest and pushing him flat on the bed. She returned the favor with her fingers and

tongue until he thought he would explode if he couldn’t have her immediately.

He struggled to garner the strength necessary to force the upper hand. Still, he

managed to lift her body atop him and penetrate until he was deep within her. She

screamed in ecstasy and he lifted her slightly and thrust again. He wanted her

complete, unadulterated submission. To gain it had become an obsession.

There was nothing submissive about her, though, as she took his hands in hers and

locked fingers. Then she slowly began to rock back and forth bringing him to the

inevitable climax. There was no way he would let go yet.

He forced himself into a sitting position and used brute force to turn her body and

throw her onto the bed. The woman made him mad in the head with his lack of control

over her. Now, he would dominate the situation.

Darius spread her legs, trying to be rough. But she willingly allowed it. Driving into

her once again, he held on for dear life until he was blind with his need for release. All

went black around him, and stars tormented him as they flew past in seething, white

streams. He thrust one final time and filled her with his seed as her body spasmed

under his.

* * * * *

They lay intertwined on their bed in the silent house. Not a sound broke the

tranquility except for the occasional tree branch brushing the window, and faint noises

coming from the garage as the team diligently worked on the gliders.

Tara had wrapped herself in Darius’ arms, her body completely satisfied. He’d been

right. Fighting him had aroused emotions demanding satisfaction. And he’d obliged.

She knew he’d intended to do far more to her. In her opinion, he’d failed. Bottom line,

he was crazy about her and she liked him feeling that way about her. One way or

another she would have his undivided attention.

When she felt his muscles relax around her and heard his breathing deepen, she

slowly slipped out of his arms, got up, and dressed.

As she entered the room containing the landlinks, she was shocked to see she’d left

one of the devices turned on. Smiling, all too aware of the tingling rushing through her

body from making love to Darius, she realized how easily he could distract her. It was

still open to the Neurian screen. Under no circumstances would she normally leave a

room with a program open. She walked over to shut it down when something on the

screen caught her eye.

Small letters blinked across the top of the screen. She leaned over and stared at the

question flashing in her face.

“Tara, is that you?”

Chapter Fourteen

The flashing message emanating from the screen in the dark room created a surreal

moment for Tara. Everything was visible in a dim blue light, then it wasn’t, then it was

again.

Tara rubbed her chin and stared dumbly at the message.

Who sent it?

When was it sent?

Her hand shook as she slowly reached for the control pad in the darkness, briefly

lit, then again in darkness. She sat down in the chair and stared at the screen.

Okay, organize your thoughts. Someone had gone out on a limb to contact her. She

was on a Neurian transmission. So that had to mean whoever sent it also transmitted

from a Neurian source. Since the Gothman and Runners didn’t have open

communications with the Neurians, whoever sent the message had taken a huge risk.

Then again, she’d accessed the Neurian transmission and taken programs from it

without Neurian consent. Had they discovered what she’d done and were now trying

to reach her? Were they prepared to accuse her of theft?

Her thoughts reached beyond the immediate situation to the glider technology.

How had the Neurians obtained it from the Lunians? Had they taken it, just as she had

taken it from the Neurians?

The best thing to do was find out who sent the message before responding. Torgo

had written a program to trace the source of transmissions. All she had to do was start

it. She typed in the code name for the program, and the screen went dark.

She sat in complete darkness. The blue blinking light disappeared.

Wait a minute.

This wasn’t what the program was supposed to do.

The Neurian traps!

The landlink was receiving a transmission. She could hear the dull hum as the chips

inside accepted the information. If this were one of the Neurian traps, it would destroy

all their programs. Without their landlink they would lose all communication abilities.

She typed the abort code as quickly as she could. The box hummed louder.

Small letters appeared one after the other, from left to right, across the top of the

screen.

“Tara, is that you?”

She took a deep breath, let it out, and typed, “Who is this?”

Every sound in the house exploded in her ears as she sat in the stillness waiting for

a response. A branch rubbed against a window in one of the rooms down the hall. A

rafter settled, groaning above her head. Muffled voices from the garage could be heard,

and a dog barked in the distance. What usually were comforting sounds of home now

caused her to jump, adding to her uneasiness.

She moved to the closest window and opened it. A soft, cool breeze chilled her

sweaty body. She looked out on the grounds, illuminated by lights from the garage.

Everything seemed calm and peaceful.

Except in her head.

An answer appeared. Tara stared at the one word blinking at her.

“Gowsky.”

She’d figured Fleeders maybe, but not Gowsky.

She returned to her chair and leaned forward, struck by the magnitude of what was

happening. The leader of the Neurian council was sending her a message in the middle

of the night. Tara glanced around the room.

A new message appeared under the first. “Tara?”

She typed, “What do you want?”

As Tara sent the message, she thought about the bid request the Neurians had sent.

In lieu of it, should she appear friendly or hostile? Let bygones be bygones. Could she

do that?

And if she could for Gowsky, she would have to for Darius.

“I was going to ask you the same question.”

Tara frowned. He’d found her on their transmission and wanted to know what she

was doing there. Should she lie? Could she think of a believable, harmless lie?

A cool breeze moved the handmade curtains hanging in the window, and again she

felt a chill. She looked at the window, then back at the screen. She couldn’t take too long

to respond, or her answer wouldn’t be believable. “Doing research.” That was the truth,

answered quickly enough, and as little information as she could provide.

She reminded herself that she didn’t rule a nation. Yet. And she had two leaders to

answer to. What would they think of this communication? She answered her own

question immediately. They would be suspicious. Tara felt certain Darius and Patha

would not offer this man any information, and would be skeptical of anything Gowsky

might say to them. After all, Gowsky had kidnapped her, then told both Darius and

Patha she had been killed, causing upheaval among the Runners.

“Tara, what research are you doing?”

Tara knew he could find out what sites she’d covered on their transmission. He was

testing her. Or maybe, he, too, was being cautious.

She suddenly looked at the door. Darius wouldn’t be thrilled to see her talking to

Gowsky in the middle of the night right after they’d made love. Please let him sleep.

Tara continued to stare at the shadowed doorway as she pondered her situation.

During her escapades with Dorn Gowsky, she had learned of Crator. And Tara knew if

she trusted Crator to see her through a matter, then all would be fine. History had

proven that to be true. She decided to take a chance that this fellow believer in Crator

could be trusted. “Have you been contacted by the Lunians?”

“Yes.”

The answer was so quick, Tara could only stare at the tiny blinking word. Had it

been a positive contact, she wanted to ask. After all, hadn’t they contacted the Lunians a

long time ago? Had they formed an alliance, or were the Lunians stealing people from

them, too? How did she ask him that?

“We need help,” Gowsky typed next.

So Tara had her answer. The Neurians appeared to be in the same predicament they

were. She put her fingers to the keyboard and typed the question, “Have they taken your

people?”