Undaunted (Battle Born Book 6) (19 page)

As long as our bodies are all we join
. Rather than refueling their argument, she whispered, “Yes. I want that very much.”

He slid his hands down to her shoulders, his expression still rather grim. “And you trust me not to claim you?”

“Of course.” She placed her hands on his chest and moved closer. “You’d never take advantage of me like that.” Pushing to the balls of her feet, she nipped his chin. “You’re much too honorable for something like that.”

His arms wrapped around her and he pressed her to his chest, trapping her arms in between them. “You have no idea how close I’ve been to proving you wrong. I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you.”

She understood what he meant. The few hours they’d spent apart had left her restless and achy. His image had never left her mind and all her attempts at distraction had been pointless. Even her insecurities hadn’t cooled her desire. All she could think about was him. “Are you saying we shouldn’t—”

Sweeping her up in his arms, he headed across the room. “I’m saying I’ll die if we don’t.”

A rush of longing flooded her mind and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Heat cascaded through her body, the intensity of his need amplified hers.

He took her to his bedroom, the only room in his quarters that she’d not yet seen. Like the rest of the suite, the bedroom was luxurious and immaculate. The bed was surprisingly large. The nightstands and headboard flowed together in one continuous piece of furniture. A matching dresser was centered on one wall and the adjacent wall had inset shelves and a variety of compartments. She glanced at the doorway which likely led to the bathroom, then returned her attention to the neatly made bed.

“Pregnancy isn’t a possibility until we’ve formed the mating bond,” he said while she was still cradled in his arms.

“I know.” She dragged her gaze away from the bed and looked into his eyes.

“We’re both immune to most human diseases, but I’ll wear a condom if it will make you more comfortable.”

“Do you have a condom?” She called his bluff, though she was pleased by the unnecessary offer.

“No, but I can print one if you like.” He lowered her feet to the floor, but kept his other arm around her back.

“I want nothing between us.” She unfastened his collar then searched for the release at the front of his uniform top. “Not clothing, or hesitations, or regrets.” She triggered the release and separated the invisible seam. He let her strip off the top, but caught her wrist as she reached for his waistband.

“You first.”

A sense of power rushed through her, making her feel giddy yet bold. She shook her head and went back to work. “You’ve already seen me naked. Now it’s my turn.”

Garin clenched his fists and reminded himself to breathe as Berlynn slowly undressed him. She opened the front of his pants then seemed to lose interest in the task as her hands roamed over his torso.

“Your body is…sinful.” She stroked his shoulders and down his arms, then back onto his chest. Each caress accelerated his heartbeat and fueled the fire in his blood. He needed her naked and arching beneath him as he drove himself deep into her body.

He allowed her to play for a moment or two, but the one part of his body that needed her touch most was being horribly neglected. Pushing his pants lower, he tried to draw her attention back to her unfinished task. He hadn’t printed undergarments that morning, so she could literally see how badly he needed her. Except, she didn’t look down, but the wicked gleam in her eyes told him she knew exactly what she was doing.

Desperate for her touch, he took her hand and guided it to his aching cock. “Touch me.” He hadn’t meant it to sound quite so commanding, but she didn’t seem to mind.

“Like this?” She pressed her palm against his shaft without curving her fingers around him.

Instead of answering with words, he took her hand and showed her what he wanted. He pressed her fingers around him and drew her hand up and down, maintaining firm pressure, his hand still over hers.

She stroked him, or more accurately, he stroked himself with her hand, and all the while she stared into his eyes, her gaze smoldering like molten gold. “Does that feel good?”

“Yes.” He barely got the word out past his dry mouth.

“I think this will feel better.” She pulled her hand out from under his and slipped to her knees, her gaze still locked with his. She pulled his pants down past his knees then pushed on his hips. “Sit down.”

Happy to oblige, he sank to the edge of the bed and braced his hands to either side of his hips.

She tugged off his boots, his socks, and finally his pants. Then she spread his legs and moved between them. “I’ve imagined doing this ever since you went down on me.”

The reminder made him groan. Tasting her had been amazing, but it had also left him desperate for what they were about to share. She closed her hand around him and guided him to her waiting mouth. Her soft lips closed around his tip and she slid her mouth down along his shaft. He watched his cock disappear inside her and desire blasted through his already stimulated body.

He fisted the bedding and closed his eyes, too aroused to watch her. “I can’t…come inside you,” he reminded her, though he wanted nothing more.

She released him long enough to ask, “Why not?”

“That will trigger the mating bond.”

“All right.” She reached over and grabbed his discarded uniform top. “We’ll improvise.”

Then she slipped him back into her mouth and reality blurred. All Garin felt was her soft lips sliding up and down his length and the teasing swirl of her tongue. His mate knelt before him, selflessly pleasuring him. Nothing had ever felt better. He buried one hand in her hair, but left his fingers open. He wouldn’t rush her, wouldn’t try to control her—at least not yet.

Finally calm enough to open his eyes, he moved her hair out of the way so he could see her flushed face. Her head bobbed and her cheeks hollowed as she added suction to the other sensations. He lifted his hips, pushing himself deeper into her mouth. It was instinctual and impossible to resist. He had to be deeper, had to have more.

His balls drew up tight against his body, aching badly enough to make him moan. He could feel his release gathering so he urged her back and finished himself off with a few frantic strokes. She handed him the uniform top just in time to catch his jetting seed. He shuddered and stroked, but the pleasure was hollow without the link joining them body, mind and soul.

“Better?” She rocked back onto her heels and smiled up at him.

“Much,” he lied. He would not taint this with temporary discontent. She’d agreed to bond with him. All he had to do was depose Quinton and return to claim her. He stood, drawing her to her feet as well. “Now it’s my turn to explore your body and you just restored my control.”

* * * * *

“What’s the meaning of this?” Quinton shot to his feet as a small mob of armored soldiers filed into his private sitting room. Fear and confusion twisted his insides, but he banished all emotion from his face. “Edron!” he called for his head bodyguard. When there was no response, he shouted, “Guards!”

“We mean you no harm, sire.” One soldier stepped forward and tossed him a com-crystal.

Pretending his hands weren’t shaking, Quinton balanced the crystal disk on his palm and activated the tiny device. A miniature image of Apex General Paytor appeared above the disk. “Sorry I can’t be there in person, sire, but there have been some unforeseen developments. I have reason to believe your life is in immediate danger. Please allow my men to escort you to a secret location. I’ll explain everything when you arrive.”

The com-crystal blinked off and Quinton looked at the soldier who had tossed it to him. “How do I know this isn’t a trick?”

The soldier took off his helmet and tucked it under one of his arms. “I’m Xorran Blytor. Feel free to verify my identity and current assignment.”

Quinton didn’t hesitate. “Identify visitor.”

“Which visitor would you like me to identify?” the palace central computer asked, the pleasant tone out of place in this tense scene.

“The one closest to me,” Quinton snapped, agitated by the delay. “He’s not wearing his helmet.”

“You are standing nearest Commander Xorran Blytor.”

“What is his current posting and CO?”

“Xorran Blytor is assigned to the
Triumphant
and his commanding officer is Apex General Bidon Paytor.”

Quinton nodded as he set the com-crystal on a nearby table. “Where are you taking me?”

“I’m not allowed to say.”

Paytor had said “secret location”. Still, Quinton had never been one to trust blindly. “How long will I be gone?”

“Until the danger has passed.”

He didn’t like that answer any better. “And if I refuse to go?”

“I’m to respectfully escort you regardless of your objections.” The corners of Xorran’s mouth twitched as if he fought back a smile.

“Meaning you’ll remove me by force if necessary.” Quinton sighed. Paytor was just doing his job, but Quinton hated being ordered around by anyone. “What did you do with my bodyguards?”

“They’re unharmed, but we need to move, sire. The situation really is urgent.”

With overt reluctance, Quinton followed Xorran and his comrades out of the sitting room and down a corridor leading toward the gardens. “How did you get past security?”

“AG Paytor notified your head of security and he made all the arrangements.” Xorran walked along at Quinton’s side, a rude breech of protocol. Two of his men walked ahead of them. The others four followed close behind.

“Well, I’ll be having words with Edron as soon as I return.”

The palace shields prevented bio-streaming, so Quinton wasn’t surprised when Xorran led him outside. The soldiers immediately formed a circle around him, pulse riffles aimed at some unseen threat. Quinton wasn’t sure if they were just being overly cautions or if the threat really was imminent, but their actions only accelerated his anxiety.

Luckily, they only stood in the garden for a moment before a bio-stream engine engaged. The shadowy setting faded to black and reality dissolved beneath his feet. Quinton closed his eyes and clenched his fists, determined not to cry out despite the unsettling sensations.

They materialized on a large shuttle and Xorran motioned him toward a passenger seat. Quinton sat and buckled his safety restraints as the soldiers all did the same. A pilot and navigator were already on the ship. Without a word from anyone, the pilot set the ship in motion.

They were airborne for less than an hour when the
Triumphant
came into view. Was this Paytor’s “secret location”? Quinton was not impressed.

Xorran escorted Quinton off the shuttle a few minutes later. The rest of the soldiers turned down a different corridor. “Do you know the nature of the threat?”

“AG Paytor will explain.”

Quinton glanced up at Xorran, but the soldier’s gaze was fixed straight ahead.

They went down one corridor after another, then took an elevator to a different deck. The ship seemed to go on forever. Besides, Paytor should have been in the hangar bay to greet his sovereign. Everything about this situation had been poorly handled.

Xorran finally stopped in front of a doorway and waited for the security system to scan him. How had he known which door? They all looked the same.

“Access approved,” the computer said. “Enter when ready.”

Xorran triggered the door, but motioned Quinton past him rather than entering himself.

Quinton walked into the room and looked around with a hint of distain. It was an office, like any other. How dare Paytor choose such a common location for a meeting with a crown stirate?

“Have a seat.” Paytor motioned toward the chairs facing his desk. He hadn’t even bothered to stand up. What was wrong with these people?

“You better have a damn good reason for all of this.” Quinton moved to the chairs and sat in the nearest, though his pride urged him to refuse. “I’m not amused by my treatment thus far.”

Paytor deactivated the holo-display and finally pivoted toward Quinton. “I’m not trying to amuse you, sire. I’m trying to keep you alive.”

“Then explain yourself. Why am I here?”

“I’ve located the
Undaunted
. She’s on the backside of Earth’s moon.”

Quinton crossed his legs and tried not to let his exasperation show. “And how does that translate into an immediate threat against me?”

“It’s a dare. The only ship with enough firepower to bring the
Undaunted
back in line is the
Triumphant
. Garin is daring me to come get him.”

“So go get him. I still don’t see what any of this has to do with me.”

“Luckily for you, I know Garin better than most. The challenge is a distraction, a decoy. He wants me to fly off to Earth so he can sneak back to Rodymia and dethrone its current ruler.”

Understanding spread through Quinton, creating the strangest combination of icy chills and heat. “I see.”

“You’ll be my guest until Garin Nox is in my brig. We’ll make you as comfortable as possible, given the circumstances, but this is a warship not a royal residence.”