War Bride (Battle Born Book 7) (9 page)

He lifted one broad shoulder in a halfhearted shrug. “I always sleep naked, and so will you.”

“I’ll sleep on the sofa.” She tugged the sheet free of the mattress, intending to take it with her, but he caught her wrist.

“The bedding stays here and you’re forbidden clothes until morning. So you can stay warm and comfortable in this bed or freeze over on the sofa. The choice is yours.”

“That’s not much of a choice.” She tugged against his hold, knowing she couldn’t free herself unless he allowed it.

“It’s the only one you’ll get, so decide.” He released her hand and reached for the waistband of his pants.

She rolled to her other side, refusing to be influenced by his spectacular body. “Are you always such a bully?” He was a bully at times, yet this scenario was entirely her own fault. He’d been ready to leave when her smart mouth changed his destination. She heard the rustle of clothing, then felt a subtle dip as he climbed onto the bed.

Panicked by her recent failure to resist him, she scrambled off the end of the bed and tried to escape. She’d only run three steps when his hands came down on her shoulder. She gasped and held perfectly still, not giving him a reason to touch her more intimately.

“Not staying?” His tone was hushed, yet filled with challenge.

“You said it was my choice.”

His arm suddenly banded her torso just below her breasts. “Can you control minds or just dreams?”

She froze, barely able to breathe. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Really.” His other hand cupped her mound then slipped between her thighs, lightly teasing her folds. “Then why are you soaking wet?”

She grabbed his wrist and tried to pull his hand away from the evidence of her arousal. “I was watching a sexy entertainment file.”

“Don’t make me check the surveillance feed.” His tone took on a warning sort of grumble. “I’ll have to punish you for lying to me.”

“This room is under surveillance?”

“This entire ship is under continual surveillance. It’s standard operating procedure for every ship in the Rodyte military.” He moved his hand to her belly, a nonverbal warning that the interrogation was far from over. “Now explain the extent of your powers.”

She still hesitated. The security feed would prove she hadn’t been watching a sexy entertainment file, but it wouldn’t prove she’d entered his dream. “Fine,” she huffed. “I was dreaming about you. That can’t be surprising. You’ve been arousing me since I woke up on this ship.”

His arms tightened slightly and she heard his ragged sigh. “You expect me to believe it was coincidental?”

If she denied her ability, she’d have to pretend she didn’t know the true reason he’d kidnapped her. He’d agreed to free her if she helped him rescue his son. It was a huge risk either way, but she’d rather gamble for a chance at freedom. “I certainly didn’t intend for it to end the way it did.”

He cupped her breast and pulled her more tightly against his body. “How did you intend for it to end?”

“I was going to ask you about Arton and then slip out of your dream. You’d only told me enough to confuse me.”

“Well, someone told you a whole lot more than you were meant to know.” He released her suddenly, then pushed her toward the bed.

She dove between the sheets and kept her back turned until he joined her beneath the covers. She couldn’t allow Tonn to take the blame for the situation. It was better to let Kryton believe she’d broken her word. “Dream melds are strange. I didn’t intentionally seek out the information. I just hinted at things I wanted you to explain.”

“Doesn’t that amount to the same thing?” He slipped one arm beneath her neck and wrapped the other around her waist, pulling her back into the warmth of his body. “You still accessed information you had no right to know.”

The argument was counterproductive and she was determined to move forward. His secret motivation had given her a glimmer of hope and she had no intention of squandering the opportunity. “How did you intend to ask for my help if I’m not allowed to know about Arton?”

His chest heaved and his warm breath stirred her hair. “I would have allowed Tonn to tell you once you became more cooperative, or I might have told you myself.”

“That’s quite a paradox because the only reason I’ve found to be at all cooperative is your son’s rescue.”

He pulled her even closer. “It didn’t seem that way while you melded with my dream.”

His hold was restrictive rather than sexual, yet she felt his body harden against her back. “Dreams aren’t real. And dreams don’t result in children.”

“Did you mean what you said?”

She squirmed restlessly, trying to find a position that decreased the pressure of his erection against her back. “Which part? You’ll have to be more specific.”

His arm tightened and his fingers splayed against her ribs. “Stop wiggling. This is important.”

She stilled, but already her body ached for more of what they’d experienced in the dream meld. “Why’d you insist on being naked if you wanted to talk?”

He simply ignored her question and continued the topic he’d introduced. “Is the thought of losing your child what keeps you from responding to me?”

“It’s more complicated than that, but yes. I would be devastated if you took my son from me.” She felt tension ripple through his body. This was another fact she’d only revealed in his dream.

“How accurate are your visions?” A hint of skepticism crept into his tone.

“My brother started documenting them six years ago. He was not able to confirm the accuracy of each because some were too confusing, but only two have been disproved.”

“Two misfires in six years?” He no longer sounded doubtful, more like filled with dread. “How many times have you seen our son?”

He wanted a daughter, needed a daughter if he hoped to reintroduce magic into his bloodline. Was that still his goal? Would he give up if she stressed the futility of his current plan? “I’ve seen him three times. If we continue along this life path, I will bear you a son.”

“Doesn’t your vision make that inevitable?” His hand ascended along her ribs, then cupped the underside of her breast.

“My visions reveal likely futures, but when changes are made the outcome can be altered.” He shifted his hand, stroking her nipple with his thumb. She grabbed his wrist and guided his hand away from her breast. “If I agree to use my abilities to help rescue Arton, will you free me?”

He rolled to his back but left his arm under her neck. “If your abilities lead to Arton’s rescue, I’ll return you to your brother.”

She was no longer sure she wanted to return to her brother. As Kryton pointed out, her brother’s plans for her weren’t much different than Kryton’s. She was still to be forced into a loveless joining to advance someone else’s agenda. She rolled until she faced him, inadvertently pressing her body against his side. “Three attempts. You agreed to that stipulation in the dream.”

“I’ve reconsidered.” He stared at the ceiling, his profile chiseled and stern. “I will only release you if we succeed. You’ll try that much harder if your freedom depends on success.”

“But that’s not what—”

He whipped his head around and silenced her with a glare. “That’s my final offer. Agree or we go on as before.”

She searched his eyes, trying to understand his sudden coldness. Was he frustrated that all of his careful planning would lead to a son, not a daughter? Or was he tormented by thoughts of his firstborn son? Whatever the cause, his ardor had apparently cooled. She should be grateful. Instead, she felt sad and alone. “If I agree, will you stop trying to seduce me?”

A dangerous smile slowly parted his lips. “You’re my mate. As your visions and my dream proved, our joining is inevitable.”

Her jaw dropped. How dare he throw that back in her face? “We are
potential
mates and my visions revealed one
possible
future. Nothing is inevitable.”

“If you say so.” He chuckled and closed his eyes. “Your only hope of evading me is to keep me focused on something else. Go to sleep and dream about Arton. I’m anxious to begin.”

The next six days passed in a flurry of activity. Skyla saw more of Tonn than she did of Kryton and she was beginning to feel neglected. According to Tonn, the ship had been beset by one crisis after another. But Skyla suspected an element of strategy also kept Kryton from visiting her. The last time they’d been together had been intensely erotic and keeping her focused on their dream joining worked to his advantage.

Her future had become a sort of race. She needed to facilitate Arton’s rescue before Kryton finished seducing her. And surrendering to him became more of a temptation with each passing day. Her life on Bilarri had been a pleasant yet empty routine. Even her job held little reward. She told pampered rich people how much their toys were worth so they could insure them or sell them at auction. It all seemed pointless and shallow.

She’d spent the past six years searching for her mate. She’d traveled extensively and submitted her DNA to every database she could find. Last year she’d grown desperate enough to contact an interplanetary mate-finder, but even that semi-humiliating step had proved futile.

And then a potential mate found her.

With a frustrated sigh, she tried to force away thoughts of Kryton. It didn’t matter that he was devastating to her senses or that he could provide her with the one thing she’d dreamed about all her life, children. He was Rodyte. That alone made joining with him impossible. But what if she turned the tables on him? She could do her best to become pregnant before she earned her freedom. A shiver dropped down her spine as the thought percolated inside her mind. She couldn’t let him realize he’d succeeded or he’d never allow her to leave. But Bilarrian females often sensed pregnancy long before outward signs indicated that they’d conceived.

“What caused that expression?” Tonn asked her. “You look like you’re plotting a crime.”

She smiled at him. “In a way I am.” Tonn had brought her dinner tray a few minutes ago and she’d convinced him to share the meal with her. They sat across from each other in the small dining room in her upgraded cabin, but Skyla was too distracted to have much of an appetite. This was one subject she dare not share with him, so she switched to a believable alternative. “How old was Arton when he was taken by Harbinger Guild?”

He paused to clear his mouth before answering her. “Around five. I’m not sure exactly. Is that important?”

“It could be.” Skyla took a drink of blood wine as she considered her next question. Hoping to trigger a vision, she’d spent countless hours meditating and reviewed everything she knew about Arton each night before she went to sleep. Still, any useful information eluded her. Many of her visions were spontaneous, but more were triggered by specific stimuli. If she had objects Arton had touched or access to the memories of people who knew him, her visions might be more productive. “Has Kryton seen his son since that day? Maybe in a surveillance vid or…has there been any contact between the two?”

“Surveillance is forbidden inside Harbinger Academy, but Kryton’s investigators have captured stills and a few short vids of Arton down through the years.”

“When was the last time you saw him?”

“A few weeks before he was taken.” Tonn set down his fork and pressed back into his chair. “Why all the questions?”

She’d confided in Tonn, told him about the bargain she’d made with Kryton, and just about everything else. He was easy to talk to and Skyla was lonely. Even if he was Kryton’s spy, she had nothing else to lose. “My visons are often triggered by objects or memories. I think the reason I’ve been unsuccessful is because I have no connection to Arton.”

“The person with the strongest connection to Arton is Kryton,” he pointed out with a knowing smile.

She drained her glass then pushed back from the table so she could cross her legs. “He’s avoiding me.”

“He’s been extremely busy, but I suspect he’ll make time for you. You should have told me you were missing him.”

“I didn’t say I was missing him,” she stressed. “Don’t put words in my mouth.”

Tonn chuckled, clearly unmoved by her vehemence. “I’ll com him for you.”

He gazed off into the distance as if he were communicating telepathically. There were no visible devices on his person, so how was he sending the com?

“He needs twenty minutes to finish what he’s doing and then he’ll come here.” Tonn’s gaze returned to her face as he offered the explanation.

“Are you telepathic? How did you contact him?”

One of Tonn’s brows arched and amusement made his dark eyes shimmer. “You’ve never encountered anyone with integrated tech before?”

“I’d never left Bilarri before and Bilarrians have no use for most forms of technology.” She hadn’t meant the response to sound so bitchy, but his amusement made her feel ignorant. “What did you mean by integrated? Integrated with what?”

“With me. The tech is inside my body.”

His tone still held a hint of disbelief, but she tried not to take offense. Her perspective was just as alien to him as his was to her. “You have some sort of communications device implanted in your body?”

He nodded. “Com-bots are mandatory for all military personnel. It allows us to contact each other or interact with our ship even when we aren’t aboard.”

“Are others allowed to listen in on your conversations?”

He stilled and resentment hardened his expression. “It’s not like we have a choice. As I said, the implants are mandatory.”

It was obvious she was venturing near painful elements of his life, but understanding Tonn could help her understand Kryton. “Why did you join the military or is military service mandatory as well?” She’d researched Rodymia after her first couple of dreams featuring Kryton. But her interaction with Kryton and Tonn had shown her that most of the information had been tainted by prejudice and much was utter nonsense.

“Two types of people join the Rodyte military,” Tonn told her. “The first are sons of the elite. Their commissions are purchased by their families. Higher prices guarantee higher starting ranks. They’re educated and trained for command. And most spend their entire lives climbing the ranks of leadership.”

“Kryton falls into this category?”

Tonn nodded. “He belongs to one of the six founding families. The Lux empire is old and substantial. He had two older brothers when he first reported for training. Both have since passed beyond.”

“Yet he remains in the military. Why?”

“It’s the only life he’s ever known. It made more sense to hire estate managers than to abandon the career he’s spent a lifetime building.”

More death and loss. No wonder Kryton was morose so much of the time. Every person he’d ever loved had been taken from him. She tried not to think about Kryton, but his image lingered in her mind. He’d suffered so much and yet became so successful. According to Tonn, Kryton was one of the youngest generals to ever earn the rank and he now had eleven ships under his command.

If it weren’t for his willingness to use her, she might respect, even admire him.

She shook away the troubling thoughts and refocused on Tonn. “What about you? Why did you choose the military?”

He scoffed. “People like me don’t ‘choose’ the military. We begrudgingly turn to the military for basic survival when we have no other choice.”

He didn’t offer specifics, but she understood the concept. The military offered housing and food, not to mention a sense of belonging and a purpose. Such things were appealing for those without resources or a support system. “How long is the initial commitment?”

“Ten years.”

Her eyes widened and compassion flowed through her being. “That seems excessive. Is there any way to leave if the soldier wants out?”

Tonn shook his head. “That’s called desertion and deserters are shot on sight.”

“Wow.” It was hard for her to imagine such inflexibility. Everyone on Bilarri was encouraged to explore, to flow from one occupation to the next until they found the perfect fit.

“So what is life like on Bilarri?”

Before she could answer, Kryton walked into the room. Her heart fluttered and tingly heat crawled across her skin. It hadn’t been twenty minutes. It had barely been ten. Was he anxious to see her? She hadn’t realized how much she missed him until her body reacted to his arrival. He appeared virile and commanding without saying a word. And having all that intensity focused on her was exhilarating.

Tonn motioned toward the platters in the middle of the table. “There’s plenty of bokton left. Have you dined?”

“Later.” Kryton waved away the suggestion as his gaze settled on Skyla. “What did you need?”

She needed him to stop ignoring her. She was lonely, bored, and anxious to earn her freedom. Except freedom meant she’d never see him again. A strange heaviness dropped into her stomach and she found herself saying, “Are you sure you don’t want something to eat? I’m not the only one who forgets about food.”

Kryton’s brows arched but his gaze softened as he moved to one of the empty chairs and sat. Tonn went to the kiosk and printed a clean plate and flatware for Kryton, but Kryton’s attention never shifted from her. “So answer Tonn’s question. I’m interested in the answer as well.” His deep voice played across her senses, creating more tingles and breathlessness. Apparently, he didn’t need to touch her to arouse her. All he had to do was enter a room.

She shook away the sensual haze. “What was life like on Bilarri?” He nodded and Skyla debated what to tell them. Compared to the harsh structure of the Rodyte military, her life would seem frivolous. “After my formal education, I was trained by a guild master. The two combined took twenty-five years.”

Tonn returned to the table and handed Kryton the napkin-wrapped flatware and a plate. “How long have you been out of training?”

She smiled at the younger man. “If I told you that, you could calculate my age.”

“All right.” Tonn returned her smile. “Then do you have an occupation? And if not, how do you spend your time?”

“I’m a consultant for various museums, auction houses, and insurance companies. I verify the authenticity and establish the value of art and antiques. My specialty is anything from the Pylean era, which has become quite popular in recent years.”

Tonn just stared at her with a blank expression, but Kryton chuckled. “There’s not much call for those skills on Rodymia.” Kryton filled his plate as he went on, “Your other skills, however, might garner some interest.”

“What other skills?” Tonn snapped out of his stupor and looked at Skyla with open curiosity. “You can do more than dream about the future?”

Awe infused his voice, sending guilt rippling through Skyla. The hunger for magic had driven these men to war, and yet she took her abilities for granted. She’d spent years working with a guild master until she controlled her gifts effortlessly. So why didn’t she use them? She could accomplish so much, help so many, if she would simply step out of her comfort zone. It was sad that it had taken a Rodyte warrior to motivate her to use her abilities.

“She’s Bilarrian,” Kryton reminded. “Need I say more?” The subtle warning backed off Tonn, as it was obviously meant to do. Kryton turned to Skyla and asked, “Did you have a reason for summoning me or were you just lonely?”

Amusement softened the challenge, so Skyla answered honestly. “I need your help. I’ve been unable to summon a vision about Arton without some sort of catalyst. I’m hoping your connection to him will guide my gift in the right direction.”

He paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. “What do you need me to do?” Rather than eat the bite, he set down the fork and gave her his undivided attention.

“If you’re willing, I’d like to start with a memory meld.”

Kryton scowled, clearly uncomfortable with the suggestion. “I don’t like anyone messing with my mind.”

“That’s understandable.” She glanced at Tonn. He was listening intently to every word they said. This conversation would be easier if she were alone with Kryton. “Our other interactions were harmless, more or less. I give you my word that this will be too.”

Kryton stared at her silently for a moment, eyes slightly narrowed. “Are there other alternatives?”

“Is there anyone else with a deep emotional connection to Arton?”

His chest expanded and he looked away. “You know there isn’t.”

“Unless you need me,” Tonn interjected, clearly sensing the rising tension in the room. “I’ll get back to work.”

Skyla didn’t speak again until Tonn was gone. If Kryton wouldn’t agree to do this, she was stuck. It might be for different reasons, but they both wanted to free Arton. “I’ve tried everything I know to trigger a vision and nothing has worked. I’m not sure I can help you unless you help me first.”

He reached across the table and took her hand in a remarkably gentle hold. His thumb skimmed back and forth across her knuckles as if he were trying to memorize the texture of her skin. His sexual aggression was easier to resist than these tender moments. She expected a Rodyte warrior to act like a brute, not a gentle lover.

“Who will control which memories you access?” His gaze locked with hers as he waited for her answer.

Trying to lighten his mood, she asked, “Why? Do you have something to hide?”