Warrior Rogue (The Drift Lords Series) (29 page)

“You could be one of your own models. Your legs are perfect.” His low, deep voice thrummed along her nerve endings like a room full of sewing machines working in tandem. The sound brought her joy and comfort.

She cast him a skeptical glance. “I'm not tall enough and I’d have to lose weight. Models are stick thin.”

“You’re lovely just the way you are.” He massaged her calves and ran his knuckles up and down her lower legs.

Her thighs sagged open. She couldn't help herself. Streaks of heat imploded toward her core.

Did he really mean what he said, or was that one of his lines? No one had ever admired her looks until college, when she’d transformed herself into her mother’s ideal of the perfect woman. Either her chin was too angular, or her forehead too high, or her posture wasn’t straight enough. She’d grown up with criticism on her appearance all through her youth. Even the men she’d dated had found something wrong, but they could overlook her defects because her family was rich. She'd never felt truly appreciated until Paz came along.

His fingers reached her thighs, and her perception narrowed.

“Oh, yes. Go there.” He circled her inner flesh but still didn’t stroke her where she wanted it the most. If he didn’t do it soon, she would combust.

She wriggled her hand at him, letting him know she wanted to return the favor. He brushed her arm away.

“Later. We have all night. I want to do this first.” With those words, he pushed her dress up to her stomach.

As she lay there, he drew her panties down and tossed them to the floor. Genuine admiration shone in his eyes as he regarded her half-naked form lying exposed before him.

“Stars, you are so beautiful. I can't wait any longer.”

He lifted her hips with his hands and lowered his head between her legs. The first stroke of his tongue was like a lick of fire. It shot sparks through to the cauldron bubbling inside her.

Reason fled, and her concentration centered on one spot only. He flicked his tongue in a side to side movement right where it made the most impact.

She cried out, arching her back.

He kissed her swollen, sensitive folds then suckled her until she thought she’d die of pleasure. When he dipped his tongue down to taste her wet readiness, she gasped in passionate abandon. He probed and teased while she yearned for release. One more stroke in the right spot was all it took.

She jerked, her climax swift and violent. Spasm collided upon spasm until she lay sweaty and satiated flat on her back, legs spread open for his proud male perusal.

“Oh God, Paz. That was amazing.” She waited for her breathing to regulate.

“I know.” He stretched beside her, his long length pressing against her. His arousal bulged from his jeans. “Your scent drives me wild. I want to taste you all over. That wasn’t enough.” He nuzzled her hair, spread out on the pillow.

A shiver of delight ran through her as she imagined his hands on her breasts. She rolled sideways in his direction. “I want to feel you next to me, without these clothes between us.”

His mouth twisted in a wicked grin. “Do you always give your men such orders?”

“Only you,” she said truthfully.

“Then I must obey.” He rolled off the bed and stripped away his clothing while Jen divested herself of her sarong.

After he resumed his position at her side, Jen splayed her hand on his chest, enjoying the silky feel of his hair. She didn’t want to rush things.

He’d tormented her into submission. Now she would do the same to him.

Chapter Twenty

Paz sucked in a breath when Jen touched him. The mere contact of her hand on his chest electrified his skin. If he’d been aroused before, an explosion became imminent at the least provocation. He tamped his desire to prolong their pleasure.

Cupping his hand behind her head, he brought her face closer and brushed her lips with his. Her tongue flicked out in response, a teasing probe that only inflamed him more. She pressed herself against him, squashing her soft breasts against his chest and entwining her legs around him.

Hounds of Hel, he could lose himself in this woman. Mist swirled in his vision, blocking out their surroundings until he was conscious of nothing but their naked bodies twisted together. Jen’s labored breaths matched his own in a rapid, staccato tempo. She writhed against him, her mouth glued to his.

“Ah,
leera
, you drive me wild,” he whispered when they came up for air. How could he let her go after he’d finished his mission? No other woman captivated him like she did.

Jen reached down and grasped his privates in response. He sucked in a sharp breath, replying in kind by caressing her breasts. Pleased to hear her gasp of pleasure, he brushed his thumbs across her nipples as his impatience burgeoned. She moaned and thrust herself further into his hands. He savored the feel of her lush softness.

Paz nearly lost it when her fingers scraped up and down his sensitive flesh and brushed across his slit. She must feel the moisture oozing from him, stimulated by her touch. His body tensed. He couldn't hold off much longer.

She swung atop him, her black hair spilling forward, her brown eyes blazing. In a heartbeat, she impaled herself upon him. Such exquisite torment! Her tightness enclosed him.

Jen thrust herself forward and back again, setting a rhythm, her eyes wide open, and her mouth parted. He stared up at her, passion clogging his throat. A maelstrom of ecstasy swept him in its path, hurtling him into a cyclone that burst through the clouds. He spurted into her with a triumphant cry as bliss overwhelmed him. Her release came subsequent to his, accentuating his finale. A haze wrapped around his mind, languid with satisfaction.

She collapsed beside him. He lay on his side, awed by how she made him feel.

A flare of alarm blossomed in his head as he thought of Nira, who possessed some Trollek DNA. The mythologist presumed this resulted from a Trollek and a human mating in the past. It was this inherent trait that fueled Jen’s vector device. Could it also be why he felt so drawn to her?

Hybrid offspring of Trolleks and humans weren’t unknown, but they’d never shown powers like the six women in the prophecy. As incredible as it sounded, Odin—king of the Norse gods—must have lain with a human female. Their progeny had then bedded a Trollek down the road. The prophesied women could be their descendants.

Regardless of her origins, Jen was bound to Paz. They had a destiny together. But was that all? Were they hardwired for each other merely to serve a greater purpose, or was there more substance between them? And if so, did danger serve as the cement to their relationship? Would Jen turn away from him once life returned to normal?

He couldn’t answer that question until his team vanquished the Trolleks. And until then, survival came first. Otherwise, none of them would have to worry about a future because there wouldn’t be one.

****

The ship’s motion woke Paz hours later. Jen lay curled asleep at his side, stark naked, her hair splayed across her face. He brushed the strands away and drew a sheet over her before rolling off the bunk.

The deck tilted. He staggered as the ship rocked underfoot. It was moving a lot more than last night.

He squinted at the clock on the desk. Its luminous dial read 0700 hours. Eager to check their status, he made quick work of washing his body and throwing on his clothes. He opened the curtains and dim light streamed inside.

“What’s happening?” Sleepy-eyed, Jen leaned up on one elbow.

“It feels stormy. I’m going topside to check the weather.” Creaking noises and a steady, dull thud punctuated his statement. “Hear that? Something must have come loose in the wind.”

She groaned. “I need some coffee.”

“Me, too.” He cast her a wry grin. “I have become too accustomed to your Earth cuisine.”

Paz liked everything he’d tasted here, especially their seafood. His villa being on a desert planet, he didn’t partake of delicacies from the ocean often except when on assignment, and only then when he visited a seaside port. He’d miss the abundance of fish when he returned home.

Jen sat, stretched, and slid to her feet. Her face flushed when she noticed him gazing at her nude body. “Stow it, tiger. It’s too early in the morning.”

“It’s never too early where you’re concerned. However, I’d better see what’s making that banging noise.”

“I’ll meet you on deck.” Jen gathered her clothes in her arms as he turned away.

Outside, dawn cast a dismal gray across the ocean. Angry clouds gathered overhead, scudding across the sky on a chariot of wind. He could almost imagine Thor riding his great steed through the heavens and throwing his infamous hammer.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, while the sea tossed waves against each other in protest. The ship rolled side-to-side and plunged in and out of troughs, the deck dipping and tilting. Sprays of water crashed over the rail while a cool breeze tossed his hair into his eyes.

The banging sounds drew him to a hatch that had come undone. He’d just fastened it shut when his ears detected a mechanical sound over the wind. His brow furrowed when he spied a motor launch speeding in their direction.

Who would be approaching in such stormy weather? Squinting, he studied the horizon but didn’t make out any land masses. That left one alternative: this craft had to originate from a larger ship. He strode toward the stern, noting a trawler barely discernible far out on the waves.

Jen’s scent reached him before she did. He turned his head, giving her a quick onceover. She’d dressed practically in jeans like him with a belted top and running shoes on her feet. She wore her hair in a twist and had applied a touch of gloss to her lips and shadow to her eyes. Even with the casual clothing, she exuded grace. Her swanlike neck lifted as she regarded him.

“What’s that boat doing here? Who are those men?” She gripped his arm, undoubtedly noticing as he did the swarthy men congregated on the launch’s deck. They didn't look friendly.

The sails flapped overhead. Should he and Jen store them for inclement weather? Not being a sailor, Paz had no idea. He’d figured the ship would steer itself under all climactic conditions, but maybe the magic had failed since they were visible to their pursuers.

Jen’s grip tightened. “Can we outrun them?”

A wave thrust her against him and sprayed saltwater over the deck. “I don’t know. We could try to increase throttle speed.”

“Go ahead.”

“Um, I’m not familiar with archaic sailing vessels.”

“I thought you said you’d worked in a fleet?”

He thrust his jaw forward. “My family has investments in a merchant fleet, and I have indeed been on ships of every design… Spaceships, that is.”

“Oh.” A look of determination entered her eyes. “Well, I wouldn’t count on magic to defend us against pirates. I’ll handle the bridge.”

“Do you know what a throttle looks like? Because I can—”

She dismissed him with a wave. “I’ve been boating before. My daddy has a yacht, and he made Mom and me take safety classes. If there's a way to make this heap of wood go faster, I’ll find it.”

Jen turned away but a voice from a bullhorn froze her in her tracks.

“Yo, there. Heave to, and you won’t be harmed.”

She spun, grabbing Paz’s arm to steady herself when the deck tilted again. One of the
riffs
fired a warning shot across the bow. As their launch drew closer, Paz observed the automatic weapons in their hands and the murder in their eyes.

He gnawed on his lower lip, worried for Jen’s safety. They might keep her as a prize or traffic her as a sex slave. He’d heard such things existed on this planet.

No way would he let that happen.

The sea boiled and frothed, making it difficult for the pirates to narrow the distance between them. They tossed over a grappling hook while he debated how to meet this new challenge.

“Jen, go below. Increasing speed won’t help us now. Lock yourself in one of the cabins. I’ll hold them off.”

She gave him a doubtful glance, loose strands of hair whipping about her face. “What, you against all six of them and maybe more? I know you’re a fighter, Paz, but even you can be outnumbered.”

“Please, Jen. It’ll only distract me if you’re on deck.”

She shook her head. “There has to be another way.” A thoughtful look entered her eyes as the pirate vessel scraped against their hull. Ropes were tossed over the railing. In a few minutes, they’d be boarded.

Jen strode to the open deck where the sails flapped madly in the wind. She stiffened and gazed upward, ignoring the wind and spray lashing at her. Her chin lifted, but she didn’t break focus. She moved her lips as a cloud glided overhead and a curtain of rain fell from the sky.

Aware the intruders would shimmy up those ropes at any moment, Paz approached her. He couldn’t hear what she was saying over the roar of the rain. A sheet of gray shrouded his view.

His head turned as a loud cracking noise tore through the air. Something hurtled past, followed by howls of surprise.

He couldn’t tell what happened until the cloud moved on, and the rain lessened. One of the sails had ripped loose, propelled by the wind. It had collapsed onto the motor launch with the men aboard. The weight of it covered the small vessel like a blanket, so tightly as to smother any life within.

He stared in horror. Before he could surge forward, a large crest lifted the craft, severing the rope holding the grappling hook in place. The launch washed away and disappeared among the waves.

He turned toward Jen, whose face bore a satisfied smile.

Had she been responsible for that accident? A sick feeling told him she’d known exactly what she was doing. Did this mean she’d gained control of her power? It chilled his blood to think what she might do without understanding her abilities.

“It worked.”

He bristled at her triumphant tone. “What worked? What did you do?”

He swiped at his dripping wet face. A light rain continued, soaking his clothes and pelting his skin. They should go inside until the storm passed.

“I-I’m not exactly sure, but I wanted that sail to chase them away.” Confusion entered her eyes.