Zealot (29 page)

Through a haze of pleasure, she realized he was frantically searching for the strip of condoms. She spotted the strip, tore one off and tossed it to him. Following her example, he tore the packet open with his teeth then rolled the thin barrier down the length of his cock.

“I can’t wait until we no longer need these.”

She nodded in agreement, still fighting to catch her breath.

He stood, flipped her over then pulled her hips up. It was easy to figure out what he wanted, so she folded her legs beneath her and braced her forearms against the bed. He rubbed against her, parting her folds and lubricating his tip with her cream.

“So wet,” he muttered. “I think you like having my mouth on you.”

“I think you’re right.” She smiled. Her recent orgasm had backed off her hunger enough so she could enjoy his leisurely pace.

He pushed just barely inside. Her channel stretched, surrounding him with heat and moisture. Desire blasted her mind, mocking her contented lassitude. She might be replete, but he was still starving. His hands swept down her sides, pausing long enough to squeeze her breasts before returning to her hips. He advanced slowly, filling her by degrees.

She held her breath and remained perfectly still until his entire length was lodged inside her. Then her breath whooshed out in a shuddering sigh. “That feels so damn good.”

“I need to move so bad my head’s about to explode, but I don’t want to.”

Tossing her hair off her face, she looked back at him. “Why?”

“As soon as I start moving, it’s going to be over. I don’t think I’ve ever been this hard before.”

She tightened her inner muscles, further challenging his control. “If it’s over too soon, we’ll just do it again. And again.”

He pressed his chest against her back and growled into her ear. “Is this one of the positions you had in mind?”

“One of many.” She squeezed him again. “Let’s try them all.”

With another surprisingly sexy growl, he caught the bend of her elbows and pulled her torso up until all that touched the bed was her knees. Then he drew back slowly and paused. “Say my name.”

“Zilor.”

He thrust forward, filling her completely with one sharp drive. The impact rocked her forward, but with his firm grip on her elbows, all she could do was accept his fullness and trust him to hold her up. He quickly found an angle that slid his tip across her G-spot. She gasped and arched with each stroke, suspended on the brink of climax. He stubbornly maintained his steady pace until she tossed her head, hair flying as she fought to maximize each sensation.

“Who am I?”

The rough demand in his voice made it clear he didn’t want her to repeat his name. “My mate.” She gasped then spoke with more conviction. “You’re my mate.”

He slipped one arm through her elbows, maintaining his hold, and reached around her with his other hand. He covered her mound and his long middle finger sank between her slick folds. With one circular caress, he shattered her control.

She cried out and arched her back as her core rippled around him. He kept the spasms going with his finger as he drove fast and hard into her trembling body. With a strangled cry, he thrust his entire length into her and shuddered violently.

His pleasure rolled across their link, sending a fresh surge of sensations washing over her. He let go of her elbows and pressed her back against his chest. Then he grasped her chin and guided her head back and to the side. His lips found hers but the angle was awkward, so she rotated her torso until their mouths fit more naturally.

Tingling aftershocks ricocheted through their bodies as they slowly drifted back down. Their kiss followed the same trajectory, starting out fast and deep then growing slow and lazy.

“There are disadvantages to this position,” he grumbled when he finally released her mouth. His hands moved over her curves in soothing patterns.

“Such as?” She felt so content, so complete, she couldn’t think of a single thing she would change.

“I can’t relax unless we separate.”

“I can.” She lowered her forearms to the bed and demonstrated.

“I chose the position,” he admitted. “I guess it’s too late for complaints.” He reluctantly separated their bodies and disposed of the condom before returning to the bed. He stacked a couple of pillows against the headboard then motioned her closer.

She crawled up toward the head of the bed then arranged herself against his side. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she rested her head on his chest. “What is Quinton’s reaction to Akim’s information likely to be? Can he have Garin arrested or does Garin control law enforcement as well as the military?”

“There are many enforcers loyal to Garin, but his influence is more widespread within the military. As for Quinton’s reaction, it’s likely he’ll issue a royal summons. It’s treason to ignore a royal summons, so it would make us all fugitives if we don’t haul our butts back to Rodymia.”

Fear trapped her breath in her lungs and she sat up so she could see his face. “You can’t go back there. Chandar said if you appear before Quinton you’ll never be free again.”

“I know and so does Garin. We’re not going into this blind. I’m not sure how we’ll avoid a face-to-face confrontation, but Garin is nobody’s fool. If the summons comes, and we all know it will, we’ll be ready.”

“I don’t like it.” She curled up at his side again, but her heart was still pounding. “I want you here where I can protect you.”

He chuckled and ran his hand down the back of her hair. “You insisted that I need to trust you if I want a future by your side. Well, the concept works both ways. You need to trust me too.”

“I do trust you. I just don’t trust Quinton. Anyone who could give Chandar to someone like Akim must be corrupt to the marrow of his bones.”

“Akim is just plain evil. With Quinton, it’s more complicated. He’s a dangerous combination of weakness and ruthlessness. It makes him extremely unpredictable.”

“But Garin will take that into consideration when he solidifies a plan?”

He pulled her on top of him and slid her up his body until they were face-to-face. “My duties will take me from you from time to time, but I will always come back. No force in the universe can keep me from you. I will always return.”

She accepted his assurance with a tentative smile as he pulled her toward him for a long, tender kiss. But even as his affection spread soothing heat throughout her body, a hint of uncertainty remained. She trusted his sincerity and the strength of his resolve, but there was still so much in life beyond his control. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss with equal fervor. Then her soul whispered a prayer to any deity willing to listen that they allow him to keep his word.

The royal summons arrived late afternoon two days later, fulfilling Indigo’s deepest fear. No matter what Zilor said or did to reassure her, he still sensed uncertainty in her mind. He asked Raina to spend some time with Indigo while he and Garin solidified their strategy. He wasn’t sure if hearing every detail of their plan would ease her fears or compound her doubts, so he left her in Raina’s capable hands.

Raylon invited himself to the holographic planning session even though he wasn’t directly involved in the situation. It was probably wise to have an objective perspective, if Raylon could be considered objective.

“We’re already fugitives,” Zilor argued after nearly an hour of debate. “We gain nothing by responding to this summons. I say we tell Quinton where to shove it and move forward with our original timeline.”

“A globally transmitted showdown with Quinton is exactly the call-to-arms our cause needs,” Garin insisted. “It will send a loud and clear message to everyone that neutrality is no longer an option.”

“Security records every audience, but Quinton controls palace security,” Raylon pointed out. “The only way to ensure that the recording reaches the public is to record the event ourselves.”

“I agree.” Garin’s image wavered for a moment as he lapsed into silence. “I’ll see if my head of security has some sort of camera that won’t be detected by their scanners.”

Raylon nodded, so Zilor knew he’d lost the argument. They’d moved from strategy to specific tactics. Whether he liked it or not, he was going back to Rodymia. “How do we make it out of the throne room without reenacting Chandar’s vision?”

“I have a couple of ideas and they all require the technology aboard the
Phantom One
.”

“
Phantom One
?” Raylon asked. “Are the other CSS shuttles operational?”

“I have access to four of the six. The other two will be delivered shortly. It’s time to start keeping track of which one is where.” Garin looked at Zilor. “You’ll be in the throne room with me, so we’ll need Danvier on board the
Phantom One
. He knows that ship even better than you do.”

“Copy that,” Zilor responded. The confrontation was unavoidable, so he refused to focus on all the things that could go wrong. He was a firm believer in planning for the worst, but hoping for the best in any situation.

“Head this way as soon as you’re able,” Garin concluded. “I’ll have the details worked out by the time you get here.”

Garin ended the transmission and Zilor shoved back from the conference room table. “Our females aren’t going to like this.”

“
Our
females?” Raylon slanted him an inscrutable look as he pushed to his feet as well. “You better not have claimed Indigo, and Chandar belongs to no one for the first time in her life.”

“I gave my word that I wouldn’t claim Indigo until she’d had the opportunity to meet a few more of her matches. That meeting has yet to take place, so you know good and well she’s still unclaimed.”

“What I know ‘good and well’ is that she’s barely left your side since you recruited her. She’s been with you day and night.” His green-ringed eyes narrowed with silent warning. “You’re playing with fire, my friend. Even the strongest man’s control can snap when he’s least expecting it.”

“The voice of experience?” Even though he’d known Raylon for decades, he knew very little about his personal life. The only one Raylon trusted enough to confide in was Garin.

“Keep your mind on the mission. That’s what will keep you alive.”

He knew Raylon was right, but that didn’t keep Zilor from jogging back to the Pavilion so he could say goodbye to Indigo. Her musical laughter drifted on the air as he approached the archway leading to the center courtyard. It was so good to hear her laugh. She’d been far too serious since coming to Lunar 9. He paused in the shadows of the archway and watched the three females for a moment. Raina and Indigo were chatting about someone named Susan. Chandar sat on her own bench, slightly apart from the other two. Though he knew he’d made no sound, Chandar whipped her head around and looked at him.

She studied him with assessing interest then resumed her silent observation of the other two females.

He stepped into view, intentionally scraping the stone floor with his boot to draw everyone’s attention.

Indigo took one look at him and her face fell. “You’re going, aren’t you? Did you even try to talk him out of it?”

“Zilor must go,” Chandar said without inflection. “The event is fixed in time, only the details of the meeting are fluid.”

“Will we cause any harmful ripples by leaving Bandar behind?” Her answer didn’t really matter. Bandar wasn’t going either way, but he was curious enough to ask.

“I no longer see Bandar there.”

She didn’t explain the comment and Zilor didn’t ask. Knowing too much about future events could be dangerous. “If all goes as planned, this should take two or three days, a week at the very most. Is there anything you need while I’m gone?”

“Is Raylon going?” Surprisingly, the question came from Raina rather than Chandar.

“No. If this thing goes sideways—which it won’t,” he stressed before adding, “Raylon will have to run things until we’re released.”

Indigo rushed toward him, colliding with his chest as she wrapped her arms around his back. “I know you have to do this, but I don’t want you to go.”

He pulled her close, pressing her ear against his chest so she could hear the strong rhythm of his heart and feel how much he loved her.

“Why does this hurt so badly?” Indigo whispered.

“You’ve never cared this much before,” Raina suggested with a knowing smile.

Frantically blinking back tears, Indigo raised her head off his chest and looked into his eyes. “My other matches should have been notified today. Do you know if they were?”

After releasing a frustrated sigh, he eased her to arm’s length. “If none of them have pestered you by now, it’s doubtful they were told. Raylon must have realized I’d be gone and told Dr. Irron to back off.”

Raina’s brows arched dramatically, challenging his conclusion. “While you’re gone seems like the perfect opportunity to notify the others.”

If Zilor thought too much about it, he’d drag Indigo along with him. And that would be a security nightmare for everyone involved. “I don’t care why he waited, I’m just grateful he did. Knowing Indigo is not being bothered by any potential suitors will help me stay focused on the mission.” And as Raylon had said, it was imperative that Zilor keep his mind in the game.

He pushed his fingers into Indigo’s hair and then kissed her goodbye. “I’ll be back before you know it.” They kissed again, then Zilor eased away. If he didn’t take off now, he’d never find the strength to leave her side.

Danvier had already begun their preflight checks by the time Zilor boarded the
Phantom One.
“Are you in a hurry to get back to Garin or just to get this mission over with?”

“Akim is in this star system,” Danvier reminded. “I wish to be nowhere else.”

“We’ll get him, but we have to go pick a fight first.” Every revolution needed its Lexington and Concord. Zilor was pretty sure this meeting was going to be theirs.

Danvier pointed out the increased security at the main entrance as they departed Lunar 9. There were two shuttles now, where before Akim’s invasion there had only been one. More importantly, an energy field stretched between the two small ships. Passing through the barrier, even concealed behind covert shields, created a visual disruption in the grid. It didn’t help their current predicament, but no one would ever slip past them again.

Danvier had Zilor pause on the far side of the moon while he double checked his hyperspace settings. It would take approximately five hours to reach Garin and then another hour to Rodymia.

“Ready?” Zilor waited until Danvier nodded to activate the hyperspace engines. The resulting rush of acceleration momentarily stole his breath, but the sensation quickly passed. After establishing that all systems were operating normally, they settled in for the first leg of their journey.

The first few hours passed quickly. Zilor kept the conversation moving with little effort. He’d known Danvier most of his life and they were comfortable with each other.

“How are Chandar’s sessions going?” Zilor asked after a long pause. “Indigo is pretty closed mouth about the entire situation.”

“You’re mate is…challenging.”

Zilor swiveled his chair toward his friend. “In what way?” Circumstances might have postponed the actual claiming, but he considered Indigo his mate so he saw no reason to correct Danvier’s presumption.

“She made it clear that my advice meant little to her and she would do what she thought was best.”

That sounded like Indigo. Zilor was careful not to smile. “She tends to speak her mind, but I’m confident she’s doing everything she can to help Chandar.”

“If I didn’t agree with you, Indigo would no longer reside on Lunar 9.”

Zilor tensed at the subtle threat in Danvier’s tone. “Meaning?”

After seeing Zilor’s reaction, Danvier chuckled. “Meaning, I would have taken her home. Regardless of how exasperating I find them, I do not harm females.”

“Glad to hear it.” Zilor allowed himself to relax. “I’d hate to beat the shit out of my brother’s favorite wizard.”

The teasing antagonism chased away the lingering tension. “I’m not a wizard and you know it.”

“No, you’re the general’s pet.” Zilor grinned, knowing how Danvier would respond.

“This from his puppy.” Danvier laughed. “Am I supposed to be insulted?”

“Not at all. We members of Garin’s menagerie need to stick together.”

“I’ll drink to that, as soon as we’re safely returned to Lunar 9.”

“I’ll hold you to it.”

Phantom One
slipped out of hyperspace with hardly even a jolt five hours later and Zilor muttered, “Damn, I like this ship. She handles like a dream.”

“Rather like Indigo?”

He looked at Danvier and smiled, saying it all without a word.

Danvier leaned forward in his seat as they approached the
Undaunted
. “Holy Creator. I spend so much time on board that it’s easy to forget her true size.”

Zilor just smiled as he confirmed their identity and asked permission to land.

Danvier leaned this way and that as the ship filled the main view screen.

Having spent most of the past year running missions to and from the
Undaunted
, Zilor was somewhat numbed to the awe. He was routed to landing bay 7. Apparently, Garin didn’t want one of his prized spy ships topside for anyone to see. Zilor navigated the
Phantom One
into position and waited for the subtle pull of the automated system. Then he released control and let the
Undaunted
do the rest.

Colonel Sedrik Lux, Garin’s second-in-command, was waiting for them as they disembarked. “The general is expecting you.” Straight as an arrow, dark hair shaved nearly to the scalp and uniform immaculate, Sedrik had adapted to military life as if he’d been genetically modified to thrive in the environment. Might be because he had been, along with most of his comrades.

“This way,” Sedrik prompted after the bay’s outer doors had closed.

They both knew the way, so Zilor wasn’t sure why Garin felt the need to send a guide. Chances were good Sedrik had taken this task on himself. He led them directly to Garin’s office in stoic silence. Zilor had nothing specific against the colonel, but he wasn’t sure what Garin saw in him.

Garin was on a holo-com when they arrived, which wasn’t unusual. Garin was always juggling at least three tasks. He motioned them toward the small round table off to one side of his office as he politely ended his call. “Thank you, Lux.”

“Before I forget,” Zilor paused by his brother’s desk as Danvier took a seat at the table, “I need to know the current location of Vox Loriet.”

Without asking why Zilor needed the information, Garin turned back to his control panel and entered a couple of commands. “I have an address, however, I don’t know how recent it is.”

“It will give me a place to start.”

After triggering another command using the three-dimensional display, Garin said, “Info is on your datapad.”

“Thank you.”

Garin inclined his head and they joined Danvier at the table.

“I’ve arranged an audience with Quinton tomorrow morning,” Garin began. “That should give us enough time to prepare.” He looked at Danvier and then Zilor, “It’s nice to have you back on board, by the way.”

“I wish the circumstances were better,” Danvier said. “I’m still unclear on my role. I was not included in the summons. It will seem odd if I insist on accompanying you.”

“You’ll remain out of sight the entire time. There’s no reason for anyone to know about your involvement.” Garin went on to explain what he needed from each of them.

“The plan is straight forward.” Zilor nodded. “That’s always my preferred route.”