CarnalPromise (7 page)

She pulled his grim mouth to hers, wanting to tease the
seriousness out of him. He returned her ardor, and this time, his mouth took
hers with tender adoration. “Jinn, I want this to work.”

“I know,” she breathed against him. “But tonight just love
me, Drakkar. Pretend I’m your most priceless treasure.”

She fought back the lone tear that threatened to fall,
knowing that come morning, they would be enemies once more.

Your most priceless treasure.

God’s teeth
. The truth slammed into him. She was! How
or why that had happened, he didn’t know, but he knew that in this short time
she’d etched a notch in his heart—and if he let her, she could easily tear that
small cut wide open. He couldn’t let her use this weakness against him.

He wanted to laugh at the realization but he knew she
wouldn’t understand. He felt exposed, vulnerable, but he would never let her
know that. They had no trust between them. That was obvious. She wouldn’t
divulge her deeper needs to him and he’d be damned if he’d expose his. Yet,
here he was, a man disciplined by war, disappointment and logic, taking a woman
he hardly knew and he had allowed her to threaten his heart?

Yet he had. And somehow it was more than his body that knew
this. From the first, his soul had touched, and had been touched, by hers. Yet
she couldn’t see that.

Because she had something to prove. But what? And could he
really afford to give his love freely to her? He’d made that mistake once
before.

She moaned against his mouth and placed gentle pecks on his
chin then his neck. He closed his eyes, savoring the touch, the sounds of her
satisfaction, the warmth of her exhalations on his skin. He rubbed his mouth and
chin against her temple then kissed the strands of hair that lay there. “The
way you feel in my arms is heaven.” His penis flicked against her.

She glanced at him, an impish smile on her face. “I think so
too.” She nipped the skin of his chest and slid down him farther. Pressing her
palms against him, she asked him without words to raise his body to accommodate
her.

He obliged, giving her just enough room, letting the warmth
of her body heighten his need for her as she slipped farther down.

“Jinn.” He rose to his elbows to watch her, still wary of
her intentions, even though the binding need gripped him. His voice caught in
his throat as she grasped his rod and stroked.

Her sultry breath caressed the underside of the tip. “You
remember when you claimed me?”

“How could I forget?” he rasped. “You almost unmanned me
before I could properly complete the ritual.”

She giggled. He liked the sound of her happiness. “I just
wanted to get away from you before you did. You were my enemy then. At least I
thought so. But I have no intention of doing that now. I like this piece of you
too much.”

She gazed at him. Her lascivious smile made the blood rush
through his veins. His penis hardened and jumped in her hands.

She licked the underside once, from the base to the slit at
the top. “Anyway, I told you I wanted to do this but I suppose we didn’t have
the time.”

“Decidedly not.” He shot her a playful frown, remembering
how he’d cornered her in the Earther woods, claiming her with their people’s
shared rite, caressing her, fucking her, rushing as much as he could before any
of her compatriots found them.

“’Course afterwards I had a taste but not enough to enjoy
it.” She giggled again then lapped the head. After circling the tender skin
with her tongue, she grazed her teeth over the slit on the underside and slowly
sucked the tip into her sweet mouth.

His body quivered. “In all that’s holy…” That a wisp of a
woman could do this to him.

No, not a wisp. Slender, yes, but she had a power of her
own, one that could conquer him if he wasn’t careful. More than that, she had a
reputation as a ferocious warrior. He’d seen her fight, felt the results of one
of her attacks. He wouldn’t forget that. As he couldn’t forget the point that,
at the moment, she had him by the balls. Literally. Even so, it was the gentle
part of her that could undo his soul—if he wasn’t careful. “I’m trusting you,
Jinn,” he croaked.

She eyed him then a laugh burst from her lips. “A big man
like you worried about a little girl like me? That’s funny.”

He arched a brow at her. “Not so funny when you’re on the
receiving end of your contempt.”

The twinkle in her eye changed to a serious gleam. “I don’t
want to hurt you.” She ran her nails upward along the inside of his leg.
Grasping his scrotum, she massaged it and closed her lips against the tip to
his rod, slowly opening her mouth to suck down on it, her teeth kneading the
head with just enough pressure, her tongue following behind, providing gentle
strokes against his most sensitive flesh.

Panting with want, he closed his eyes. Holding her
shoulders, he turned and fell against the bed, taking her upper body with him.
“God’s teeth, you’re talented.”

She chuckled with half his dick in her mouth, breaking the
suction, yet the warmth of her breath only stirred him more. Blood shot into
his penis, making it stiffer. He needed to take her again. Soon.

She went down on him, sucking and licking him like a treat.
He grabbed hold of the bedclothes to steady himself, letting her do as she
pleased, trying to restrain his need to have her.

She released a sultry breath against his head once more then
tenderly licked his cock from the top to the base, playing with the hair around
his penis then kissing her way back up his torso.

He swallowed when she reached his chest to take his small
nipple between her teeth. Sliding her legs over the tops of his, she rested her
wet cunt on his hard member.

His penis pulsed at her opening, as if knocking on a door to
ask for entrance. “Jinn.” he grasped her arms and pulled her breasts over his
chest, letting his cock slide into her silky wet heat. “I must have you.”

She gasped as he filled her. Her blue eyes deepened with
desire. Her vaginal muscles clenched around him. Heaven could not feel as good
as her sweet body.

He lifted her hips slightly off him and slowly pumped into
her, watched as her eyelids fluttered shut and the consuming want spiraled in
her again.

He took his time. Controlling her hips, he used his sex to
tease her clit and varied the speed with which he penetrated her, using his
cock to find those spots most sensitive to her, registering them in his mind,
knowing he might need to use them to convince her of their bond, their need to
constantly mate.

Moans escaped her parted mouth. Small lines formed around
her lips, her eyes, and on her forehead. He never expected the contentment that
such a sight would give him.

Finally, she peaked. He wasn’t far behind. He rolled her
over and held her hands against the sheet, pumping into her.

In moments, he climaxed and the release of his seed filled
her. He exhaled as he moaned and in that moment he knew, no matter what her
issue was with him, he would never willingly let her go.

“You complete me,” she whispered through ragged breaths.

“Yes, Beloved.” He swallowed, wondering again what she
thought.

She pressed her lips together again and moisture formed in
her eyes.

“It will be all right, Jinn.”

She smiled weakly then her eyes fluttered shut. “I think I’m
tired.”

He snorted. “You should be. You’ve been on the run a while.
I know what little sleep I’ve gotten trying to keep up with you.”

She bit her lip to combat her smile. “Tomorrow, we can
talk.”

She moved to roll on her side. Drakkar released her to let
her do so.

He watched her. The golden light from the fire globe
highlighted her body. She smelled of the pungent scent of their love making and
still, he gazed at her, amazed at the feeling he had for her, treasuring this
peaceful moment.

Soon her breathing evened then slowed.

Drakkar hoped she slept. Sliding behind her, he eased his
arms around her and held her close. Inhaling, he wished to savor the scent of
her, the mix of them together, the scent that came from their mating.

She shivered and he pulled her into him to keep her warm,
snuggling her sweet ass against him as he wrapped his leg around her, not
wanting to cover her quite yet. He’d come to realize in the short time they’d
been together that he cherished the way she fit against him, the silken feel of
her skin, her musky scent, the muted sounds of her breaths when she slept, the
slight salty taste of her skin after they’d made love. He could grow used to
this. Easily.

But she couldn’t. She’d intimated as much. But why?

She jumped again, this time murmuring something
unintelligible. What was it that captured her dreams?

“Danger. No…” Her eyes fluttered and her body jerked.

He held her closer. “Shh,” he whispered in her ear and
stroked her golden hair. “It’s okay, Jinn. The war’s over. You’re safe. Nothing
will harm you. Sleep.”

“Mmm.” She batted her eyes a few times then sealed them
shut, nestling against him. Soon her breaths grew even and shallow once more.

He lightly touched his lips against the upper rim of her
ear. He didn’t want to wake her, but asleep, she didn’t fight him and for once,
he could show her the kindness he’d wanted from the first. He kissed her again,
burying his nose in her hair, appreciating the comfort of her body. He needed
her. And she needed him. But how would he convince her to stop fighting him?
What he wanted made sense. She had to come to see that.

He closed his eyes a moment, hoping and praying she would
stop her struggle against him, but weariness threatened him.

He forced his eyes open. Before he fell asleep, there was
still one precaution he had to take.

Sighing, he gently pushed away from her, not happy about what
he had to do. She’d been too clever by far in eluding him—and he’d been after
her for way too long. Finding her had not been an easy task and he intended not
to have to do so again.

He had no choice.

Easing away from her, he reached for his discarded clothes
on the floor, looking for his combat pack. Finding it, he opened it and pulled
out his restraining device. He’d be damned if he’d let her get away from him
again.

Breathing deeply, he turned and studied her again, allowing
himself one more moment of peace, another small space of time to appreciate his
mate’s beauty. The fact that she was his.

He let his amazement at this simple thought sink in, let his
awe and all that this entailed surround him. He would soon be bonded to his
enemy and the war would be over. The peace of the people was what mattered now.

Sliding next to her back, he covered her body with his,
savoring the way her frame fit perfectly against him. In sleep, her body
responded, nestling against the warmth he provided. She rested her head in the
crook of the arm he’d slid under her head. The soft strands of her light hair
shone against the dark ones on his forearms. He liked the mix—light, dark.

Putting the restraints behind his back, he ran a hand
against the shape of her exposed side, marveling at the feel of her smooth
skin, praying, that even though they’d been enemies, this would work—if he
could get past her defenses.

He closed his eyes and held her. For many moments, he just
lay there, reveling in the peace of her body next to his, of her sweet ass
nestled against his crotch, knowing that in the morning, the serenity would be
gone. For whatever reason, she still feared him. He knew that, but not why, and
knew that she would not accept his demands, not yet anyway. Thankfully, her brother
was on his side. Perhaps he could get her to see reason.

Finally, sleep threatened to claim him. “Jinn?” he
whispered, hoping she continued to slumber.

She gave no answer. Regretfully, he reached for the cuffs.
Taking the forearm on her exposed side in his hand, he clasped one end of the
manacle to her wrist. Reaching carefully with the arm of his she slept on, he
snapped the other cuff to his right, the same as hers.

Satisfied, he kissed the strands of her hair again, knowing
that this way, when she stirred, he would awaken. Hell, even if she did find
some way to run, she would have to take him with her because she couldn’t get
the restraints off without the code he’d added to the touch lock.

He huffed and closed his eyes. She wouldn’t like this twist
and he predicted she’d be pissed about it in the morning.

He would find out for sure when she woke. If anything, his
mate did not seem to be one to keep her temper.

Warmth. Safety.

Jinn felt the serenity again but this time even more
solidly, as if it was a permanent part of her.

Still drugged with sleep, she curled her back into the
brawny arms that held her, the body that covered her and kept her warm. He lay
flush against her, the feel of his hard penis against the crevice of her
derrière. She hadn’t felt this secure in eons and the respite allowed her
exhausted body to finally rest.

“Mmmm.” She turned to snuggle into her lover’s chest but her
wrist seemed caught with Drakkar’s. Semi-conscious, she realized his fingers
were curled with hers. Had he held her hand all night?

She smiled with the thought and nested against his chest. A
few hairs tickled her nose and she reached to rub the sensation away. Drakkar’s
hand came with hers but she was too content and indolent with sleep to bother
with it.

Yet she knew she should wake. She had a mission. What it
was, however, lay within her muddled brain.

Noise sounded somewhere within the walls where she slept. A
male voice. Angry. Reproachful.

She inhaled the muskiness of the man who lay beside her,
knowing somehow that he would never harm her. Then the image of him came into
her mind’s eye. Dark, powerful, seductive. Yet he was her enemy.

Drakkar
. Conscious thought eked into her—slowly. She
wanted his arms around her, wanted the safety he would provide. But she remembered.
She could not afford that luxury.

You need to be away.
Go now
, a voice inside
her head warned.

Jinn heard the angry steps march to the door. A fist slammed
a few times on the wooden portal. “Jinn, you’d damn well better be in there!”