Mystic Militia (18 page)

Before the last wave past, he pulled out and shifted her legs to his shoulders. She cried out again as he dragged her up to his waiting mouth and began to devour her cream. Only her shoulders remained on the floor. The rest of her body arched like a human waterfall spilling from his mouth. The position was awkward and uncomfortable, but the complaint only lasted a second as his mouth took control of her thoughts.

He licked and sucked as if her cream alone could sustain him. His hands held her thighs in place, preventing her from sliding down to a less vulnerable position. His eyes opened and his gaze drilled into hers as he pushed his tongue deep into her body.

Mine.
The word required no elaboration. He shuttled his tongue in and out as his eyes remained locked with hers. She might have been frightened by his aggression if she couldn’t sense the pain driving the harsher emotions. He was taking what she’d offered because life was unbearable without her. How could she possibly resist him when tenderness threaded through even his harshest command.

More
.
He moved one hand to her abdomen and covered her clit with his thumb.
Give me more
. With a few skillful strokes he had her coming again.

Reality spun away as sensation eclipsed thought. A triumphant rush of approval barreled across their link and he drove his cock back into her clenching heat. Her legs were still angled over his shoulders, so her body was bent in half as he filled her again and again.

She couldn’t really move, could only take what he gave her and ride out the storm. The intensity ebbed a bit and she quickly sorted through the emotions bombarding her mind. He was close. He was also afraid he was going to hurt her.

I’m fine, Lor. In fact, I’m wonderful.
She saturated the thought with joy and pushed it into his mind.

A strangled sound escaped his throat, but he seemed to be incapable of coherent thought. He slowed, shrugged and then her legs slid down to his elbows. His rhythm was less frantic now, each stoke long and smooth. She rubbed his arms and squeezed his shoulders as the embers of her last orgasm caught fire again.

She watched his face, fascinated by the power so evident in each grimace and gasp. She still couldn’t match his thrusts, but she arched and drew her knees back until her legs were barely touching his arms.

“Now!”
He moved faster and pulled his hands out from under her completely. Without missing a stroke, he took her face between his hands and kissed her fiercely. As his body possessed her utterly, he drove himself over the edge.

She captured his sharp cry in her open mouth and felt his cock jerk hard inside her. He ground his pelvis against hers and detonated her final release. They shuddered against each other as shattering sensations burst within them both. They shared gasps and laughs and heated breath as the pleasure went on and on.

“Thank you,” he whispered, his kiss reflecting his gratitude. His lips were gentle now, almost reverent as if to apologize for his treatment of her.

She returned the kiss and allowed him to feel her contentment. When he finally pulled away she nipped his chin and said, “I told you I like it rough.”

He laughed, clearly delighted by her unexpected reaction.

* * * * *

Tori had never been on a spaceship before and the
Sentinel
was everything she’d imagined and more. From the highly textured floors to help the crew maintain a solid footing to the auto-extending benches and seats, she was fascinated by the technology. The ship was compact and streamlined, everything designed to maximize limited space. The larger lower level contained the crew quarters—closet-size cubicles with little more than sleeping berths, two crew members per room—storage bays and the modest commander’s cabin. The upper level consisted of the galley, which also doubled as a briefing room, and the command deck, a.k.a. the bridge.
Tori wasn’t
allowed on the bridge so she spent most of her time hanging out in the galley. Even with a Mystic-assisted jump through hyperspace, it was going to take four days to reach Earth. It was easy to understand why Mystics avoided conventional forms of transportation.

Late afternoon on the third day, five of the six crew members filed into the galley.
Tori immediately looked at Lor and asked, “Should I leave?”

He smiled at her and shook his head. “I’m just going to catch everyone else up on what you already know.”

She scooted around in the U-shaped booth and made room for three of the five men. Lor and Dekker sat on the extend-o-bench, which appeared as if my magic. Odintar had helped her learn names. Despite his fierce exterior and dry sense of humor, Odintar was surprisingly likeable.

Dekker, Kris and Sid were the soldiers chosen by Director
dar
Aune. They were all buff and serious, with short hair, cleanly shaved faces and sharp gazes. The Mystics by contrast were bohemian. Their hair was longer, much longer in Blayne’s case, and Blayne had a short goatee.

Lor began a detailed outline of everything they knew about the alpha hunters. “We’ve verified that my father is no longer their benefactor so we need to focus on the Rodytes.”

“If I can be so bold, sir, how was this verification achieved?” The question was in the eyes of all the men but Blayne was the only one bold enough to ask.

“Lilt dar Joon is dying.” Tori saw the tension in Lor’s face and knew he wasn’t ready to talk about it. “The elders left his dignity intact by keeping their silence, but they slipped him poison somewhere along the way. Lor will soon head the House of Joon and it’s pretty obvious that he’s not a friend to any of the Shadow Assassins.”

Blayne’s sliver-blue gaze focused on her as a vague smile curved his lips. “How did you become involved in all this?”

“I’ll tell you after the briefing. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“It pertains.” Lor watched Blayne closely but his features remained expressionless. “Tell him now.”

“My sister was targeted by Nazerel. He’s made contact with her and attempted to capture her once already, so we don’t think he’s going to give up.”

“Where is she now and how was the attempted capture foiled?” Dekker asked.

“I was posing as her at the time. Allenton and Lor were with me. There was a fight. Lor was hurt and that’s when Allenton left with Nazerel.”

“There is a slight possibility Allenton pretended to defect to protect me and Tori, but stronger indications point toward his switching sides.”

“Once a Shadow Assassin always a Shadow Assassin,” Sid said, and the other soldiers nodded.

Lor went on to explain that Angie had likely been targeted because of her Ontarian blood, which indicated that the hunters had access to some sort of laboratory.

The soldiers remained attentive, yet Tori found Blayne’s gaze drifting toward her as often as he looked at Lor. She was solidly attracted to Lor, but she had to admit that each of these men was appealing in his own way. It was sort of like going on tour with a bus full of Chippendale dancers.

“Any questions?”
Lor asked as his orientation wound down.

“Any chance your social alliance will be ending soon?” Blayne asked with a bold smile.

“No,” Lor stressed. “Find your own human.”

“Oh, I intend to.”

Lor had been trying to downplay a potential conflict, but the exchange made Tori tense. If these men went on the prowl, they weren’t any better than the hunters they were here to apprehend. She hadn’t known about the woman shortage on Ontariese when she agreed to help Lor.

Relax. He wasn’t serious.

She looked at Lor and tried to smile.
Are you sure? He seemed pretty adamant to me.

There are rules against operatives having sex with indigenous people. All of these men know better than crossing that line
.

She’d been on Ontariese when Lor made love to her, but if they’d stayed on Earth, they likely would have “crossed that line”. She didn’t pursue the argument, but the trepidation didn’t lessen. Each man on this ship would have no trouble getting laid on Earth and only God knew how long it had been since each of them had slept with a real live woman.

Lor dismissed the crew and they returned to their posts, then he slipped into the booth beside her. “You’re still brooding, I can sense it. Hasn’t anyone ever flirted with you before? Blayne obviously finds you attractive but he would never betray my trust by pursuing you.”

“Then Ontarian men are way different than human men. Fidelity is the exception not the rule on Earth.”

He slipped his arm around her shoulders and drew her closer to his side.
“The voice of experience?”

She sighed. She hated talking about past lovers with someone she was newly dating, but it seemed to be an inevitable stage in every relationship. “I’ve had three semi-serious relationships and all three of them cheated on me.”

“Then they were fools.” He turned her head and gave her a slow, sweet kiss before he added, “Females are so scarce on Ontariese that if a man is lucky enough to enjoy a social alliance, he does everything in his power to make the female happy. We try very hard to keep our mates satisfied because, if we screw it up, there is a very good chance we will not be granted another.”

She smiled against his lips, soothed by his explanation as well as his touch. “That’s good news for me, but do you honestly think you can keep these hunks in line once Las Vegas gets a look at them?”

“Don’t you mean once they get a look at Las Vegas?”

“No. All they need to do is walk down the Strip and they’ll have females throwing themselves at them. Don’t you remember how heads turned when you and Allenton where in the casino?”

“I’ll keep them out of the casinos.”

“Good luck with that, Commander dar Aune.” She knew Lor meant well and he honestly believed his men would abide by the rules. She, however, knew how easily the bright lights and festive atmosphere of Las Vegas could erode good intentions.

“You’ve had a few days to settle in now,” Sevrin strolled toward Allenton, her appreciative gaze taking in his handsome face and muscular body. Nazerel was more dangerous, and danger excited her, but he was also more arrogant and harder to control. All in all, she’d decided Allenton would make a better mate, even if she only kept him around long enough to share his abilities with her. “What do you think of my operation?”

“Your locations are infinitely preferable to the Shadow Maze, or the City of Tears, for that matter.” He sprawled on a patio lounger beside her pool, wearing only a pair of swim trunks. He was still damp from his recent swim and she wanted to lick the lingering drops from his gold-tinted skin.

“How are your men adjusting to their new circumstances?” She let the front of her cover-up part as she neared and watched his gaze run the length of her body. She’d yet to slip so much as a toe in the water, but she now owned fourteen swim suits, each designed to showcase her figure to perfection.

“They’re hurrying through the required training so they can plan their hunts.”

“They realize that only one hunt from each house can be active at any given time, correct?”

“Yes. We all know the rules. You’ve made damn sure of it.” He reached up and caught her wrist. “If you summoned me here to pleasure you, I would rather talk after.”

Lust cascaded through her body, beading her nipples and melting her core. “Then let’s talk after.”

Nazerel knew she wanted him. He frequently followed her with his gaze, but he’d never dared to touch her. At least she liked to pretend it was respect rather than indifference that kept his hands at bay. Allenton had made his willingness obvious from the start, but she hadn’t wanted to seem too eager so she made him wait. Well, the waiting was over for both of them.

Allenton pulled the cover-up off her shoulders and gravity did the rest. She kicked off her sandals as he drew her down onto the lounger. She straddled his lap, one knee on either side of his hips. She’d leased this house in part because of the privacy fence surrounding the property. The chances of being seen were slim, but she wasn’t sure she’d have cared if half of Nevada watched.

The neckline of her swim suit plunged almost to her navel and he pulled the straps down, baring her breasts yet trapping her arms against her sides. “I’m not sure how good I can make this for you.” His voice sounded harsh and urgent. He leaned down and sucked her nipple before he added. “It has been four solar cycles since I last had a female.”

Four years was a long time to go without sex. “You pour baby,” she murmured as he sucked on her other breast. He used strong, rhythmic pulls that sent sensations zinging to her clit. “If you come too soon, we’ll just have to do it again.”

He laughed, clearly liking the idea. Suddenly a lust-swollen reservoir burst and inundated Allenton. He growled then moaned then pushed her over onto her back and tore off her swimsuit. He pulled down his trunks and thrust inside her so fast she cried out.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” He punctuated each thrust with an apology, totally ruining the mood.

She found it all so funny she had to bite his shoulder to keep from laughing out loud. The bite only excited him more and he doubled the speed of his hips. Luckily she’d been wet enough to accommodate his aggression or she wouldn’t have allowed him to continue.

He grabbed her hips and raised her up as he drove deep, shuddering violently as he climaxed. The entire fiasco couldn’t have lasted more than a minute. He slowly released her and pulled out.

“Oh gods, Sevrin, I’m so sorry.” He looked genuinely horrified.

She finally let the laughter win, which only compounded his humiliation. He crawled off the side of the lounger and rushed into the house.

“Allenton.”
She grabbed the cover-up off the patio and slipped it on as she went in after him. “Don’t be like that.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her breasts against his back. “Four years is an extremely long time to be without a partner.”

“I understand if you prefer one of the others in your bed.”

She reached down and fondled his sticky cock. “I’ll decide after I’ve had
you
in my bed.”

He turned around, relaxing enough to smile. “You’ll give me another chance?”

“What just happened is forgotten. It never happened. Shall we finish our conversation now or after you show me the benefits of Shadow Assassin training?”

“I’d rather talk while I regain my composure.”

“Fair enough.
Would you like a towel or can I enjoy the view? You have a spectacular body.”

“Thank you, and contrary to my performance, I do know how to use it.”

“What performance?” She smiled. “Remember, it’s forgotten.” She motioned toward the sofa and he sat, keeping his legs apart so she had an unobstructed view of his assets. She sat in the armchair facing him and let her gaze wander at will. “You told me you had questions.”

“I do, as do the others, but you’ve done so much for us already, we are loath to voice our concerns.”

He was all business now, which was ironic being that he was stark naked. “I’m not like the elders. I don’t want to control you. Feel free to ask me anything.” She reserved the right to make shit up or evade this issue entirely, but he didn’t need to know that.

His cock was already hardening again. Oh, that was encouraging. She liked a man who could recover quickly. Of course she liked a man who could last more than a minute too.

“How many of the females in the dossiers have Ontarian blood?”

She wondered how long it would take the hunters to figure that out. “I think they all do, but I’ve only been able to confirm about sixty percent.”

“You believe this will improve our chances of success?”

“I do.” It had taken her network of spies eight years to compile the information outlined in those dossiers. She’d only been on Earth for a couple of months, but this project had been launched long before her arrival.

“If the first attempt is not successful, will you allow us to continue trying?”

“Of course.”
What an odd question.

“Even if the female is harmed by the process?”

She thought these men were ruthless. Had a few weeks on the day moon turned them into squeamish little girls? “I have done everything in my power to make sure this project runs smoothly, but this is an untried procedure. There are bound to be bumps in the road.”

His smile was slow and predatory. “You misunderstand my meaning, mistress. We all realize sacrifices must be made in the name of progress. It is a reality we’ve lived with our entire lives. We were afraid you would slam the door in our faces if we lost even one female.”

She snorted, insulted by the possibility. “I’m my father’s daughter. You don’t need to worry about my dedication to this project.”

His interest intensified at her slip. Damn it. She’d been distracted by his nakedness and hadn’t guarded her words. “It’s true, isn’t it? You are Princess Sevrin Keire? Stirate Pern was your father.” The last wasn’t even a question.

“Who I am is not important. You need only believe that I can do what I say I can do.”

He stood and stalked toward her, eyes gleaming with sensual menace, erection thickening with each step he took. “I bet I can convince you to trust me with this secret. I know just how to prove I’m worthy of trust.”

Kneeling before her, he grabbed her knees and opened her legs. He hooked her ankles over the chair’s arms then bent to her waiting sex. Sevrin closed her eyes and concentrated on the skillful slide of his lips and tongue. It only took a moment for her to realize he was going to win the bet.

* * * * *

Two weeks. Two agonizing weeks had passed as the Mystic Militia chased their tails.

“They’re fucking with us,” Odintar snapped, and each man in the galley nodded in agreement.

Lor had called the impromptu meeting when Kris and Dekker returned from a long, intense wild goose chase.

“The only way they could know we’ve returned is if we were spotted,” Lor muttered, no longer sure he believed it himself. “Has anyone sensed that they’re being followed?”

“We’ve all been followed. Odintar is right. They’re yanking our collective chain.” Blayne stood near the doorway, looking as frustrated as Lor felt. He’d bound his hair at the nape of his neck and donned jeans and a T-shirt, but he still radiated an unmistakable mystique.

Tori fidgeted as if she had something to say.

“What is it, Tori?”

“Nazerel knows I’m not Angie, but if I go back to my house, maybe he’ll—”

“Not a chance,” Lor cut her off. “That strategy worked out so well last time we tried it.”

“The outcome was tainted by Allenton’s treachery,” Blayne pointed out. “If she’s willing to bait another trap, I say we let her.”

“It’s not up to you.”

“You’re right. It’s up to me,” Tori stressed.

“Give us the room.” Lor didn’t even look at her until everyone else had left. “It is my sacred obligation to protect you. I cannot do that if you keep running headlong into danger.”

Even seated she appeared resolute. “It is my sacred obligation to protect Angie and I can’t do that if you hamper me at every turn.”

Her belligerent tone should have infuriated him. Instead he felt a smile tugging at his lips. Why couldn’t he stay angry with her? “There has to be a way to move forward that doesn’t put you in harm’s way.”

“That’s what we’ve been trying for the past two weeks. There is no more time for subtleties.”

“What ‘we’ve’ been trying? When did you join my crew?”

She laughed. “They sort of adopted me when you wouldn’t let me go home.” She scooted out of the booth and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’ll let you come with me, if you’re a really good boy.”

“You’re incorrigible.” He grabbed her ass with both hands and lifted her off the floor. Rather than hang suspended from his hands as he’d intended, she wrapped her legs around his waist. “I’m supposed to lead this team. How can I remain in command while I’m playing house with you?”

“I guess one of your men will have to pose as my lover. Can it be Blayne?” She flashed a cheeky grin so he pinched her ass cheek hard. She yelped and tugged on his hair. “That hurt.”

“You know damn well Blayne wants you. Don’t joke about things like that.”

“Fine.
I’m sorry about the Blayne crack, but going home isn’t a bad idea. If the hunters see me hanging out with one of the other guys, they’ll wonder what the hell happened to you. They might even think you died, which would give us an advantage.”

He hesitated, hating the idea of anyone even pretending to be intimate with Tori. “I guess I could spare one of the soldiers.”

The door slid open and Odintar filled the opening. “It needs to be me. I’m the only one who can sense them coming.”

Lor looked beyond the Mystic and found the entire crew cluttering up the corridor. “Who’s flying the ship?”

“We’re in a holding pattern,” Sid reminded him. “No hands required.”

Blayne was grinning like a fool, obviously having heard Tori’s comments. Lor sat her on the table and she unhooked her feet. He moved out from between her legs, but rested his hand possessively on one of her knees.

“Why can you sense the Shadow Assassins?” she asked Odintar. “I thought it took a Shadow Assassin to find a Shadow Assassin.”

“A patrol team cornered one of the hunters last winter. The coward slit his own throat rather than being captured, but we salvaged his nanites.”

“And you were injected with them in preparation for your undercover assignment.”

“Beautiful and smart.
No wonder we chose you.” Odintar grinned at Lor “She clearly has a thing for Mystics. I promise to be very convincing.”

Lor pulled back his fist, but Tori grabbed his arm. His momentum dragged her off the table, yet she prevented the punch from breaking Odintar’s nose.

“Enough! They all know I’ve made my choice and this is more important than your pride.”

A collective “Ooh” echoed down the hallway.

Lor took a deep breath and collected what little was left of his decorum. “Odintar will pose as your new love interest. He has been assigned to protect you and he desires you, but you are too upset about my death to take him seriously.”

Odintar chuckled. “Quite the melodrama you’ve concocted, Commander. We can have Dekker record it and post it to
the interlink
. We’ll make a fortune charging for access.”

“Internet,” Tori corrected. “And we’d have to get naked for it to sell.”

Lor just growled at her.

“I’m just kidding,” she stressed. “Lighten up already.”

“We can patrol the perimeter in shifts to ensure continual coverage,” Dekker suggested.

“If we land, we only need one person on board to guard the ship,” Sid pointed out.

“That would make things similar,” Lor agreed.

Tori nodded, clearly liking the idea. “Put down out in the desert. As long as the ship isn’t visible, no one will even know it’s there.”