Oath of Challenge Conquering Kate (15 page)

Jadik was walking through the corridors of the health building, anxious to leave. It had been quite a day. He was grateful that everyone was fine, but the emotion of the events had shaken him.

He was a loner. He had friends, like Tair and Liken and even a few others, but he was used to staying on the edges of other people’ lives. The feelings of worry and helplessness were new to him. That feeling of family was surprising as well. His own family was…he banished the thought.

It was all very confusing. With a mental shrug, he decided this pactmate business was complicated. When he found his own pactmate, he would proceed with care. In the meantime, he needed a new mission to distract him. Something that would be challenging and consuming.

He felt a slight, delicate touch mentally, like a gentle sad caress. Suddenly, realizing what was happening, he threw up a mental shield and glanced around. It had been close.

Scanning the people around him, he could read nothing out of the ordinary. Something was not right. He focused and sent out a much stronger probe. Immediately, he reached her mind. A name and a face popped into his head. An instant sense of recognition and rightness followed. The shock was so great that he froze in absolute disbelief.

Focusing harder, he reached out and brushed her mind again. When he felt a shield go up, he withdrew immediately, but it was enough. Turning on his heel, he walked back the way he had come until he reached a small waiting room. He stood in the doorway as his heart raced in his chest. He had found her. At last.

She was seated on a chair. Her head was bent down as she gazed at the floor. She had beautiful, wavy, golden-red hair down to her shoulders. At the moment, it was falling forward over her face, revealing the slender curve of her neck. She was incredibly petite, maybe 5”3’ with a slender body that looked graceful and fragile. Sensing his presence, her head came up with a snap.

He knew that face and felt his breath catch in his throat. Her delicate features were covered with golden freckles. She had big brown eyes, which were presently brimming with tears. Jadik felt his chest tighten in response.

Her full mouth was drawn into a frown, which grew worse as she studied him silently. Finally, she said simply, “Jadik.”

Just hearing his name in that husky voice, he felt the fierce tug of arousal. She was beautiful, and sweetly sexy, and he had found her. He walked forward and squatted in front of her so that they were face-to-face. In his most gentle voice, he said, “Hello, Cass.”

Those big eyes widened slightly at his use of her nickname, but she blinked back her tears and said firmly, “Don’t do it.”

Startled, he asked, “What should I not do?”

She said solemnly, “Call me to Oath. I don’t want a pactmate or a pledgemate. I’m human and I’m staying on Earth.”

Jadik raised an eyebrow. She was confusing him. He needed to proceed with care. “You are only half-human. You are half-Shimerian, too.”

Cass was trying to control her reaction. She couldn’t believe he was here. She had been so careful for so many years. Confronted with his big body so close to her own, she felt the pull of their attraction with a sinking heart.

If she hadn’t been so upset, he never would have located her. She cursed inwardly and tried to think. “Yes, my father is Shimerian and my mother is human. I was raised on Shimeria, but since I’m half-human I have been able to adapt. I’m not going back. I’m staying here.”

Jadik said carefully, “You are on the register. It is required of all dual planet females.”

She nodded resentfully and said fiercely, ‘Of course. That means it’s up to you to walk away. Don’t summon me, Jadik. I mean what I say. I won’t stay in Shimeria. I won’t be your pledgemate. You’ll regret it if you call me to Oath.”

Jadik felt a smile tug at his lips. She sounded so fierce. It was rather humorous coming from such a small, delicate creature. He wondered if she really thought she could intimidate him.

Giving in to his amusement at her threat, he grinned at her. “Cass, I will call you soon. There is no need for this discussion. We will be happy together on Shimeria. You worry needlessly.”

He stood and held out his hand. He thought he saw a brief flash of rebellion cross her face. He was somewhat surprised when she took it. Her small hand was soft and cold. She stood and took a sudden step forward, bringing her small body against his.

In an instant, his cock leapt to life. He was hard and throbbing. He looked down into her big brown eyes and felt a drowning sensation. He watched as she moistened her lips with a nervous tongue.

Giving in to temptation, he bent down and brushed his lips over hers. She responded immediately. He dipped his tongue along the seam of her mouth.

She opened her lips, and he thrust his tongue inward to explore. With a groan, he plundered and reveled in the taste and feel of her. When he felt her leg come up and wrap around the outside of his leg, he thought she was trying to get closer. It was a mistake that cost him dearly.

Cass swept the back of Jadik’s knee with her foot in one quick decisive motion, while pushing hard with her hands against his chest. He was caught completely off guard, just as she had planned.

He reached out instinctively, but she stepped back just in time. He went down, arms flailing wildly, and landed awkwardly on his butt on the floor with an incredibly loud thump.

Stepping around and looking down at him, she said flatly, “Call me to Oath and I’ll run. You won’t find me. I’m good. I have my own Shimerian abilities. And as you can tell, I’m a lot meaner than I look.”

She viewed his total astonishment with a great deal of pleasure and said smugly, “While you nurse that sore ass, I suggest you re-think your future. Mine’s already set. And you’re not a part of it.” She walked toward the doorway of the room, immensely pleased with her exit line.

As she reached the doorway, he said from the floor, “Cass?”

She paused and looked back, arching an eyebrow in question.

Jadik grinned widely. “I will see you soon.”

He was impossible. Cass rolled her eyes and said tartly, “Not if I see you first.”

And she was gone. Jadik threw back his head and roared with laughter. She was indeed much meaner than she looked. Standing up with a wince, he rubbed his aching butt. She was surprising, but then again, he had a few surprises of his own. As he walked out of the door, he muttered, “We will see who re-thinks the future.” Capturing Cass had become his new mission.

Tair stared out the window of Kate’s apartment, waiting for her to emerge from her bathroom. She had barely spoken, even after seeing her brother. The health engineer had escorted her from the room and explained that Gage would be fine. He needed to rest and to heal. The best thing Kate could do for him was to go home and visit the next night.

Liken and Sharon had dropped them at Kate’s apartment, looking at Kate with worried faces and sending significant looks Tair’s way. He knew what he had to do. He had to break through Kate’s defensive shell. He knew what it would cost for both of them as well. He waited in dread and stared with unseeing eyes, listening for the sound of her footsteps.

Kate felt numb. The fog seemed to have lifted, but she had no sense of emotion at all. She felt completely removed from herself. Her apartment felt strange…and alien.

She had walked in and headed straight for the shower. She had stood silently under it, wondering if she would cry, but she hadn’t. Feeling the water on her body, she noticed it felt strangely wet and thin. Nothing felt right. And she felt nothing.

She put on her clothes with mechanical movements before realizing she had put on her sandals, too. She didn’t need to wear shoes in her apartment. Uncaring and not having the energy to remove them, she left them on and wandered out into the living room. Tair was by the window looking out. When he turned to face her, he looked grim.

He said firmly, “Kate, you cannot continue this way.”

Kate felt a lump in her throat, but swallowed and said quickly, “I’m fine. I think I’ll take a walk.”

Tair walked until he stood directly in front of her. Staring at her with hard eyes, he said, “No.”

She asked dully, “Why not?”

He placed both hands on her shoulders and said, “You will cease this running immediately. Kate Carson is not a coward.”

She felt the first stirrings of surprise. She denied, “I’m not a coward. I’m going for a walk.”

Tightening his grip, he said, “You are doing anything to avoid dealing with what has happened tonight. I will not allow it.”

Kate tried to pull away, but he held firm. She said, “Gage is fine. I’m fine. There’s nothing to deal with.”

Tair challenged, “Then you do not need to walk, do you?”

When she pulled back this time, he let her go. She turned her back to him.

He said conversationally, “You never talk about your parents.”

Kate spun around and said coldly, “I have no parents.”

Tair gave her a half-smile. He said, “I do not believe that you were hatched.”

He sobered and said quietly, “Your father died before you were born. Your mother abandoned you when you were eight years old.’

Kate turned away from him again and said coldly, “I don’t think I need a history lesson.”

He continued, “You and Gage were left with your aunt. A nice enough woman but one who had little time for children. That left only you and Gage to care for one another.”

Kate could feel the words pressing in on her like a giant fist. She ordered icily, “Stop.”

He said quietly, “No. You nearly lost him tonight. Your father, your mother. They left you, and then Gage nearly left you, too. How does it
feel
, Kate?”

Kate felt her breath hitch. That moment when Tair had told her about Gage flashed through her mind. She tried to push it away, but it stayed. She said brokenly, “You bastard.”

Tair walked to her and put his hands on her shoulders from behind. Leaning down next to her ear, he said gently, “Kate, let go. No more hiding. I promise you. It is okay.”

Feelings too big for her body rushed through her with the force of a hurricane. The fear, the pain, the helplessness, the horror, the anger, even the joy and relief, all of it built until she thought her chest would explode. Spinning around, she slammed both hands into his chest and yelled, “Stop it! Stop it right now!”

She was blinded by tears and hitting his chest weakly. Tair wrapped his arms around her and held her fiercely. Kate felt the last ounce of control break away, and with a moan of anguish, she let go and sobbed. Shudders wracked her body and she was crying so hard that she could barely breathe.

Tair picked her up and carried her to the couch. Sitting down, he cradled her in his lap and held her as she cried against his chest. Stroking her back with soothing motions, his own eyes misty, he said softly, “I am here, Kate. I am here. Everything will be fine.” He placed gentle kisses into her hair and murmured softly in his own language.

Kate cried until she felt hollowed out inside. Her entire world had narrowed to the anguish of her feelings and the warmth and comfort of Tair’s big body encircling her. Finally, her crying lessened and she regained some control.

Pulling back from his chest a little, she said softly, “I’m sorry. Your shirt is soaked.”

Tair placed a gentle hand under her chin and raised her face. With great tenderness, he said, “I do not care about the shirt. I care only about you.”

Kate gave him a weak smile and sniffed. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and sighed. “You scared me, Kate. Do not shut me out again. I may be able to scan your thoughts, but I have to block you when intense negative emotion is involved. You were so unresponsive, I was very worried.”

Kate noticed for the first time how tired he looked. There were lines of weariness and strain in his face. He had been worried about her. The hollow feeling inside her began to fill with warmth. Raising her hand, she placed it on his cheek and said, “Thank you, Tair. I mean it. I’m sorry I called you a bastard.”

He chuckled. With a teasing light in his eyes, he said, “I was being one at the time. Although I had a good reason. It is a hidden ability of mine.”

She took her hand off his cheek and punched his chest lightly. She said, “Well, you are excellent at it, just like everything else.”

At the mention of “everything else,” the air became charged. Kate was very aware suddenly that she was on his lap. Her hand resting against his chest moved in an unconscious caress. She knew she looked like hell, but she didn’t care. She wanted to be close to him. Leaning forward, she placed a gentle kiss on his mouth.

Tair watched the changing expressions on Kate’s face in sudden awareness. She was looking at him so warmly without defenses or games. When she placed her mouth against his own, he responded, lightly moving his lips under her own. It was a kiss unlike any other they had shared -- the simple touching of lips, with pure tender feeling behind it.

Kate pulled back from the kiss and stared at him silently. Neither of them spoke. Finally, giving in to temptation, she moved forward and captured his mouth again.

This time, there was hunger and need in the kiss. She ran her tongue along the seam of his lips and felt them open. She raised her hands to his face and darted her tongue inside his mouth to explore. The feel of him, the taste of him was wonderful and familiar. She wanted more. She thrust harder into his mouth and the kiss caught fire.

Tair moaned and thrust back with hungry greed. She was kissing him passionately, no holding back. With every eager movement of her mouth, she communicated naked need. It was intoxicating and overwhelming, and it flayed him alive. He wanted more.

Kate pulled away and shifted in his lap until she was straddling him. Bringing her aching sex down onto his hard cock, she moaned as pleasure shot through her. Rubbing harder, she cursed the clothes separating them. Tair’s arms came around her and he arched upward, increasing the pressure. Kate whimpered and her head fell back.

Tair fought for control. She was driving him crazy. The feel of her sex against his cock was pure temptation. He wanted to take her with every thing that was inside him. She lifted up suddenly and he nearly begged. Her hands went to the top button of his pants and he froze.

Kate was past caring about anything. She wanted him inside her no matter what it meant, no matter the consequences. She unbuttoned his pants with quick movements. His cock sprang into her hand, the smooth skin as soft as velvet. She wrapped her fingers around it and felt that hard length of it throb against her palm. Stroking it with slow up and down movements, she said, “I want you inside me. Now.”

Tair choked out, “Kate…” and tried desperately to think.

Kate said, “I don’t care. You win. We’ll live on Shimeria. I don’t care about anything except feeling you inside me.” She gave him one last stroke and her hands went under her skirt to one of the ties of her panties. Tair’s hand shot out, gripping her wrist, and stopping her.

Looking up at him in surprise, she tried to move her hand, but his grip was firm. He looked like he was in agony.

Tair cursed himself inwardly. He was insane. She was ready and willing. She trusted him. She had surrendered the game and agreed to live on Shimeria. All his careful building of trust and luring her closer had worked. She was vulnerable and greedy for him.

He had her right where he had planned. And he couldn’t do it. The truth of it hit him squarely like a blow to the chest and rocked him all the way to his soul.

No matter how badly he wanted her, there was too much that she did not know and too many games between them. She was too vulnerable. He could no longer deny or pretend to himself or to her. The time for games without real meaning was over. Looking into her perplexed face, he said firmly, “No, Kate, not like this.”

Kate was shocked not only at the words but the tone. He really meant it. He was rejecting her completely. She jerked her hand from his grasp with one fierce move and scrambled off of his lap.

Standing and staring at him, she watched as he grimaced and re-buttoned his pants. She said coldly, “What the hell kind of game are we playing now?”

Then, she added sarcastically, “Oh, yes, I remember this one. It’s called make a fool out of Kate.”

Tair rubbed a hand over his face. There was no going back. He could only go forward and fight for her. His heart raced and he felt terror run through him at the risk.

Finally, he took a deep breath and said calmly, “It is not a game, Kate, and that is the problem. You have been through too much today and you are vulnerable. I will not have our first time together overshadowed by other things. We need to reach an understanding first.”

Kate felt frustrated arousal and fury blending to a lethal mix inside her. With icy composure, she said, “Why should you care? What possible difference does it make?”

Tair smiled at her grimly. He said simply, “It makes every difference. I am in love with you, Kate. No more games and hidden plots. I have fought it and denied it, and pretended it would go away. The truth is I will never stop loving you.”

Kate felt pure panic all the way to her toes. In a shocked voice, she said, “Don’t be ridiculous. You don’t love me.”

Tair gave a self-derisive laugh. “Kate, I am crazy with love for you. The only reason you cannot see it clearly, is because you love me, too.”

She took a step back. Her whole world was upside down today and she couldn’t seem to figure out which way was up. She grabbed for outward icy composure in the midst of such inner turmoil. “Now that really pisses me off. I never said that. You’re crazy.”

He laughed once again rather resignedly. “I admitted it already. And you do not have to say it. You tell me every day in a hundred small ways. The way your eyes light when you see me, the way you respond to my touch. The way you trust me, when you have every reason to distrust. You love me, Kate. And when you stop running from it, you will admit it.”

Kate shook her head. He did not love her. She did not love him. It was a simple sexual affair and a game and this was getting out of hand. This overwhelming panic she felt was not good. She needed to think.

She needed to get away from him and think. She turned and headed for the bathroom, calling over her shoulder, “Wait right there, psycho, I’m just cleaning up.”

He gave her a skeptical look, but nodded.

* * * * *

Kate shut the door of the bathroom and went to the mirror over the sink. Staring at the face in the mirror, she wondered what the hell had happened to Kate Carson. The woman staring back at her was a mess. Her face was red and blotchy from crying. Her hair was tangled and her eyes looked swollen.

She was pale and there was an overall look of tension and panic on her face. Grimacing, she muttered, “You’re powerful, and confident, and you don’t need anyone.” The words echoed in the room as if mocking her.

She decided to handle one thing at a time. First of all, she would fix herself. Then she’d handle Tair.