War Bride (Battle Born Book 7) (10 page)

He didn’t smile, as she’d hoped. His expression remained grim and wary. “There’s much of my life I have no desire to revisit, much less inflict on you.”

She now knew enough about his life to understand his attitude. His past had been shaped by tragedy and death, his only retreat order and discipline. The combination made for a harsh and hollow existence. “I’m only interested in memories involving Arton. I know the events surrounding his loss are traumatic, so I’ll try to avoid those scenes.”

He slid his hand up her arm, his gaze still boring into hers. “I want my son back. Take whatever you need.”

The offer surprised her, as did the flare of determination in his gaze. Until now the only thing to elicit such passion had been seducing her. She slipped her hand out of his and motioned toward the sitting area. “Let’s move to somewhere a little more comfortable.”

“I’d be more comfortable in your bed.”

Longing erupted at his suggestion and her wicked plan surged back to the front of her mind. If she surrendered to his seduction, their bonding would likely create the connection she needed to access information about Arton. But she couldn’t encourage him openly, couldn’t give him any reason to believe she wanted anything other than freedom. “I need to concentrate. The couch is a better choice.”

He stood and waited for her to rise as well. Instead of leading her across the room, he pulled her into his arms. “I missed you, Sky.”

Her heart flipped over in her chest. His tone was a sweet temptation luring her away from reality. He didn’t care for her, hadn’t been pining away for her during their separation. They weren’t lovers. He needed her and desired her for utterly selfish reasons. Why shouldn’t she use him in exactly the same way? “We can wrestle again or you can help me rescue your son.”

“Let’s do both.” He wrapped his arm around her neck, cradling her head in the bend of his elbow. The move was controlled, painless, yet overtly dominant.

She searched his gaze as he lowered his head, confused by the conflict she saw in his eyes. The desire she’d grown accustomed to was now combined with something deeper, something softer. Before she could decipher what she was seeing, his lips touched hers, caressed for a moment, then pulled away.

“You’re right.” He sighed then released her. “If I start this now, we’ll either end up in bed or you’ll send me away—again.”

Guilt squeezed her heart for an instant, then anger burned it away. “I will not apologize for resisting you.” He turned to walk away, but she grabbed his brawny arm. “I’m your prisoner. You want to use me to incubate your child and then throw me away.” The review was as much for her benefit as his. She could not allow herself to forget what he really wanted.

“You’re my mate.” He looked back at her without turning around. “I didn’t understand what that meant until I captured you.”

She was one
potential
mate, but they’d had this argument so many times she didn’t bother saying it. Instead, she pointed out, “You had a
morautu
. You had to have known how it would feel to interact with a compatible female.” Not waiting for his response, she let go of his arm and moved toward the sitting area. “You want to free Arton and I want to be free of you. Let’s focus on those goals, please.”

You’ll never be free of me.

Skyla’s heart skipped a beat as Kryton’s thought reached her mind. Clearly he hadn’t meant to share the traitorous vow, but their minds were already linked and strong emotions were nearly impossible for Skyla to filter out. She stopped walking and turned around. “What did you mean by that?”

“By what?” His voice was more of a growl, but guilt sparked in his gaze.

“Why will I never be free of you? If Arton is rescued, you promised to release me.”

Rather than answer her question—as usual—he asked one of his own. “And you promised not to scan me, so why did you hear my thought?”

She licked her lips. Why was she on the defensive? He was the one intending to break his vow. “Our minds have formed a link. It wasn’t intentional, but I think I triggered it when I scanned your mind. I felt it again when I shared your dream.”

He chuckled. “‘Shared your dream’ makes it sound consensual. You took control of my dream so you could indulge impulses you’re not willing to surrender in reality.”

“That is
not
why I did it.” Color crawled up her cheeks, contradicting the vehemence in her statement. “I had no way of knowing what you’d be dreaming about when I joined you in the dream realm.”

“Really?” He clasped his hands behind his back, challenge clearly written in his narrowed gaze. “I’ve thought of little else since I brought you aboard my ship. What did you think I’d be dreaming about?”

“Dreams aren’t usually so…focused.” She fiddled with the fall of her sleeve, avoiding his gaze. “I just wanted to talk to you.”

He closed the distance between them and lightly grabbed her upper arms. “I crave you, Skyla. Your image never leaves my mind and my dreams are even worse. I need to be near you, to protect and comfort you, and yet I know the primary threat in your life right now is me. How am I supposed to protect you from myself?”

Skyla tensed. This was it. All she had to do was stop struggling against their natural attraction and she’d be on her way. She’d use his genetically compatible body to give her the child she’d always wanted. She’d repay him by rescuing his son from the harbingers, and then she’d walk out of his life forever. Just like he intended to walk out of hers.

“I know what you mean.” Slowly raising her gaze to his, she inhaled his evocative scent. “I’m so tired of battling myself. I don’t think I can fight it anymore. I ache as you ache.”

It was all the encouragement he needed. He crushed her against his chest, dragging her to the balls of her feet as his mouth crashed down on hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and opened for his questing tongue, more than ready to surrender to nature’s demand.

Without separating their mouths, he picked her up and carried her to the bed. He sat her down in the middle of the mattress, then attacked his clothes. His boots went flying and his garments joined them half a second later. She pulled off her slippers, but that was as far as she got before he joined her on the bed.

“Let me.” It was more of a plea than an order for a change. “All my fantasies begin with me undressing you.”

She didn’t argue, but didn’t help. She just sat there and let him take off her clothes. Resisting him had been one of the hardest things she’d ever done. Still, if she suddenly had no qualms at all, it would seem suspicious.

Once he’d removed her blouse, he pulled her to her knees, then unzipped her skirt and eased it down past her hips. She wasn’t wearing undergarments and the realization drew an appreciative moan from him. He knelt as well and lifted her far enough so he could sweep the skirt out from beneath her legs. Then their naked bodies pressed together from shoulders to knees and his hands moved greedily over the back of her body. She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her face against his chest, unable to meet his gaze.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” His voice was barely a whisper and his hands moved away from her ass. “I am serious, Skyla. I won’t claim you unless you’re willing.”

“I want this, but I dread the outcome.” She eased away so she could look into his eyes. “I’ll be a pariah. Don’t you realize how horribly former war brides are treated on Bilarri?”
And I will never allow you to separate me from my child.

“Then stay with me.”

Time stood still as she stared into his eyes. Was he serious, or was he telling her what she wanted to hear? His expression was so intense that she couldn’t tell if it was calculation or sincerity fueling his inner fire.

“You’re my
morautu
,” he persisted. “Your place is by my side.”

“Here on the ship? What sort of life would that be for our son?”

His phitons flashed and frustration hardened his rugged features. “I’m a wealthy man, Skyla. I can easily provide for you, maintain the level of luxury to which you’re accustomed.”

“Will your people be any more tolerant of a war bride than mine? Somehow I doubt it.”

“You aren’t a war bride. You’re my
morautu
.”

She just stared back at him in silence as she fought back tears. Why was he doing this? It was crueler than any of his other strategies. She blinked furiously, but a tear escaped one corner of her eye and slid down her cheek.

He caught the drop on his curved index finger. “Why are you crying?”

“Because I don’t believe you,” she whispered. “If I’m no longer a war bride, am I free to go?”

Tension rolled across his features and he slowly lowered his arm. “You’ve finally found your mate. Do you still want to go?”

Conflicting emotions collided inside her mind. Did she want to leave him and return to her empty life? Her plan had made perfect sense a few minutes ago. How had everything become so convoluted? “I… If we…”

With an audible sigh, he crawled off the bed and pulled on his pants. “The question shouldn’t be that hard to answer. I’m offering you my heart, my soul, my future. All you have to do is accept it.” He grabbed his shirt and boots, then headed for the door.

“Wait, I—”

“You clearly need more time,” he cut her off. “I’ll see you have it.” Without so much as glancing over his shoulder, he rushed from the cabin.

* * * * *

Skyla rested her hands on the masterfully carved stone railing and watched the sun sink into the sea. The back terrace of Lux Manor looked out over the shimmering water, so Skyla found herself here often, enjoying the brisk sea air and panoramic view. It had been two weeks since Kryton brought her to his massive estate, and then silently flew away. If it weren’t for Tonn, she might have locked herself in her lavish bedroom and refused to come out. But Tonn’s patient humor and optimism kept her from succumbing to self-pity. And armed guards prevented her from leaving the premises.

The guards also made the situation perfectly clear. Kryton might not want to call her a war bride any longer, but as long as she was his prisoner she was not his
morautu
.

“Shall I go find you a jacket?” Tonn asked from a short distance away. He always gave her space unless she invited him to join her. She’d been particularly moody today, so he’d followed her around like a frustrated shadow. “The temperature drops quickly once the sun has gone down.”

“It feels good. I’ll go inside if I get cold.”

“All right.” She hadn’t given him permission to approach, but he moved closer anyway. “It’s more than obvious that you two quarreled. Will you please tell me what went wrong?”

She turned toward him, leaning her hip against the stone railing. “What did Kryton tell you?”

“Nothing. He told me to keep you out of trouble and that was all.”

She’d wondered why Tonn had been allowed, more like forced, to accompany her. He might be compassionate and an extremely good listener, but he was clearly out of his element surrounded by luxury. She suspected this was punishment for being so nice to her. “Kryton made a very appealing offer, but I wasn’t convinced he was sincere.” She motioned to one of the many guards skulking about the property. “Apparently, I was right.”

He glanced at the guard then shook his head. “What do the guards have to do with you and Kryton?”

“He told me I was no longer his war bride, that he wanted to make me his
morautu
.”

Tonn’s eyes rounded comically and his jaw dropped open. “What did you say to that?”

She bristled at the panic in his tone. Already she could tell he blamed her for what followed. “I asked him if I was free to go. A chosen mate is not a prisoner, so I should have been free to do as I pleased.”

“And it pleased you to leave him?” He shook his head as sadness clouded his expression. “You have no idea how hard it was for him to make that offer. Emotions of any sort are incredibly hard for Kryton to express. He’s endured so much pain that he turned his heart to stone merely to survive.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt him, but I won’t be hurt by him either.” She turned back to the twilight sea and watched the waves crash against the rocky shore. “He can’t expect me to offer my heart while I’m still his prisoner.”

“As soon as you trusted him with your heart, he would have set you free.”

“You don’t know that,” she snapped, but his words rang true and regret nearly choked her. “Why do I have to make the first move? That’s so unfair.”

Tonn’s expression hardened and he shook his head again. “If you were truly his war bride, you would be carrying his child by now. War brides are slaves, forced to do the will of their Rodyte masters. Kryton has been courting you since the moment you awakened. Can you truly not see the difference?”

She thought of how drastically his behavior had changed since that first night in the tiny cabin. He’d made concession after concession, trying to ease her fear and earn her trust. Even after she invaded his privacy, twice, he’d offered her the sort of relationship she’d always dreamed about. And she’d thrown the offer back in his face.

“He kidnaped me,” she cried. “And he’s a Rodyte. I thought he was just saying what I wanted to hear so I’d give him a child.”