Forsaken (12 page)

“No or he’d have released the connection. You’ve made your feelings perfectly clear.” He sounded annoyed and he stared up at the ceiling.

She started to apologize then stopped herself. They’d only known each other for two days. Why should she apologize for not wanting to have sex with him? She refused to feel pressured by biological compatibility. Just because they could mate didn’t mean they should.

“Have you made up your mind about the job?” He glanced at her, though his features were still tense.

“I thought I had, but maybe we need to clarify a few things before I sign the contract.”

His jaw clenched then released. “You asked me to stop and I stopped. I won’t apologize for kissing you.”

“Will I have my own cabin?”

He turned his head, apparently insulted by the question. “Of course. Despite the current situation, I don’t go where I’m not welcome.”

“I wasn’t inferring that you do. I was just—”

“Afraid you’d be forced to share my bed every night?”

That had been her fear, more or less. She’d pictured spending her days working on the outpost and her nights wrestling with him. The problem was, she hadn’t found the idea offensive. “You’re right. I’m not being fair. You’ve been the perfect gentleman.”

He laughed and dragged her on top of him. “No one has ever accused me of that before.”

She folded her legs to either side of his hips and sat up. He wasn’t completely naked. Thank God. He wore the Rodyte version of boxer briefs, which left little to the imagination. “I didn’t mean it as an insult.”

He sat as well then scooted back against the headboard. “You’re not afraid of sex. It’s more like indifference. I don’t think you’ve had many lovers and the ones you have had didn’t know what in creation they were doing.”

She gasped and felt her cheeks heat. “That is an incredibly arrogant conclusion.”

“Really?” His voice turned dark and smoky. “Why?”

“You’re inferring that the reason I won’t have sex with you is because I’ve never been with someone as good in bed as you.”

He ran his hands up her thighs and squeezed her hips. “It’s not arrogance. It’s biology. If you’ve only been with human men, then you’ve never experienced a physical joining the way it was meant to be.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“Or we could test my theory.” His voice washed over her filled with silken temptation.

“I’m not having sex with you.” It was as much a reminder to herself as to him. He’d sent her firmest resolutions flying out the window with just the sound of his voice.

“That’s not what I was suggesting.” His hands slid up to her waist, under her nightshirt. “I’ve accepted that I’m doomed, at least for tonight. But we don’t both need to be miserable.”

“I’m not miserable.”

“Liar.” He softened the word with another chuckle. “You’ve been wet just as long as I’ve been hard. Have you forgotten about the Rodyte sense of smell?”

“Apparently.” He could smell her arousal? How humiliating.

“Let me touch you, Raina, just touch you. And we’ll see if it feels the same as it did with a human lover.”

Why would he want to touch her if she refused to reciprocate? Was he hoping she’d change her mind? The thought made her want to laugh. That was the main reason she hesitated.
She
was afraid she’d change her mind. “We shouldn’t.”

“I want to.” He bent and captured her mouth for a brief yet commanding kiss. “We both need this.”

Then his mouth was on hers again, stealing her breath and scattering her thoughts. Kissing him was like a drug, intoxicating and addictive. The more they kissed the more she wanted his mouth on hers, his tongue sliding against and curling around hers.

He pulled her nightshirt off and tossed it aside, separating their mouths in the process. One of his hands stroked her back while the other cupped her breast. She tensed, waiting for his reaction. She’d always been thin, narrow hipped and small breasted. His hands returned to her waist and he lifted her. She braced her hands against his shoulders as his mouth fastened onto one of her nipples. He teased with his lips and tongue, even a hint of teeth, while she squirmed and arched, her self-consciousness forgotten.

“You’re so soft,” he whispered in the valley between her breasts. “I want to lick every millimeter of this velvety skin.”

Heat curled through her abdomen, igniting her core. She shivered helplessly as her imagination provided the scene. If he went down on her, there was no way she’d refuse him anything. “Touch me. You promised you’d just touch.”

His lips caught her other nipple, sucking deeply, then he growled. “Are you sure?”

No! “Yes.”

Rather than laying her down, as she’d expected, he slipped his hand inside her panties and started kissing her again. His long middle finger brushed against her clit then pushed just barely inside her. It was a ruthless tease and her body reacted instinctively. She rocked her hips, driving him deeper and increasing the pressure on her clit.

“Oh yes,” he whispered against her parted lips. “Ride my hand.”

Like a sex-crazed teenager, she obeyed. She rocked against his hand, sliding up and down on his finger. Then there were two fingers inside her and he was kissing her again. She breathed in his breath and let out a cry as pleasure burst deep inside her. That happened much faster than usual, but she’d had stronger orgasms in the past.

Before she could analyze her disappointment, however, he flipped her onto her back. Her head landed near the foot of the bed and he knelt beside her. Then he dragged her panties off and pushed his fingers back into her core. His gaze bore into hers as his hand began to move between her thighs. He was touching her now, controlling her pleasure. The difference was stark and unavoidable.

Tension built and she started to close her eyes.

“No. Look at me. See what you do to me.” The purple rings in his eyes began to glow as ravenous hunger hardened his expression.

She tightened her inner muscles, driving the sensations higher. He moved his hand faster, pushing deeper. Restlessness crept over her, making it impossible to lie still. She arched into each thrust, secretly wishing he’d ignore her protests and give them both what they were craving.

He lowered his head and claimed her mouth, matching the movement of his tongue to the thrust of his hand. Pleasure built slowly, coiling tighter and tighter until she moaned. Something awakened deep inside her, a perception she’d never experienced before. She sensed Kotto’s energy, his spirit blazing just beyond her mind. They were connected and yet still separate, a potential storm waiting to explode.

Then he pushed his fingers in as far as they’d go and circled her clit with his thumb. Around and around, then back and forth, until her control snapped. Sensations pulsed through her, caressing his fingers in rippling waves. His clever thumb kept the waves crashing until she was utterly spent.

His lips slowed then reluctantly pulled away. He started to say something, then his image wavered, swelling in and out of focus before finally fading away.

Reality returned gradually, though sensations echoed through her body. Her nightshirt was still on, as were her panties. It wasn’t real. None of it had actually happened. She couldn’t decide if she was relieved or disappointed by the fact.

She sat up and pressed her hand over her pounding heart. He was right. She’d never experienced anything like that before. He hadn’t just touched her body. He’d connected with her soul. If they’d been dream
sharing,
did that mean he’d remember everything they’d just done? What a tangle.

Lying back down, she closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep.

* * * * *

Bright and early the following morning Kotto awakened before his alarm. Trying to go back to sleep was pointless, the night had been anything but restful. Instead, he showered and donned a clean uniform, determined to focus on his mission rather than the intriguing female who had dominated his dreams. As if their shared vision hadn’t been stimulating enough, Raina’s image followed him into sleep and his imagination had crafted a variety of situations each more erotic than the last.

Finding a mate had always seemed like an unattainable fantasy to Kotto. He had nothing to offer a female, no way to make her life comfortable and secure. The existence of a battle born soldier—even a ship’s commander—was uncertain and dangerous. The rebellion was hoping to change all that, but their fight had just begun. Was it really fair to drag Raina into a struggle she barely understood? As she’d said, just because they were physically compatible didn’t mean they
should
form a mating bond.

He was relatively certain Raina would agree to sign the contract, which gave them six months to figure out the rest. Having Raina in his life would be wonderful, but was becoming part of his life best for her? That question was much harder to answer.

He stepped out of the humid utility room and froze. A stranger sat in one of his chairs casually sipping a steaming beverage. Kotto automatically reached for his flexblade, but he’d yet to retrieve the weapon from his nightstand.

“Relax, Commander. I’ve come to chat, nothing more.” The stranger raised the mug to his lips and took a sip. With wavy dark hair and blue-ringed eyes, the man was clearly Rodyte, but he wore jeans and a pullover shirt as if he’d selected his wardrobe on Earth.

Kotto started to activate an intruder alert, then realized the alarm should have been triggered by this person’s arrival. There was only one skillset that allowed Rodytes to come and go as they pleased. This man was a technomage. “Letos, I presume?” Though Kotto’s mission briefing had confirmed Keyran’s warnings about a technomage, the documentation hadn’t contained an image of the culprit. And whether or not Letos was friend or foe was still hotly debated.

“In the flesh.” Letos set the mug down and uncrossed his legs. “Were you able to convince Raina to help? She’s more important than you know.”

“I can have you arrested for what you did last night.” Kotto crossed his arms and glared. “I know for a fact that sort of link violates your guild’s charter.”

Any hint of amusement fled as Letos scooted to the edge of his seat. “We’re at war and Raina is destined to play a significant part in upcoming battles. You need to accept that rules will need to be broken from time to time.”

“I don’t accept that and never will. If we’re willing to do anything, to harm anyone, as long as the outcome benefits the cause, then we’re no better than they are.”

Letos pushed to his feet, his expression tense yet unreadable. “What was the outcome of last night?”

“That’s between Raina and me.”

Challenge slowly lifted Letos’s brows. “It could just as easily be between Raylon and Raina. They’re equally compatible.”

Possessive rage set Kotto in motion. In an instant, he was across the room and Letos’s shirt was twisted in his fists. “She’s mine! No one will touch her but me.”

“Then you better mark her before Raylon meets her. His reaction is guaranteed to be just as intense as yours. And somehow I don’t think he’ll hesitate to claim a compatible female, especially one as responsive as Raina.”

“Stay out of this.” Kotto snarled the warning between gritted teeth. “I will not tolerate your interference again.”

Letos laughed, clearly unfazed by the warning. “Mark her, seduce her, and claim her. Her allegiance must be secured at any cost.” Letos coolly unfolded Kotto’s fingers and smoothed out the wrinkles created by his clutching fists. “She is more important to this cause than you can possibly know.”

“I have every intention of pursuing her, but I will do so in my way and time.” He continued to glare, but Letos appeared to be growing bored with the entire conversation. “We’re used to mind-to-mind interaction. Humans are not.”

“Raina is not human.”

“She was traumatized by—”

Leos scoffed. “Surprised, perhaps. She was clearly
not
traumatized. However, I will apologize to the lady, if that will assist you toward our common goal.”

“I’m serious, Letos. Stay out of this.”

“Then do what must be done,” Letos snapped. “You’re a Rodyte, for gods’ sake. Start acting like one.”

Before Kotto could compose himself enough to reply, Letos blinked out of sight.

* * * * *

Ashley appeared in Raina’s living room at six thirty the following morning. A text message warned of her arrival and then she materialized a few minutes later.

“Good morning,” Ashley said with a cheerful smile. “I hope you made coffee. Civata brew, the Rodyte version of coffee, needs serious work.”

Raina filled two mugs with coffee then motioned toward the kitchen table. “How did you meet Bandar? You said he was looking for your father. Did he pretend to be an old friend or… How did he approach you?”

Taking one of the mugs from Raina, Ashley sat across from her friend and paused for a sip before beginning her story. “I came home from work one night and found someone in my loft. He grabbed me from behind, but I made the mistake of looking in my living room mirror. As soon as he realized I’d seen his face he stabbed me in the—”

“Bandar stabbed you?” Raina scooted closer to the table. “That’s horrible.”