His Highness the Duke (16 page)

held tighter. She seemed so small and delicate. He wanted nothing more than to protect

her.

―I am well. It is done,‖ he said, soothingly. Bron inched closer to her on the bed.

He tried to feel inside her, past the sadness. Instantly, her breathing deepened and her

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eyes closed. It was as if she was trying to feel inside him as he felt her. Such a

connection could not be undone. If they bonded completely, they would be able to read

each other‘s feelings.

A sudden fear filled him and he drew himself back, closing his feelings off from

her. If they bonded, she would be able to sense what he was feeling. She would find the

shame of his insecurity, his desperation to please her, his fear of failing her and of

losing her. He couldn‘t let her know. If she found out all that was inside him, she might

leave him. He would be forced to feel the loss of her even more potently once the

connection was formed.

Bron leaned closer to her. She looked so pretty with her wide eyes staring up at

him and her lips parted just enough to let her breath pass. Desire filled him. He wanted

her. She said she would stay. Were the gods pleased? Was his capture punishment

enough? It didn‘t seem a steep enough price to pay. No price would be equal to her.

Her lips met his first, as if answering his unasked question. The sweet taste of her

mouth erased all thoughts. She moaned softly against him. He couldn‘t help himself. He

slid his tongue between her lips. A rush of pleasure coursed through them. He felt her

intake of breath, her soft moan of approval. Right now, she did not seem to protest their

union.

Bron took the delicate truce, well aware of how a wrong word could break the

moment. He could not help the filtering of his emotions as he let her inside him. A fog

worked its way over their senses, fading the outside world. The spell of her kiss pulled

him closer. How could this woman not know the power she held over him? How could

she not feel it? In that moment, in that kiss, Bron knew Aeron had the power to enslave

him.

Aeron inched closer. Her hands ran up the length of his arms to rest on his

shoulders. He pressed the small of her back, sliding her against him. They kneeled on

the bed. His arousal formed into her stomach, causing him to groan.

She pulled her mouth from his. ―The door.‖

Bron tried to pull her back to his mouth.

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She turned her head to the side and pushed at his chest. ―You need to close the

door. Your brother and Kendall are here.‖

He glanced over his shoulder. Bron thought he had closed it. Reluctant to let her

go, he hesitated before finally moving off the bed to do as she bid. This time, he made

sure the door latched shut before turning to her. Aeron crawled to the edge of the bed,

still on her knees. She smiled at him, the look inviting. Whatever her reluctance to be

married to him, it would seem it did not carry over into their bedroom.

This time when he went to her, he stood by the bed. He caressed her cheek,

running the pad of his thumb across her beautiful lips. Aeron tugged at the hem of his

tunic, easing it up over his head. He lifted his arms to help her as she undressed him.

With his chest bare, she began to explore. He stood before her, letting her touch him

however she wished. She traced the outline of his muscles. Bron did not know how he

managed to stay calm. The delicate skating of her fingers was tickling torture, but when

she leaned forward to kiss one of his nipples it was pure agony.

Bron‘s hands shot forward into her hair, keeping her mouth against his chest. His

fingers tangled in the dark length. Her fingers danced along his waist, close to the

waistband of his breeches. His stomach tensed as she neared his navel.

He lifted her by her head to his mouth and kissed her deeply, sliding his tongue

against hers. All thoughts left him as he pulled at the gown she wore. The material

hugged firmly to her skin and did not strip from her body as quickly as he would have

liked. He was about to rip it when she leaned back and helped his efforts. She pulled

the gown over her head and tossed it aside. Bron used the moment to push the loose-

fitting pants from his hips.

She came to him, as eagerly as he went to her. Her hands cupped his face,

caressing his cheeks as she drew his mouth tenderly to hers. Their naked bodies pressed

together. The soft mounds of her breasts molded to his chest. His erection pressed tight

to her stomach. The memory of their joining was all too fresh and his cock surged to

repeat the act. He wanted her like he‘d never wanted anything in his life.

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With his feet planted on the floor next to the bed, he reached for her hips, lifting

her by her buttocks. Her legs were forced open as he drew them forward to wrap

around his waist. She sat on the edge of the bed, her ankles hooking around the backs of

his legs. Her breasts rubbed intimately against him, the nipples hard points he could

feel dragging against his flesh.

Bron growled, unable to contain his excitement. He held her hips tight, keeping

her sex against his arousal. The wetness of her body moistened him. He shifted his

weight so he could lay claim to her, angling her body back as he leaned forward. He

braced his feet on the floor and his hands on the bed.

The tip of his erection found entrance into her body. He pushed slowly, enjoying

the firm grip of her sex. Her thighs moved against his waist, tightening and releasing as

if she tried to decide whether or not to allow him entrance. He pressed on, drawn to lay

claim to his wife. The thought occurred to him that this should have been their first

time. In many ways it felt like the first. They were both aware, unclouded by the call of

the crystal, unhampered by the guilt.

Her dark hair spilled around her head on the bed. She clung to him, her thighs

closing and opening, closing and opening, gripping and releasing his waist. He stroked

her face, letting his fingers trail down the center of her chest. Grabbing the delicate

mound of flesh, he massaged it as he urged himself deeper.

She arched her hips against him, finally opening her legs and allowing him full

access to her body. He took it, delving forward to seat himself fully inside her. The firm

clench of her pussy held his arousal tight. Her insides quivered around him.

Aeron made sweet, light noises of pleasure. The sounds were as delicate as she

was. Bron withdrew only to slowly push forward. He kept the rhythm easy, enjoying

the view of her breasts moving with his thrusts. He wanted it to last forever.

He kissed her, working his mouth against hers. His tongue mimicked the slow

pumping of his hips. Staying inside her, Bron placed one knee on the bed and then the

other. He moved her with his body so he could lie on top of her. Now that she was fully

beneath him he began to thrust anew. The new position allowed him to go deeper,

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allowed his strokes to be longer. He pumped into her, the speed growing with each

pass. Each agonizing glide of flesh was pure ecstasy.

―More,‖ she whispered, meeting the movements of his body. ―Give me more.‖

Watching her body was almost as wonderful as feeling it. Her legs wrapped his

waist, forcing him harder into her. He gave her what she wanted. It was what he

wanted, too. His finger found the sensitive nub guarding her sex. He encircled it with

fast strokes as he pushed her onward, hammering his violent need into her slick core,

leading her to her pleasure and pushing her over the trembling edge.

She closed her eyes. Her hands grabbed hold of his arms and squeezed tight. Her

breath caught in her throat and she began to shake. Bron pumped faster. Her body

seized hold of him as she came. The feel of her climax was too much. He growled as he

joined her, liberating all the pent up frustration in one hot jet of release.

As he slowly came down from the height of pleasure, he pulled himself free of

her. Staring deeply into her eyes, he stretched next to her on the bed. He pushed a

strand of hair from her forehead. Bron didn‘t know what to say, so he stayed quiet. She

didn‘t seem to mind the silence as she settled next to him. He slid an arm over her waist

in possession and protection.

He closed his eyes and was content to listen to her breathe.

―How old are you?‖ she whispered. ―The Galaxy Brides‘ uploads said your

people lived for five hundred years.‖

―Worried that you are married to an old man?‖ He gave a soft laugh. Out of all

the things he thought she might want to know about him that was not one of them.

―No,‖ she answered, not moving. ―If what the upload says is true, you will live

long past my death.‖

―Here, wives live as long as husbands,‖ he answered. ―Usually. Scientists believe

that it has to do with the radiation from our sun. Spiritualists believe it is the will of the

gods. I believe it is both.‖

―Usually,‖ she repeated, sighing deeply, ―but not always.‖

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―You worry I will not keep you safe?‖ he asked. The words hurt, even as he was

the one to lay voice to them. She really did not have much faith in his honor, or his

abilities as a husband. How could he blame her? He should have stopped the joining on

the wedding night. He should have been stronger. Bron knew the blame fell fully on his

shoulders, regardless of the actual physical position they‘d been in. The gods were not

pleased with him.

―Sleep well,‖ she whispered, refusing to answer him. ―We have a long journey in

the morning.‖

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Chapter Ten

Aeron wasn‘t sure what to say as the ceffyls carried them toward the palace.

Perhaps it was best she said nothing. Her eyes turned to the skies, wondering when the

Tyoe might attack. She was unclear as to the attack timeline, but had gotten a sense that

it wasn‘t in the too distant future. Then she looked around the landscape, to each

hidden curve of path, to each tree and shrub. Were enemies hiding even now? Waiting

to attack two unarmed travelers? Were these Var going to capture them on the ground?

Were the Tyoe going to bury them alive?

She glanced at Bron who rode his own mount. They had left Alek and Kendall

without a ceffyl, but the brothers had determined speed was a necessity. Bron had

changed his clothing. Clearly a supply had been stored at the cabin for the men. He

wore a clean green tunic with gold embroidered edges. The tunic was designed like a

long shirt that hung to his knees and split at the sides, opening to reveal his thighs as he

sat astride the fearsome beast. He‘d given her a similar overtunic in blue to put over the

undertunic she‘d been given the morning after the ceremony. The only thing she could

say about it was that at least it was clean.

Nothing about this planet felt safe. It was primitive. The people were primitive.

She desperately wanted the safety of a spaceship with monitored life support systems

and loud warning alarms if security was breached. She wanted her small metal room,

food simulator, and laser decontaminator. She wanted air control systems that

monitored for airborne viruses and… Viruses. She hadn‘t thought about that until now.

Her fear grew. What if this primitive planet had primitive diseases that were attacking

her on a biological level? Nothing was safe. Planetary attacks. Space attacks. Biological

attacks. And she was—

―Aeron?‖

Aeron jolted in alarm, letting go of a small scream. She grabbed her chest. Her

heart beat hard in her chest as she looked at him.

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―What is it? Do you hear something?‖ He tilted his head, listening. The question

was laughable. As a shifter, his senses would be much more advanced than hers.

―I was—‖ She gave a self-depreciating shrug. In truth she was working herself

into a fearful mess. ―I was thinking.‖

Overthinking a situation wasn‘t a new problem for her. She would think about

an issue until it was analyzed from every direction. If she wasn‘t careful, she would

think herself into a nervous, certifiably insane wreck.

―About?‖ he prompted. Bron sounded hesitant to even ask. She couldn‘t blame

him.

―I miss my quarters.‖

―You mean your home? On a ship?‖

Home. No, she‘d never really thought of her quarters as home. She supposed

that was what it was, but in her mind home was a place that no longer existed.

―Tell me about it.‖

―I can‘t,‖ she whispered.

―Because I do not have the Federation‘s permission or clearance? I assure you, I

can be trusted. I am your husband. Your secrets are mine. However, if you gave your

word before we met, I will not ask you to dishonor yourself by breaking it. If you say

you cannot tell me, I will believe and trust you.‖

―I can‘t because there is no home to speak of,‖ she corrected. ―I doubt the

Federation cares if I tell you which ship base I was assigned to. As for clearance, I‘ve

already broken protocol by coming here and telling you about the Tyoe. I was kidding

myself to think I could go back there after doing this. I would be lucky if they just