Runner: The Fringe, Book 3 (34 page)

“I think I’ve had enough.”

“Not yet you haven’t. Sit.” When she hesitated, he flung the fragile crystal bell to the floor, where it shattered into delicate fragments. “Sit down.”

Mary did. His destruction of the fragile bell made it pretty damn clear she’d pushed him right to the edge. He was a man who few disobeyed and he’d tolerated enough of her insolence and defiance. “I won’t tell you—”

“You don’t have to.”

Clara brought in dessert and wine, then hurried away, the rubber wheels of the cart crunching through the remains of the crystal bell.

Dessert looked like two big white eyes with red pupils staring up from her plate. Strawberries ringed the strange cartoon gaze. “What the hell is—”

“Poached meringues with strawberry sauce.”

“Freaking child’s nightmare.” She shoved the plate away. “Wouldn’t your life be a lot easier if you just let me go?”

“Back to your life of crime? I don’t think so. If I have the ringleader, it’s unlikely the gang will continue to rob me.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Won’t cost me but a pittance to keep you around and find out for sure, now, will it?” He took a casual bite of his dessert.

“Fine.” She shrugged. “Keep me here. Eventually you’ll get bored. Something else will come along, strike your fancy, and you’ll gladly send me on my way without a second thought.”

“I think you could keep me entertained for years. Just watching you eat is a spectacle.” He dabbed his mouth with a pristine red napkin. “You eat like an animal.”

She gritted her teeth. “Feel like trading insults? Fine.” Saluting him with her glass, she deliberately wiped her mouth on her sleeve. “By the same token, I’m fascinated by you, a man who’s mastered feminine traits I’ve never even dreamed of.” She chugged her drink, belched slightly behind her hand, set the delicate glass on the table and refilled it. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see you in a dress, you pampered pansy.”

His eyes narrowed dangerously and he spoke through gritted teeth. “You like playing with fire, don’t you?”

“You obviously don’t. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have strapped a luller to my wrist.” She took another slug of liquid courage. “Since I can’t strike at you with my fist, you’d best get used to my mouth.”

He leaned intimately close and whispered, “I could get used to your mouth, provided I’m the one keeping it occupied.”

She wondered what he could possibly mean. When she figured it out, a flush crept into her cheeks. When the prospect of doing that to him excited her, she flushed harder.

“You rape all your prisoners, or just the women?”

His gaze traveled from her face, to the V of her shirt, then to the juncture of her thighs. “Is that what it would take?”

Her body thrummed from fabulous food, glorious wine and the sexiest man in the Void. He could seduce any woman he wanted. Any woman he didn’t want. One wink, and women would swoon. One kiss, and pants would drop or skirts would lift.

“Since you can’t buy me, now you think you can seduce me?”

“Yes.” Cocky arrogance, probably well deserved, emanated from him.

Mary didn’t know which would give out first—her loyalty, or her resistance to the erotic lust he’d awakened in her. Captive and captor. Each time she thought of the duality, her body shivered with fear and desire.

Carefully crafted daydreams involving her shadowy hero, Overlord, always had an element of captivity and surrender. Here, clearly, was a man who could turn dark daydreams to vivid reality. More than loyalty held her back. Foolish, young-girl fantasies held her back. To him, sex was a game, a way to pass the time in an enjoyable pursuit. To her, intimacy held consequences. Not just to herself but also to everyone she fought to save.

Days without food and sleep, her belly now full, and her mind rendered silly by very fine wine, she stood. “Whatever your plans for me, at least—you once offered me a day to rest—let me have a night to sleep.” Had he any honor at all, he would grant her such a minor request.

“As I am a generous host, I will indulge you.” Seven feet of male uncoiled, reminding her she was no match for him physically.

“Should I kowtow to you now or later?” She swayed, closing her eyes against his potent smile. If he didn’t take pity on her, she would fall asleep at his bare feet.

“Follow me.”

Stepping carefully around the shards of glass on the floor, he left the dining room and strode through the grand ballroom to one of the huge doors between the pillars.

“House, this will be Mary’s room. Update and confirm.”

“Yes, Commander. Record of Mary updated with new parameters.”

The peach-colored door swung open.

“Where’s the—” As soon as she entered the room, lights blazed. “Christ almighty! Turn them off!” Mary threw her hand up to shield her weary eyes.

“House, set the lights to level three.”

The glare dropped to a soothing, warm tone. She glanced around the huge room. A span of open floor space made the bed seem a mile away. Even so, the bed looked big enough for six people. Puffs of shimmering gauze draped the four towering posters of the bed. Carpet to covers were the same pinky-orange color, like carrots stored too long in the cold. Ruffles, lace and a strong, sweet stench of flowers marked this as a woman’s room.

“Good night, Commander.” She faced him, making no effort to hide her crushing exhaustion. At this moment, she didn’t care if the room he offered came draped in black with gravestones decked about and a skull-and-crossbones flapping overhead. For a few uninterrupted hours of sleep, she’d take it.

To her shock, he scooped her up into his arms. He smelled good—citrus and pine. He felt impossibly strong—all bones and muscle. Long strides later, he tucked her into the welcoming folds of the massive bed. Warm and soft as a dinner roll, so unlike her hard-tack cabin bunk, the bed gave way below her as she melted into its silk embrace.

Being a prisoner suddenly didn’t seem so horrific. Her mind damn near stripped gears when he didn’t leave but hovered over her. All this luxury would come at a price.

She cast a wary eye over the edge of the blanket. “Don’t tell me. Let me guess. This bed is your bed too?”

“Would you like it to be?” Soft as the silk on her skin, his voice smoothed against her ear.

Ever had one of those days?

The King and I

© 2011 Opal Carew

Celestial Soul-Mates, Book 1

Aria’s career fills the void that foster care left behind, and keeps her grounded in reality. But recently, steamy, erotic dreams make her think she’s working too hard.

A free trip to a luxury resort is just the ticket. Until she’s ushered to a “VIP party” and abducted by an alien who insists she’s his king’s soul-mate. Love at first sight, let alone sight unseen, is a myth. Her increasing attraction to the ship’s captain, though, is weak-in-the-knees real.

Captain Tai Gaman’s mission was simple. Kidnap Aria and deliver her to wed his twin brother, King Zander. It must be the sibling psychic link that’s fueling his own blinding desire for the Earth woman. As the ship approaches his planet and her sexual hunger reaches unbearable heights, it must be simple compassion that won’t allow him to let her suffer. One night leaves him stunned, facing an emotional choice. Claim her as his own, or fulfill his duty to the king.

After a lifetime believing love doesn’t exist, Aria finds her hands full with the love of two men. And considering the possibility there’s room in her heart for both…

Warning: This book is full of red-hot sex and smoking hot alien studs (and one studette), along with their human abductees who don’t mind getting it on with one or more partners. With or without an audience. Watching the heroine find love and the hero lose his heart may cause a strong desire to be beamed up.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
The King and I:

“You.” The uniformed woman pointed at Aria. “Come with me.”

“We stay together,” Eva insisted as she stepped toward Aria protectively.

“No, actually you don’t,” the woman responded.

As the stranger grabbed Aria’s arm and dragged her to her feet, Terrien stepped in front of Eva, preventing her from rushing to Aria’s side. The uniformed woman led Aria to a door, which slid open as they approached. Aria glanced back to see her bewildered companions led out another door by Terrien and a couple of other uniformed men. Eva mouthed some words to Aria that she didn’t understand, then the door closed behind her.

“Where are you taking me?” Aria couldn’t hide the quaver in her voice.

“To meet the captain.” The woman’s heels clicked sharply on the floor as they marched along. “You should be honored.”

Maybe she should be, but she wasn’t. In truth, she was frightened and confused.

Despite that, thoughts of her steamy, nighttime adventures stirred within her and a sexual buzz quivered through her entire body. A part of her hoped this captain was a tall, dark, sinister hunk who wanted to have his way with her. She trembled in anticipation.

Good God, where is my brain? This is real, not some sexual fantasy.
Yet she felt heat flush through her, hotter and hotter, as they progressed.

They stopped in front of a door and her captor pushed a button beside it. A bleep sounded.

“Send her in, Casey,” a deep voice said.

The door slid open.

“You heard the captain. Go on in.”

Fear cooled her blood a little as Aria stepped through the doorway, peering ahead of her to see a sitting room but no captain. The door swooshed closed behind her. She stepped farther into the softly lit room, which looked like private quarters. A big, comfy-looking armchair and couch occupied most of the room. Not exactly how she’d pictured a spaceship.

“Welcome.” A rich baritone voice came from her left.

A tremor rippled along her spine. She spun around.

At six foot four and all muscle, he was the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen. His dark, slightly wavy hair brushed his shoulders and his silver-gray eyes glittered like moonlight rippling on water. Her heartbeat accelerated at the sight of him. He would definitely be the star of any sexual fantasy. Her insides seemed to melt into a pool and her vagina tightened.

Good heavens, she had to get a grip on herself. This man had kidnapped her!

“Who are you?” she asked.

“I’m Captain Tai Gaman. And you are Aria Jenkins.” He pointed to a chair. “Sit.”

She perched on the edge of the chair, keeping a wary gaze on him. He strolled to the couch and settled onto it, his masculine aura filling the room.

“I’m sure you’d like to know why we’ve brought you here.”

“Yes, please.” With her hands folded in her lap, and her tight, prim words, she must look like a schoolgirl summoned to the principal’s office. She noticed her hands trembling, so she clasped them tighter.

“Relax. I’m not going to bite.” Warmth emanated from his smile.

Relax?
Was he kidding?

She stared at him with wide eyes, waiting. He leaned forward slightly.

“There is a power in the universe that takes a hand in our lives—we call it
nata’tai.
It provides the means to keep us healthy, as individuals and as races. To stay healthy, a race must grow. It must embrace other cultures. It must open its gene pool to other races, otherwise it will stagnate. Physically, emotionally and culturally.”

A shiver raced down Aria’s spine. Had she and the others been brought here as breeding stock? Were they to provide genetic material to keep his race healthy? Nausea tightened her stomach into a quivering ball as she imagined herself chained to a bed, a trail of men lined up to impregnate the alien female.

She imagined him first in line, his mouth capturing hers in a passionate onslaught, his naked body compressing her breasts tightly against his chest. She felt her cheeks flush and she tried to drive the thoughts from her mind as she concentrated on his words.

“As a race matures,
nata’tai
gives its people the ability to sense their
tanash’ae—
what you would call their soul-mate—even over great distances. To ensure a mingling of races,
nata’tai
directs the spirits of
tanash’ae
—soul-mates—to be born in different races on different planets.”

“Are you trying to tell me that you’ve brought me here because you think I’m one of these tannashays?” She sucked in a breath. “Do you think that you and I…” Her finger flicked between them. “That we are…soul-mates?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Would that be a problem for you?”

No,
a voice inside insisted, but she ignored it and sucked in a breath.

“Yes! Of course it would. I don’t even know you. I don’t intend to marry a man I don’t even know.”

He flashed a devil-may-care grin. “Who said anything about marriage?”

“Oh, I see.” A blush crept up her cheeks. “When you said soul-mate I assumed you meant, you know, love and marriage.”

This was all too much for her. The reality of the situation was finally sinking in. She didn’t even want to think about what he actually meant. That image of the chain and the bed swept through her brain again and not as an attractive fantasy this time. Her head sagged forward as tears pooled in her eyes.

“Aria, I’m sorry. I was teasing you. I’m not your
tanash’ae.
”

“Then why—?”

“Your
tanash’ae
is our king.”

Her head jerked up.

“I’m supposed to marry a king?”

“Does the thought appeal to you?”

“If I believed you, which I don’t, I would be honored, of course. It’s like a fairy tale, in a nightmarish sort of way, but I’m not going to marry some stranger on another planet, king or not. I don’t want to leave my family and friends behind.”

He leaned toward her, his silver gaze piercing her delicately maintained composure.

“Aria, you don’t have a family. You were separated from your mother at a very young age and she refuses contact with you.”

She felt as though he’d stabbed her heart. The pain of long, lonely years in an orphanage, then a group home and foster care, slammed through her.