Survivor Planet Series 2-Book Box Set (25 page)

Drakon shrugged. "No matter. It's a chance to go home. Two eundn I've lived here on the edge, but no more." He spread his legs wide and held up his weapon, preparing for battle. "Make ready."

"Hold," Aris said. He pulled me forward so he could look me in the eye. "Danni, I need you to take cover..."

"Baynar
appeared
to him, and the others?" I interrupted.

Aris seemed to search for the right words to explain. "In what you would call a hologram."

"Oh." Of course he'd been too much of a coward to come here in person. Before Aris could stop me I faced Drakon with a nasty stare. "What a tough guy you are, taking on an unarmed man! That's a pretty big weapon you have there. I think you're overcompensating," I taunted.

"Overcompensating?" Drakon demanded.

He was dressed in a leather outfit that'd seen better days. I raked my gaze across his lower regions, then looked him in the eye and smirked. Judging by the snarling look on his face he got my meaning. Aris' grip on my arm tightened.

"What're you doing? Trying to antagonize him?"

"Don't worry," I said loudly. "He's no match for you, Aris. That's why he needs a weapon. You're a
real
man.
He's
a coward."

Drakon's eyes flashed. "You little bitch!"

"Chicken shit!"

"Stop it!" Aris demanded of us both.

But my ploy had worked. Even as Aris had yelled, Drakon had tossed aside his giant steel battle-axe. At least now it'd be a fair fight. Aris stared in amazement at Drakon then turned his gaze to me. I winked. Then I put my hands on his shoulders, got up on my tippy toes and kissed him hard on the lips.

"Win," I told him, and backed away.

With a hair-curling battle cry, Drakon charged forward. Aris stood his ground. He bent slightly forward, widened his legs, and braced himself. As soon as he and Drakon were about to collide, Aris sidestepped to the left. Drakon pulled up and turned, then charged again, only to have Aris spin around and kick him right in the face.

Drakon was a big guy. Though the blow would have knocked me into a month long coma, Drakon didn't even fall to the ground. Shaking his head, he grinned with a bloody mouth. My stomach gripped in a knot.
He's insane.
Though I guess spending two years on this planet, from the looks of it alone, always on edge, fearful for your life, could do that to a person.

"Same ole Aris," Drakon laughed.

In quick succession, Aris leveled several stunning blows to Drakon's stomach and head, each one making him retreat farther and farther. Aris paused in his assault, and Drakon put his hands to his face only to reach out blindly, waving his arms around. I gasped when he grabbed hold of Aris' shirt with his meaty hooks. Aris' jacket lay on the ground where he'd dropped it upon first seeing Drakon. He'd rolled up his sleeves and unbuttoned his shirt as the day grew warmer. As Drakon grabbed him, I saw a couple of Aris' shirt buttons pop off and land on the ground.

I longed to call out, telling Aris to kick his ass, or voice some kind of encouragement, but I also didn't want to distract him. Aris was in great condition, despite spending over a week living off the land. Drakon, on the other hand, despite his bulk, appeared weakened and desperate. Now that Drakon was unarmed, I wasn't as concerned for Aris' safety as I'd been.

Raising his arms, Aris broke Drakon's hold. Then he punched him hard in the stomach, making him double over. "Yield," Aris demanded.

Drakon raised a bloody face. "Never."

Aris punched him again. "Yield."

Drakon dropped to his knees. Wearily he lifted his face. "It may not be me, but there will come another, and another." He began to laugh. Then his face grew serious and he lunged. Reacting by instinct, Aris grabbed him in a headlock and snapped his neck.

Like a stone, Drakon dropped to the ground and moved no more.

Aris stood over him, breathing heavily. He held his hands up, staring at them as though they belonged to a stranger. "I...didn't mean to..."

"Aris," I said, seeing his distress.

Like a person awakening from a dream, he shook his head and turned to stare at me. Seeing I had his attention, I pointed at a Seer hovering just mere steps from where Drakon lay. "Calixtus is watching," I said. "Now's your chance."

I saw his eyes narrow in fury. He faced the Seer, and instead of pleading innocent of the crimes he was accused of, he instead issued a challenge. "Now you've seen what will happen to any and all who come for me. You will die." His deadly stare and cold tone gave me chills. But he wasn't finished yet.

"Baynar," he spat. "You know the truth. Once I'm through killing whoever gets in my way, I will come for you. Count on it." Then he turned away. Striding towards me, he paused to pick up his jacket and then grabbed the steel battle-axe. Somehow the weapon appeared much deadlier in his hands than it had in Drakon's. I thought it a shame that the left-behind players on Taleon couldn't hear Aris' threat. But I knew the warning would carry forward to future players if we had to spend the rest of our lives here.

Watching him now, and seeing the stone cold detachment he'd adopted, made me wonder if I knew him at all. Here was no gentle, noble, predictable cop from Earth that I'd spent more than a week with. Here was the deadly warrior from Calixtus. He strode off and I hurried to follow him.

We didn't stop walking for what I predicted to be several miles. Aris maintained the lead, and though I practically trotted along behind him, I'd yet to reach his side. I got the impression that something big had happened back there. And not just to Drakon.

Aris had reverted to warrior-mode, and he wore the image like an imposing suit of armor. I supposed since he'd issued a challenge—in front of his entire planet no less—he had to become the killer he'd boasted he'd be for any and all past and future contenders who challenged him. Looking at him, I knew I'd think twice about confronting him, even if I were a nearly seven foot high giant bred to fight.

Finally, Aris stopped when we came up beside a little pond just off to our left. We followed no trail, it had long disappeared, yet, we still kept the largest star in sight as our beacon.

Aris leaned the weapon he held against the trunk of a thick tree. Then he began to strip off all of his clothes. Right down to nothing.

"What're you doing?" I laughed a little, suddenly feeling nervous. I could see he had a raging hard-on.

He walked toward me, slowly and deliberately, with a heated look of intent.

I got the feeling I was about to find out how it felt to be taken by a warrior.

There were no words.

One minute Aris was coming at me primed with sexy intent, the next minute I was stealthily divested of all my clothing. I stared around the ground at my far-flung silky bra and panties and prayed I wouldn't spot a Seer.

Aris pushed me back up against the same trunk that the battle-axe rested against. Lifting me in his arms he moved his body flush to mine. Ignoring the rough bark of the tree against my bare skin, I threw my arms around his neck and lifted my legs round his waist. He took a step back and lowered me, impaling me on his shaft. My breath came out in a gasp—his, in a growl.

With his hands gripping my ass, he slid me up and down on him, each stroke causing me to cry out with delight. I arched my back and tossed my head in abandon. This was the animal I'd been craving. Deep down I'd sensed he'd held back when making love to me, but no more. The impossible fullness of his enormous cock plunging into my tight, barely ready pussy made me grit my teeth. He'd spent no time preparing me for his size, and yet, the intensity of my arousal more than compensated. After several deep strokes, becoming faster and faster, I craved his intimate assault.

Before either of us could spend our lust, he suddenly lowered to his knees. Then, using the forest floor as a mattress, he laid me down. All the while his cock remained deep in place. His weight bore down on me, but then he lifted up and, pulling free, knelt between my open legs. I sighed over the loss, but soon grew excited when he bent to suckle my nipple and then kiss a trail down to my belly. Lower still, his hot breath blew against my pussy. I felt a finger plunge within, soon followed by another. His tongue flicked out to lick my clit, while another finger joined the pair.

My head writhed side to side. My fingers caught hold of his head, rubbing the bristle of his shorn hair. He'd grown stubble on his face during our forced excursion, and now I felt the roughness against my thighs.

His tongue was wild on me, while his fingers plunged deep, withdrew, and plunged again. Then his hot mouth came down, suckling my clit as it had my nipple. Just as I reached the brink of release, he pulled free and kissed a trail back up my body, settling his cock before my entrance. Swiftly he plunged, ravishing me with exquisite torture. His strokes were merciless, bold, and demanding. He would take, just as he would give. I felt tears slip down my face, my tormented body becoming a mass of unbearable need. Though I longed to cry out, I held on until I could bear no more. Aris sunk deep within me and stilled.

"See me," he demanded.

I nodded once, unable to speak.

Still he did not move. Until...his hand came up the side of my face, cupping my cheek tenderly, only to reach round my head and grasp my hair. Our eyes met and held, an unspoken bond forging between us.

"Mine," he said.

"And mine," I dared to reply.

He grinned.

Now he began to move once more, faster and faster until we both cried our release for any and all to hear.

We gathered our clothes in silence. My limbs felt shaken, my body spent. I watched him for a moment as I dressed and wondered, was this it? Did I have him now? Had I passed some test? And would it remain this way between us, or was what just happened nothing more than bloodlust? Perhaps. Yet, why did I feel I needed more?

"Ready?" His stare was blank. In his hand he gripped the weapon, holding it easily at his side as though it belonged to him. And didn't it?

Didn't I?

Is that what he meant when he'd said 'mine'?

Millions of questions flooded my mind. None I dared to voice. Maybe it was better to remain in blissful ignorance. If he could play it cool, so could I.

He took up the lead, always remaining just slightly ahead of me, out of reach. His mind no doubt plagued him with unanswered questions of his own. I wondered if his conscience troubled him. Mine never seemed to cause me such worry. Anxiety and sleepless nights only haunted me if I got too close to a deadline and had to scramble to find someone worthy to hand over—as in Unworthy. My victims were bad, or mostly so. I suppose that made it all right. I'm sure Aris was of the same frame of mind; that it was them, or us.

My belly growled. The calories consumed earlier had long burned off. Seeing Aris study the land around us, I knew he searched for a place to make camp. He was edgy now, knowing we weren't as safe as he'd thought us to be. Not since Baynar had sent every able-bodied warrior in search of us. The star we followed no longer guided us to safer lands. We would spend the rest of our days in fear, and on the run. Baynar had seen to that. Who knew how many hunted us? The challenge may have been issued days ago, and now our enemies were beginning to emerge.

Aris moved off to the right and started down a slope, sending a quick glance over his should to see that I followed. I made my way, sliding and scrambling along behind him till we both stood side by side at the bottom. Ahead of us stretched a wide valley filled with long, flowing grass, and widely spaced, tall, white trees.

"Those look like birch," I observed.

"They are. Long ago we took samples from Earth, along with other trees and plants, and brought them here. We also relocated some Earth species of animals. They all seem to have thrived."

"Humph."
Imagine that.
No wonder why I felt so at home here. And so much for Aris' boast that Calixtus wasn't messing around with Taleon.

Aris started off across the field, no longer keeping the star in our path. Perhaps he figured that others may have noticed our direction, and now he wished to alter it. We traveled through the field until it was almost dark, vainly looking for somewhere to lay our heads for the night. Being out in the open made us both uneasy.

Aris stopped. "Over there." He pointed.

"Is that smoke?" I was instantly afraid. Smoke meant fire, which meant someone was over there.

"I'll check it out. You stay here. Hide behind a tree and keep out of sight." He waited until I'd ducked down in the tall grass behind a birch. I didn't enjoy being left behind, but he
was
a cop, and he had a weapon now.

About ten minutes or so later, I guessed, I heard Aris calling out to me.

"Danni, it's safe."

I got up and headed in his direction. The trees were thicker over here, the gaps between them filled by high brush. Aris had called to me from this area, so I strode into the mini forest until I came upon a clearing. Along with the surrounding trees was a sharply sloping grassy hill, which had a bit of an overhang. Jutting out from the base of the hillside was a cabin. I blinked a few times making sure that's what I actually saw in the dim light.

Yep. It was a cabin.

Aris stood before it, and he wasn't alone. An older couple stood on either side of him. I gauged the couple to be in their late fifties or early sixties. The man was tall and well built, while the woman was petite. Both of them had streaks of silver in their hair. Their faces had slight wrinkles, which were accented by the wide, welcoming smiles they wore.

"You must be Danni," the man said, stepping forward with his hands extended. I reached out and allowed him to take mine in his grip. His hands felt warm and firm.

"Welcome," the woman said. "I'm Clarissa, and this is Juniper."

"Ahh, hi." My gaze snapped to Aris, making sure he was all right with this. He appeared to be calm, though I noticed he still held tight to the battle-axe.

"Aris tells us you've run into a bit of trouble," Juniper said. He wore a fatherly expression, and the concern in his voice gave my belly a pang for some reason.