Thorn's Bondmate (Zarronian Warriors Book 2) (10 page)

"Oh, yes, yes."

Daria's scent surrounded him and her violet eyes pleaded for release. He balanced his weight on his forearms, tunneled his fingers into her hair and held her still as he kissed her, devouring the sweetness of her mouth while increasing the rhythm of his thrusts.

She screamed her pleasure into his mouth as she came, pulsing around him, tightening and releasing, pulling him closer to her womb. He rocked his hips against hers as his seed filled her. Groaning, he collapsed onto her, crushing her beneath him.

His heart pounded in perfect sync with hers. A shiver rushed through her when he nuzzled her neck, tickling her with his tongue. His fingers were still buried in her hair, holding her as their hearts slowed. She nuzzled him, slid a line of kisses over his neck to his cheek. He tightened his hands in her hair as his cock hardened inside her.

He breathed in her scent then looked into her eyes. Holding her focus, he stretched his body, pushing deeper into her before he pulled out, flipped her over onto her belly and pulled her to her knees. He ran his hand from her lower back to her neck then grasped her nape, forcing her head down as he pulled her hips back and thrust into her. "Yes, Tor, yes." He pulled back then pushed forward again, and began a deep and fast rhythm. She pushed back against him, following his movements. The air around them shimmered with the blue mist. Her moans of pleasure reached him as each thrust pushed him closer to an explosive orgasm. He released her neck and slid his hand to her belly and strummed her clit, once then again.

"Thorn!"

The pulsing of her tight channel triggered his orgasm. He thrust again then lost the ability to move as it exploded through him. He managed to keep most of his weight off her but where they touched he felt heat radiating from her still.

He rolled away and lay on his back next to her. He wanted her again. He wanted to pull her beneath him, sink into her and lose himself in her forever. Angrily, he cursed her and the fever they shared.

Daria drew his attention when she shivered then covered herself with the sheet. Without a word he left the bed and walked into the living area.

She watched through the open door as he picked up his clothes, stepped into his pants and shrugged into his vest then grabbed his boots.

"I'll be back tomorrow night. Enjoy your new quarters, Daria. You've earned them."

She rolled over, turning her back to him and heard him leave. His scent lingered on the pillow. She grabbed it and threw it against the wall but his scent remained. It was everywhere. On the bed and on her. Jumping up, she ran to the shower in the smaller bed chamber and angrily scrubbed his scent from her skin. Then, she leaned against the wall and cried while she cursed him until her throat was hoarse and her eyes red and puffy.

Somehow, someday, she'd make him pay for this. She was angry at him for ordering Aulunson to torture the truth out of her although she understood why he'd done it. After all, she had snuck onto his ship and he believed she was a spy. He had no way of knowing that she didn't intend them any harm and she figured she'd been lucky he hadn't executed her. But this…making her act as his kourtisan wasn't political. It was personal and she hated him for doing this to her.

She shut off the water and dried herself. After crawling into bed, she stared into the darkness and waited for sleep to overtake her. The longer she waited, the more anxious she became. She closed her eyes and forced herself to think of something pleasant. An image of a pristine beach appeared in her mind. Beyond it, she created a glistening ocean of blue water. She slowed her breathing, keeping count as each foamy wave rolled onto the beach. Then, starting at her toes, she worked up her body, tensing then relaxing her muscles until she reached her cheeks. Her eyes sprang open and she groaned. It wasn't working.

Rising, she went into the kitchen and fixed herself a glass of juice. Considering what had happened the last time she'd had too much wine it would be better if she stuck to juice from now on. Sipping it, she leaned against the wall in the living area and watched the stars go by in the darkness beyond the starship and wondered if he was sleeping.

# # #

Thorn went to the bridge after he left her. He spent a few minutes checking the charts then returned to his quarters and looked in on Dane and Dev. Dane's covers were on the floor. He covered him, then went into his bed chamber, undressed, and dropped onto the bed. Sighing, he folded his arms beneath his head and thought about his plans for the next day.

He'd take his sons to the bridge with him in the morning. They'd never seen it as he'd studiously avoided taking them there or introducing them to his warriors. But, now he would do both. So far he'd left their warrior training to the trainers on his starship but starting tomorrow he'd take that on as well. They both excelled in the gymnasium, but Dev tended to rush through the exercises. Mostly, because he was like his Uncle Soren and was more interested in the starship and exploration than in fighting. Although Soren was deadly in battle and feared even among the other warriors.

Slowly, his body relaxed and he let himself sink deeper into the mattress. Tor, he was tired and he couldn't remember the last time he'd had a full night's sleep. He rolled onto his stomach and let himself drift away.

Chapter Five

A moon cycle later, Daria had lost those pesky fifteen pounds that had refused to budge in the past, no matter what she did. Her face was slimmer, making her eyes appear huge in her pale face and the gown that had clung to her curves now hung loose on her slender body.

Every night, Thorn came to her and every night she tried to resist him and failed. Within micro-units, she gave into him, eagerly taking the pleasure he gave her and occasionally begging for it. Afterwards, he rose and dressed while she lay on the bed, waiting for him to leave. Before walking out, he'd always say something hateful to her—mocking her eagerness or telling her how well-suited she was to her new life. He was a cruel monster and she hated him.

As soon as she was alone she'd think of a witty comeback and be angry with herself for not thinking of it in time to deliver it. Then, she'd scrub his scent from her body and wander from room to room, restless and unable to sleep. Eventually, she'd fall asleep for a few short hours.

Rolling over on the couch, she cursed when the sheet tangled around her. Impatiently, she unwound it and tossed it away. Mockingly, she laughed at herself. Why did she even bother? She was alone and
he
wouldn't care how she dressed or even if she dressed at all.

Tears of self-pity filled her eyes. Angrily, she brushed them away, mumbled a 'get-tough-Daria' lecture to herself then forced herself to begin counting the dots on the ceiling. She'd almost accomplished the feat the cycle before when she'd become so bored she'd fallen asleep. Which was the entire point of the process and if she was lucky it might happen again today.

She'd reached a thousand and nine when she someone pounded on the door. Surprised, she grabbed the sheet, wrapped it around herself. What should she do? Should she pound on it? Before she could decide chiming sound came from behind her. She scanned the room and saw a light on the viewing screen blinking. She hurried to it and began pushing the row of buttons. When she pushed the third one an image of Dane and Dev appeared.

They smiled at her. Tears filled her eyes and she laughed. The two of them were the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen. She dropped to her knees and touched the screen, wishing she could touch them.

"Daria, are you alright?" Dane asked. "Have you been sick?"

"No, sweetie, I'm fine now that I can see you and Dev. Are the two of you alright? You didn't get into trouble for helping me did you?" Had that monster punished them? She'd kill him if he'd harmed them.

"No, Father said it was alright. That he understood."

Dev nodded. "You look different."

She blinked away the tears that filled her eyes and smiled at them. "Do I, sweetie?"

"Why are you crying?" Dane's adorable little face scrunched up with concern.

"I'm just happy, Dane. Sometimes girls cry when they're happy. "

"We've been looking for you but we couldn't find you," Dev said. "Why aren't you in the brig?"

"The brig isn't a very nice place for a female so your father brought me here."

They grinned then began telling her about the things they'd been doing with their father. She could see how happy they were and she was happy for them.

"That's wonderful. It sounds like you're having lots of fun."

"What have you been doing?"

Dane asked the question Daria had hoped they wouldn't ask. She didn't want to lie to them but she couldn't tell them the truth. Teasingly, she told them, "Missing you, Dane. And, you too, Dev. Now, tell me about your lessons. How's the math going, Dev?"

Dev groaned and began to tell her about the lesson he was working on. Grateful for the distraction, she told him to get his books then she explained the equation to him until he understood it.

"Dane, what have you been studying?"

When he began telling her about the science assignment he was doing, she grimaced, and stopped him. Science was her weakest subject. "You're going to have to get your father to help you with that. I'm lost."

He giggled. "It's easy."

"That's what you think."

They spoke until Dane said they had to meet their father in the gymnasium.

"Alright. Have a good time."

"We will, Daria. We'll contact you tomorrow. Okay?"

"Wait! Did you get your father's permission to call me today?"

They shook their heads.

Sorrowfully, she told them, "Then, you better not contact me again."

"But, we're worried about you," Dane said.

She saw the tears in their eyes before they looked away. "Dane? Dev? Listen to me. I really appreciate that you called me and I really, really miss seeing both of you. But, I think you know that your father wouldn't want you talking to me. Don't you?"

They nodded.

"Then, I want you to obey him. Do you remember what we talked about? About rules and why your father set them for you?"

"Yes, Daria." They answered together.

"Good. I'm proud of both of you. Now, blow me a kiss."

They giggled and clumsily blew her several kisses. She'd taught them how to do that one day when they'd visited her. She returned their kisses then said, "Go on now. Git." They laughed as she knew they would. For some reason they loved her southern expressions. She smiled and their images disappeared and the screen went dark.

# # #

Thorn demonstrated a kick to Dev then watched as he tried to copy it. Patiently, he corrected him and told him to do it again. "Good, Dev. That was perfect. Now, add this move after the kick." He went through the motions several times, explaining it to them as he did it then watching as they practiced it.

Kneeling, he hugged them. "That's enough for today. Let's go back to our quarters and get cleaned up." As he wiped the sweat from his face, he added, "Dag and Ronin are joining us for dinner tonight."

"Can we have sweet cake, Father? Dag likes it." Dev grinned.

"Yes, tonight we'll give Dag sweet cake." Ruffling his son's hair, he added, "After he eats his vegetables."

His sons groaned, made several gagging sounds and giggled.

Thorn chuckled. He enjoyed the time he spent with his sons. During the mornings, he supervised their lessons then later they spent the afternoons in the gymnasium. In between, they explored the starship. In the evenings, before he put them to bed they watched info-discs together.

They ran ahead of his to their quarters and entered first. He sent them to shower before he went into his bathing chamber, undressed and stepped into the small cubicle. Standing beneath the warm spray he thought about Daria.

Every night after his sons were asleep he went to her. She always waited for him in the darkened bed chamber with the sheet pulled up to her shoulders, hiding her body from him. He'd tried to pull it away from her and she'd held onto it. The first few times she'd tried that he'd made it clear that every time she did that she'd pay for it and then he'd played with her until she'd begged him for relief. Now she didn't even try to keep the covering. Instead as soon as he entered he pulled the covering away and she'd roll onto her back, raise up on one elbow. As he undressed he told her what he was going to do to her. By the time he joined her on the cool sheets she was always burning with fever and eager for his possession.

Thinking about her was arousing him so he switched the water to cold and stood beneath the hard spray. Angrily, he cursed himself, her and the fever they shared. Never again would he allow a female to make a fool of him. As soon as they reached Zarronia the Council would expect him to hand her over to them. He didn't know what to do about that. If the scientists were right they wouldn't be able to be away from each other for more than two cycles without suffering. He'd hand her over to the Council then stay the hell away from her. He'd take the chance that the scientists were wrong about how strong the bonding was at his level. He stepped out of the shower, roughly dried himself, and went into his bed chamber. While he dressed he heard Dane and Dev's voices from the kitchen while they prepared dinner. Their childish voices rang with excitement and their laughter filled the quarters. As he left his room the chime rang, signaling Dag and Ronin's arrival.

"You're right on time," he said. "The boys are preparing dinner."

"Great!" Dag replied, rubbing his stomach, gleefully. "That means we're having sweet cake for dinner."

Ronin laughed, and pounded him on the back. "Not, if I know Thorn. I'll wager you that we're have vegetables and lots of them. "

Thorn grinned. "We're having both."

Dane and Dev appeared in the dining area. Each of them carried two food trays. They walked slowly, carefully balancing the trays in their hands. When they reached the table, they slid them onto its surface and laughed. Thorn, Dag and Ronin went to help them.