by Mina Carter
His answering growl stoked the fire in her veins. He pulled her closer, all but crushing her against his broad chest. His free hand swept up her thigh, lingering in the tight curve of her waist before sliding upward to cup her bust. She mewled in the back of her throat, the sound lost under their torrid kiss.
His hand was large and warm, his touch electric even through the thin fabric of her dress. She arched her back to press more of herself into his hand. An offering or demand, she wasn’t sure which.
He didn’t seem to care either, another rumble in the center of the broad chest she lay against. He cupped her, thumb stroking over her nipple. It beaded instantly, begging for more attention. And he didn’t disappoint. Letting go of her for a fraction of a second, he slid his hand beneath her dress.
Her hands drove into his hair as he rubbed his thumb over her nipple, her tongue dueling with his. Their kiss became hotter, more torrid as tension rose between them. He growled and dominated the kiss as she tried to tease him, the heat between them an inferno.
Her world narrowed down to just the two of them. Nothing mattered anymore but his kiss and the touch of his hand.
He broke away, leaning his forehead against hers as he drew a ragged breath. “I’m not a gentle male. We should stop… you’re hurt—”
“Don’t you dare stop,” she cut him off with a growl of her own, her grip tightening at the back of his neck. She nudged his jaw up with her nose, kissing along his stubbled chin and down his throat between her words.
“I’m not a delicate little flower. I won’t break if you look at me the wrong way. I want this. I want you.”
She pulled away to look into his face. “Make me forget today?”
The tightening of his expression and the sudden flare of heat in his eyes were the only warnings she got. The next instant he flipped them over onto the bed, pinning her beneath him and looming over her as he claimed her lips again.
This time though, the gloves were off. He didn’t hold back, pressing against her as he kissed her. His knee had parted her thighs so he could settle between them and he rocked against her. He pressed the thick, hard length of his cock still trapped in his trousers against her, right where they both needed him to be.
She gasped and kissed him back. Her nails raked down his back and he broke the kiss to hiss, his face tight with desire. Easily capturing both of her hands in one of his, he pulled them up over her head. The small moan she gave made him smile in triumph. His face a mask of need, he pulled at the straps on her gown.
She tensed slightly, expecting to hear the sound of tearing fabric but instead it fell away, leaving her as naked as the day she’d been born. He pulled back to look down at her.
Automatically she tensed. What sort of women was he used to? She was slender and tried to stay toned, but her stomach retained a little jiggle she’d never been able to get rid of.
“Beautiful,” he breathed, running a big hand down her curves. He paused to trace the zig-zag of her stretch-marks. “These… I love these. They’re beautiful.”
She laughed, the sound breathy and ending on a gasp as he pulled her leg up over his hip and ground his cock against her pussy. “Most men hate them. They-they’re a flaw.”
He growled against her lips. “They say you’re a mother. That you’ve born young. They’re sexy.”
His kiss was open-mouthed and desperate now. She lost the ability to think as he ravaged her mouth. His hand slid between them, his clever fingers sliding against her clit. She whimpered as he stroked her, sending her arousal so high she thought she’d never come down again.
“Gods, I wanted to take this slow,” he murmured against her lips. “But I can’t wait. I have to have you. Make you mine.”
“Do it. I won’t break.” She caught his gaze and saw the moment his resolve broke.
With a snarl, he lifted his hips away from hers, reaching between them to tear at his leathers. A second later his cock sprang free, the thick length slapping gently against her soft stomach. Her breath caught as it left a sticky trail for a second before he grabbed the base. A second later the broad head pressed against her.
Sucking in a breath, she held still. Their gazes collided in that moment of anticipation and she shivered, a rush of liquid heat escaping her as though welcoming him.
He pressed, and her body resisted… for a second. Then it gave and he slid into her half an inch. His deep groan joined her softer one.
“So tight,” he groaned, lifting up on the pressure with his hips for a second, and then pushing again.
She bit her lip as he slipped deeper, her body parting around him. “You’re big,” she managed between presses that stroked every nerve ending she had.
Pleasure coursed through her system, all centered where they were joined. She lifted up to look down, a surge of arousal rolling through her as she saw his massive cock impaling her. Her gaze caught on the bunch and flex of his abs as he pulled back and drove in again.
“Oh god, that feels good,” she whispered, arching her back and pressing up against him.
Conversation ceased as he worked his way into her. The air was punctuated by her soft moans and his deeper groans until, finally, his hips met hers. He paused over her, frozen in place for a second as he looked into her eyes. For a moment she felt like he could see all the way down to her soul…
She shivered, feeling the pleasant burn as her body adjusted to his size. One thing was for sure, either Latharian men were much bigger than human men, or Fenriis was gifted.
Letting go of her wrists, he planted his hands either side of her head. This time when he drew back, he powered into her. She gasped as she felt every inch and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
He took her like a man starved and suddenly presented with a banquet. His powerful body moved over hers, driving his cock deep inside her again and again. She whimpered and writhed, moving with him. Rocking her hips against him, she urged him on deeper and faster.
Her sounds of pleasure grew louder, underlined by his deep growls and the slap of skin on skin. Their breathing grew shorter as the heat between them spiraled out of control, intensifying enough to rival the heart of any star. As her body tightened, she pulled him closer for a deep, passionate kiss.
“Please…” she broke away to beg. “I’m so close.”
He smiled, the rumble of male triumph one she couldn’t miss. His reply was to push upright, large hands around her hips hauling her up into his lap. Her moan was nearly a scream as the change in position meant he slid so deep she wasn’t sure where she ended and he began.
Reaching between them, he pressed his thumb against her clit and she was lost. Her orgasm crashed over her without warning, rolling through her with the force of a solar storm. She cried out, reaching out for him as he dropped down over her, his thrusts harder now as she clenched and fluttered around him.
The power and precision, though, were lost, fractured within a few strokes as he slammed into her and stiffened, announcing his own release with a bellow. His cock, buried balls deep within her, pulsed and jerked and she felt the heat of his release as he came.
Branding her... claiming her as his own.
She shivered beneath him as he half collapsed over her. There was no going back now. She belonged to him.
10
Amanda was amazing. Beautiful. Sexy.
And she was all his.
Fenriis tracked his new mate as she moved around the bridge, talking to his warriors as he stood near the command dais. She was dressed once more as befit the lady of a war commander in flowing silks, jewels twinkling at her ears and around her neck and wrists. Her hair was swept up baring the delicate arch of her neck. She smiled and chatted easily, but he could tell she was tired.
She should be. He’d kept her up all night, only letting her sleep just before the morning bells. He’d taken her every way possible, luxuriated in the freedom to touch her… to claim her body as his own. A couple of times he’d woken her from sleep to take her aga
in until she’d laughingly told him off, told him to let her sleep.
So he had, but he hadn’t. Instead, he’d lain next to her, watching her and gently stroking her hair as she slept curled up next to him. Then, leaving her sleeping in his bed, he’d risen to attend morning training, feeling more invigorated than he had in years despite the fact he hadn’t slept.
A sigh of contentment escaped him. He still couldn’t believe she was his. Finally, he had a mate. His gaze dropped to his wrists before he could stop himself. Seeing the bare skin there, he quickly yanked his eyes away.
“It can take a while for them to show.”
He schooled his jump at the sound of Isan’s voice right at his shoulder. Gods damn, the healer was light on his feet. He turned to find amusement lighting the younger male’s eyes.
“Mating marks,” Isan clarified, nodding toward Fenriis’ wrists… as though he didn’t know what the healer meant. “They can be instant, or they can take years to show.”
“Oh sheesh… give a male hope, why don’t you!” He chuckled, clapping the male on the shoulder in a familiar gesture. Of all the warriors aboard, mostly K’Vass, he, Isan and Danaar were the most closely related.
“Female, will you just do as you’re told?”
“When you say something that’s sensible, I will!”
Raised voices from the other side of the bridge made them both turn around. Danaar stood just inside the entrance to the bridge, the human female Madison in front of him with her hands on her hips and a mulish expression on her face.
“And you’ve given me three different reasons for it… A little tip, handsome. Get your story straight before you try and bullshit someone, okay?”
Madison had crowded Danaar now, snarling up into his face as she jabbed him in the middle of the chest.
"Trouble in paranor, right there,” Isan murmured in amusement.
Fenriis nodded with a chuckle. Danaar had been rhapsodizing about the human female all through training this morning, telling them all how well it was going between them and she’d be accepting his claim on her before long. How she’d leave her life on Earth to be his lady, something that had had both Isan and Fenriis raising their eyebrows. Given the position Madison held among her own people, it seemed highly unlikely that she would give that up to become a simple warrior’s lady.
“My lord,” the communications officer announced from his position just in front of the two warriors. “Incoming communication from the human ship. Should I put it through onto the main screen? Also, you should be aware, the emperor’s ship is now on long-range sensors.”
Fenriis nodded, acknowledging both announcements as he turned and took his seat in the command chair. “Hail the emperor’s vessel with a welcome as soon as they’re in range. Put the human commander on screen.”
“Aye, my Lord.”
A second later the viewscreen at the front of the bridge changed from showing the human ship and beyond it the third and fourth planets in the Terran system to that of a human female. This one was unlike any Fenriis had ever seen. Petite, her dark hair was cut short with one side shaved close to the scalp. She wore a uniform but not like the one Hopkins and his group had worn. Plain fabric, with no bling or braid, he easily recognized it as a combat uniform. A quick glance at the bridge officers around her confirmed they were all similarly attired.
Her gaze was direct and locked with his. He nodded in acknowledgment of a fellow warrior.
“War Commander K’Vass,” she said, her voice as clipped and no-nonsense as her appearance. “I am Major General Black, now in command of the TSS Defiant.” Her fierce expression cracked into a small smile, little more than a quirk of her lips. “It’s a pleasure to finally speak to you.”
“And to you, Major General,” Fenriis inclined his head. If he hadn’t already been mated, he’d have been fascinated by the woman warrior, as he sensed many of his bridge crew were. Especially Sardaan, the communications officer who had spoken to her before. “Although would that it were under better circumstances. I am assuming given that my officer has sent over the intergalactic conventions that bind all races, you are now aware that your general’s actions aboard my ship the other day were an act of war.”
She inclined her head. “If I may speak freely, my lord?” She paused for a moment, waiting for his nod, and then continued. “I didn’t need any legal documents to tell me that, just common sense. Opening fire on another species' vessel was always going to cause issues. However, I have been instructed to inform you by our leadership that General Hopkins was acting alone and will be subject to the harshest punishment upon his return.”
Fenriis rubbed at the stubble on his chin as he considered the woman. To her credit, she didn’t fidget or show any discomfort when he drew the silence out. Just watched him with a gaze as unblinking as a liiraas snake.
“You are, of course, assuming that we will return your people. Your males opened fire on us, an act of war punishable by death. And your female…” He smiled as Amanda came to stand behind him, beside Isan. “Well, your females do seem to prefer us Latharian males.”
General Black gave the slightest inclination of her head, but didn’t comment. She didn’t even flick a glance toward Sardaan, but kept her attention on Fenriis.
“That being said,” she replied. “I must respectfully ask that you return our people so we can punish them appropriately. I am authorized to offer you certain concessions in the upcoming treaty talks…”
She let the sentence trail off, one eyebrow raised slightly as she waited for some kind of reaction from him. For a moment Fenriis debated being an asshole, but decided against it. This woman was not cut from the same cloth as Hopkins and his little crew. He was just glad she hadn’t been leading the human assault. He had a feeling things might have gone very, very differently if she had. Unlike other males of his species, he knew better than to underestimate human females.
“We will return your people on one condition,” he announced, still lounging in his command chair.
Black nodded. “And that condition is?”
“That you and your senior staff accept an invitation to dine with us aboard the Veral’vias.”
She froze, just for a second, and he spotted it. The slight shift of her gaze across the bridge toward the communications console.
“Accepted. On my behalf only.” She smiled suddenly at his curious look. “You have the majority of our chain of command aboard your ship, my lord. I would not be a good leader if I gave you the rest, now would I? I am afraid I will have to suffice. If that is acceptable to you?”
“Perfectly. We will expect you at 2100 this evening?” He smiled fully.
He’d never been interested in the rest of her staff anyway. He just wanted the female general aboard. Sure, he couldn’t take his men down to the surface on a raiding party to get them all females of their own, but that didn’t mean he was going to pass up any opportunity to get females aboard his vessel of their own free will.
“Of course.” She inclined her head. “Will you return our people at that point? Including the vice president?”
“We will return the prisoners beforehand,” he replied, his voice a deep rumble. Off to one side of the bridge, one of his warriors had stiffened, tension written into broad shoulders. But he couldn’t let it distract him. “The vice president, though, will remain aboard for dinner.”
“And then will return with me?” Black pressed.
He smiled and shrugged. “If either of you wish to leave. My previous point about our men still stands.”
“Oh, you’re good, my lord.” Black chuckled, the smile that flowed across her face transforming her severe expression. “Of course, you are missing one important point.”
He frowned. “And what is that?”
“Not all our women prefer men.” She winked. “I’ll arrive for dinner at 2100. Black out.”
He didn’t get time to process that surprising statement because at that moment a warrior strode onto the bridge
.
“My lord! We have found Fnaal!”
* * *
It took less than a few minutes for the senior warriors to make it down to the main hall of the ship. A large gallery that ran down the center of the vessel, Amanda had been struck silent in awe the first time she’d seen it. She was sure no one could blame her. With its high ceilings disappearing into shadow overhead and the arched walkways that crisscrossed the overhead space, it reminded her of a cathedral.
It appeared to serve as both training and function hall, used any time the Lathar aboard needed to congregate in large numbers. When Madison and Hopkins had arrived for their ill-fated visit, it had been set up for warrior training but now all the mats, obstacles and training bots had been cleared away.
The center of the floor was clear as Fenriis and the senior warriors swept in, Amanda at her mate’s side. Warriors crowded the edges of the room, packed onto the walkways overhead. She looked up for a moment, her jaw dropping. She knew she’d only met a fraction of the ship’s crew, knew that there was practically a small army onboard, but to see so many warriors congregated in one place took her breath away.
And they were all silent.
Apart from one.
Fnaal was on his knees in the center of the cleared floor, his hands bound behind his back. Two warriors flanked him, each with a heavy hand on one of the captured man’s shoulders, keeping him in place when he struggled and tried to rise. He snarled and snapped at them in a language she didn’t understand. It didn’t matter. She could guess what he was saying wasn’t at all complimentary.
As soon as they walked in, though, Fnaal’s attention snapped to them. His gaze locked instantly onto Amanda and he howled in fury.
“Faithless female!” he bellowed, struggling so hard he broke away from the warrior on his left and surged forward.
She gasped and took a half step back as fear rolled through her system. Fenriis’ hand tightened on hers and he held her in place. His presence alone was enough to stop her fleeing.
