Unique Ink

by Cyndi Friberg

  They’d fallen back into a natural comradery. He really was easy to talk to, and wow could he kiss. She’d never been with a man who was so assertive, so confident. It was exciting, yet intimidating. All of her other relationships had developed gradually, simmered for a time then faded away.

  This wasn’t a relationship! They were pretending. “So we met online, flirted for several months, and I called you in a panic after I was released from here. Jett will want to know where this place is. What do I tell him?”

  “You had a blinding headache when you arrived and you were blindfolded on the way out.”

  “He won’t like it, but he’ll probably believe it. When did you arrive? Wait, my car is still at Unique Ink. How did I go pick you up?”

  A secretive smile parted his lips, relaxing his features and making him look younger. “Your car is in one of the transport hangers. I had one of my men go get it last night.”

  “Good thinking.” It must be nice to have “men” at one’s beck and call. She envied his authority for only a second before another implication took shape in her mind. He’d presumed she would give in and agree to bait their trap. How arrogant. But what other conclusion could he draw? This program had no oversight, no one to hold them accountable for their actions. Or if they did Roxie didn’t know about it. Morgan could have kept her locked up indefinitely and no one would have known or cared. She shivered. Power like that invited corruption. It was dangerous. “Did your man leave a note or something? Tess and Jett will think my car was stolen.”

  He offered her a guilty smile that did little to ease her misgivings. “I might have told him to let himself in so he could snoop around for your purse. I was pretty sure it was in your shop somewhere.”

  More evidence to prove her point. These people broke laws without a second thought. Just like Smoke and Jodi. “It was in my desk drawer.”

  “I know.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out her phone, which had been in her purse. “And I might have sent a couple of texts to Jett and Tess, letting them know you had a surprise for them.”

  He’d done it so her friends wouldn’t worry, and to pave the way for their deception. Did his good intentions excuse a criminal act? “Ever heard of breaking and entering?”

  “That only counts if you get caught.”

  She tried to smile but it came out more like a grimace. Ever since her arrest—and Jodi’s death—Roxie had played by the rules. She’d worked hard to remain focused and productive. Besides, if Roxie screwed up even once, broke any law for any reason, she’d go to jail. And Jodi’s death would have been meaningless as well as tragic.

  Needing a distraction from her thoughts, she pressed the power button on her phone. She wasn’t getting a signal now, which wasn’t surprising. They were three stories underground. She scrolled through her missed calls and text messages. His presumption was still annoying, but she was relieved to see how skillfully he’d defused the situation. “I’m glad you’re on my side.” She looked at him so he’d realize she meant it as she added, “You’re too comfortable breaking the law.”

  Someone knocked on the door, postponing his reply. He crossed to the door and pulled it open, momentarily blocking Roxie’s view. “What’s going on?”

  “Is Roxie with you?” Morgan asked, her voice sounding oddly tense.

  He swung the door all the way open and motioned toward Roxie.

  Without moving from the doorway, Morgan looked at her and said, “Gerrod, Jillian’s father, promised us information in exchange for a new identity.”

  Morgan was talking to her instead of talking about her. This was an improvement. “Why did he need a new identity?”

  “Because Sevrin tried to kill him,” Elias reminded her.

  “One of the things he promised to explain was Sevrin’s connection to you.” Morgan’s expression remained grim.

  “Can you trust him?”

  “At this point, he has no reason to lie.”

  Tension coiled around Roxie’s chest, making it hard to breath. “What did he say? Why is Sevrin obsessed with me?”

  Chapter Five

  Forcing herself not to squirm, Sevrin closed her eyes and savored the warmth of Flynn’s strong hands as they moved over her body. This was what she craved, what her treacherous body needed. Yet each moment of surrender amplified the echoes from her past. Her father’s voice insisted that control equaled power and compromise was for the weak. Anything she wanted, she better be ready to take and she must always be willing to make sacrifices.

  “You seem distracted.” Flynn fisted the back of her hair and tilted her face up. “Who are you thinking about?”

  She opened her eyes and fought back a smile. Flynn was a handsome devil, with symmetrical features and a body shaped by genetic engineering and decades of discipline. But underneath his superficial glares and whispered commands, there was something almost insecure about him. He was like a guard dog that had been beaten once too often. He was just as likely to curl into a protective ball with his tail tucked between his legs as to attack.

  Rather than admit that the ghost of her father was tormenting her again, she brought up the first believable subject that popped into her mind. “I was wondering what Roxie Latimer was doing tonight. Are you jealous?”

  “I’m jealous of anything that intrudes on our time together. But why are you so obsessed with that human?” Flynn buried his face in the bend of Sevrin’s neck, his teeth lightly scraping. “And if she’s so important, why did you leave her behind?”

  Flynn had Sevrin pressed against the wall in her bedroom. She was finally surrounded by an apartment worthy of royalty. Her quarters at the Farm were spacious and well-appointed, providing her with a level of comfort she hadn’t enjoyed since leaving Rodymia. The furniture was sleekly modern, the decorating tasteful, and her bed was large enough to accommodate two, perhaps even three people.

  The thought made her smile. She could just imagine how Flynn would react if she invited someone else to participate in one of their sessions. He was delightfully possessive and willing to demonstrate his displeasure. He’d already made her strip down to her underwear, but he seemed to be in no hurry to get her naked. “Roxie is right where I need here, for now. She only thinks she’s been left behind.”

  Without releasing her hair, he used his other hand to unfasten her bra. “Are you sure she’s where you think she is?”

  She tensed, splaying her fingers against his chest. “What are you talking about?”

  He swallowed with obvious difficulty and glanced away from her face. “I haven’t seen her for the past two days.”

  “What?” She shoved him back then hissed as he inadvertently pulled her hair. His fingers released a millisecond later and her bra slipped down her arms. Unconcerned with her nudity, she didn’t bother catching the undergarment as it sailed toward the floor. If the frustration twisting his expression was any indication, he hadn’t intended to tell her even now. “She hasn’t been at work for two days?”

  “It was easier to keep track of her when I could enter the store. Her car was there to begin with, so I thought she was just laying low after all of the excitement the other day. But her car isn’t at her apartment either. I’m not sure where she is.”

  “And you didn’t think this was important enough to mention?” She put her hands on her hips and glared up at him. He absently cupped one of her breasts, but she slapped his hand away. With blinding speed, he spun her around and dragged her arms behind her back. Sevrin tugged against his restraining fingers as his free hand moved boldly over breasts. “Let. Go.”

  “Don’t want to.” He caught one of her nipples between his thumb and forefinger and squeezed. She gasped then slammed the back of her head into his chest. He chuckled, but didn’t release her. “I think you misbehave, so I’ll have no choice but to spank you.”

  “I am not in the mood for our games. This is important.” She made her voice snarl, but her core melted and her inner muscles fluttered, desperate for t
he demanding fullness he was sure to give her. “Now let go of me.”

  He tensed for a moment then pushed on with reckless indifference. “I need this and so do you.” With her hands still locked at the small of her back, he propelled her toward the bed. “You can stop being stubborn and enjoy it or grit your teeth until it’s over. I honestly don’t care which you choose.” After kicking her feet apart, he bent her over the bed and dragged her panties down around her knees. Then he slowly pushed his hand between her thighs, testing the level of her arousal. “Yeah,” he chuckled. “You’re not into this at all.” His fingers slid easily over her desire-soaked folds, each touch echoing his mocking tone.

  She renewed her resistance, needing the strength of his hands as much as the arousing caress of his fingers. “If you can’t control yourself, then get it over with.”

  He laughed again and drove two fingers deep into her aching core. “You’ve never seen me lose control, princess. Trust me, you’d remember.”

  Already the rhythmic tension of an orgasm gathered around his fingers. She sucked in a breath and forced her muscles to relax. She needed him to command her pleasure, but she wasn’t willing to reveal how readily her body obeyed. “Roxie is incredibly important. We cannot lose track of her.”

  He shifted his fingers to her clit, leaving her empty and aching. “I thought you tagged her when you used the language infuser on her.”

  A strangled moan escaped her throat as he slowly tugged on the puffy little bundle of nerves. Damn, he was good at this. Maybe too good. “The tracker is malfunctioning.” She tensed as she heard her own words. The device error had seemed like a minor annoyance, something that required attention, yet hadn’t triggered her protective instincts. But paired with Flynn’s observations, the malfunction was much more suspicious. Unique Ink was Roxie’s life. She was never inattentive to her business. “I thought we’d kept the Ontarians too busy to worry about an insignificant human. Maybe I was wrong.”

  Flynn’s hand came down hard on her naked ass cheek. Sevrin yelped then groaned as tingling heat spread through her lower body.

  “Pay attention,” he snapped.

  “But we—” He spanked her again and pleasure burst with shocking intensity, crawling across her nerve endings until her entire body seemed to pulse. She trembled, helpless to do more than gasp as the spasms went on and on.

  He released her hands, and half a second later, his cock drove into her still clenching body. A fresh wave of sensation crashed over her and she cried out. She’d never been with anyone who could make her come so fast or so hard. He grasped her hips with both hands and filled her with strong, steady thrusts.

  “Again.” He growled the word into her ear then bit her lobe hard enough to make her curse. “Let me feel you come.”

  She fought the sensations this time, determined to make him work for it. When she didn’t immediately obey, he eased one of his hands between her thighs and fingered her clit again. She tossed her head, intentionally whipping his face with her hair. The wilder and more aggressive he became, the more she liked it.

  Suddenly he pulled out then lifted her off her feet and tossed her onto the bed. She rolled to her back and tried to kick him as he joined her on the bed. He yanked her legs apart and bent her knees to her chest.

  “Beg me.” His dark gaze drilled into hers as he held her legs open.

  “Fu—”

  He cut off her words with a punishing kiss and rubbed against her, dragging his shaft over her clit without entering her hungry body. Her inner muscles clenched, intensifying the emptiness inside her. She bucked, trying to align their bodies so he would have no option but to fill her again.

  She pulled his hair and he paused long enough to trap her hands above her head. Gods she loved it when he held her down and pounded into her like he would die without her.

  “Beg me.” He whispered the command against her lips as his hips continued their sensual movements.

  “No. You’re already much too arrogant.”

  Pulling back far enough so he could see her body spread out beneath him, he took his cock in his free hand and positioned it over her clit. “You love my arrogance. Now beg me or I’ll leave you like this, wet and empty, desperate for another taste of this.” He pushed just inside, giving her a teasing hint of fullness.

  She bucked wildly, tossing her head as anger and frustration surged through her. “In me. Please.” The plea slipped out without her permission. She hadn’t meant to give in, at least not this easily!

  He filled her slowly this time, forcing her to feel how tightly she stretched to accommodate his thick length. He pushed deeper and deeper, not stopping until his pelvis pressed against hers. “Now isn’t that better?” He brushed her hair back from her face, his gaze warm and caressing. Despite his outward aggression, his expression was surprisingly tender.

  She needed to find out what had happened to Roxie. If the Mystic Militia had gotten their hands on her, it would spell disaster for Sevrin. She was about to voice her concerns when Flynn decided to move. He pulled nearly out just as slowly as he pushed in. She drew her legs up along his sides, resting her heels on his muscular back. He covered both her hands with his, interlacing their fingers. They stared into each other’s eyes, sharing emotions neither dared to acknowledge. Then he moved faster, sliding over and into her, claiming her body and forcing rational thoughts from her mind.

  * * * * *

  Too anxious to remain seated, Roxie stood up. This nightmare was supposed to have ended when Sevrin left town. Roxie wanted it to be over more than anything. Still, understanding Sevrin’s motivation should make the situation more tolerable. Wasn’t information supposed to be empowering? Then why was her heart racing and her mouth so dry she could barely swallow?

  “Has Elias explained who Sevrin is?” Morgan asked, still loitering in the doorway to Elias’ living quarters.

  “Her uncle is a ruler on their planet.” Rodymia. Their planet was called Rodymia.

  “He isn’t a ruler, he’s the Crown Stirate, the ultimate authority for the entire planet.”

  “What does her pedigree have to do with me?”

  “Why don’t you come in and sit down. You’re making me nervous.” Elias closed the door behind Morgan then leaned his shoulder against it as she joined Roxie. There were only two chairs in the grouping, and the bed was on the other side of the room, which left Elias nowhere to sit.

  Roxie sank back onto her chair but Morgan hesitated. “I’d love to break this to you gently, but we’re rapidly running out of time.” She motioned Elias toward his chair and positioned herself so she could see them both. “I have a lot to explain, so please keep your questions to a minimum.”

  Though annoyed by the request, Roxie only nodded.

  “According to Gerrod,” Morgan began, “your mother was a war bride. Do you know what that means?”

  Roxie shook her head. If Elias mentioned it, she didn’t remember what he’d said. He’d told her so many things in the past two days, much of it had blurred.

  “Bilarri and Rodymia have been at war for centuries. Hostilities ebb and flow, but the war has never officially ended.” When Roxie said nothing, Morgan went on. “Rodyte warriors capture Bilarrian females and force them to bear their children. The children are then termed battle born.”

  “It sounds like the Shadow Assassins.”

  “The Shadow Assassins were founded by a powerful Rodyte warrior,” Elias told her. “Many of their practices are similar.”

  “Let’s stay focused.” Morgan clasped her hands behind her back, as she often did during briefings, likely to maximize her height and make her shoulders look broader. “The people on Bilarri can manipulate magic.”

  “And those on Rodymia can’t. I know. Elias told me.”

  “What else did you tell her?” Morgan asked Elias. “I don’t want to repeat what you’ve already covered.”

  “Start with Pern,” Elias suggested.

  Morgan nodded. “Pern Keire was t
he first ruler with balls enough to be honest about what he wanted. He was openly hostile toward anyone with paranormal abilities, while he frantically worked to restore such powers to his people.”

  “Who is Pern Keire?”

  “Sevrin’s father,” Elias clarified. “He’s dead now and his younger brother Quentin is on the throne.”

  Roxie nodded, not wanting to slow down the process.

  “Sevrin was not his only child, but she was by far his favorite,” Morgan continued. “She was born to his royal consort, the Rodyte version of a queen.”

  “And who gave birth to the rest of his children?” Every question she asked postponed the specifics of her situation, but this seemed important.

  “Before Pern bonded with his consort, he captured five war brides. Gerrod is Pern’s eldest battle-born son.”

  A knot formed in the pit of Roxie’s stomach and a continuous stream of questions flooded her mind. Miraculously, she remained silent, needing to understand how the surreal events affected her.

  “Pern wanted to restore magic to his people and he didn’t care who he destroyed along the way.” Morgan paused for a moment, likely to organize her thoughts. When she resumed, her voice was stronger, more authoritative. “We’re not sure who made the discovery or even if the phenomenon is naturally occurring, but human physiology is unusually receptive to alien DNA.”

  Roxie swallowed past a sudden lump in her throat. “Do I want to know what that means?”

  “It means humans are one of the few species able to breed with Ontarians, Rodytes and Bilarrians.” Morgan hurried on before Roxie could distract her. “Pern wasn’t just fond of claiming war brides for himself, he encouraged his warriors to target Bilarrian females with powerful abilities. A great number of the battle-born daughters were born with abilities, but very few of the sons seemed to be able to manipulate magic. Rodymia is a patriarchal, warrior culture so this was unacceptable to Pern. He’d begun searching for other methods of empowering male offspring when he learned about Ontarian hybrids being born of human mothers.”