He feathered his fingers down her legs, making her shiver at the light touch. She eased her thighs apart a little, hoping to encourage further exploration. His fingers circled her injured ankle, and she flinched from the touch. She could walk on it, but it was bruised.
“Did I hurt you before?” Concern creased his forehead as he examined her leg.
“No. It’s just sore. Really.” He wasn’t going to stop for the night, was he? He’d never stopped at one orgasm before. She felt cheated.
“Hmm…I think you need to keep this ankle elevated.” He flashed a wicked little grin, and her heart turned over. God, she adored being around him. Just in these small moments between them. How he teased her and made her laugh. Maybe even when he made her mad. Even when she wanted to kick his ass, she knew he cared. Her problems mattered to him. She had a very short list of people in her life she could say that about. Plus, sex with him was the best she’d ever had. She smiled back at him. Nope, she couldn’t forget the great sex.
Still grinning, he propped her legs on his shoulders and kissed his way down her good leg to swirl his tongue under her knee. She moaned, surprised that was such a sensitive area. He nipped the soft flesh, and an echoing fire flashed between her legs. As always, she was hot for him within two seconds. She didn’t think she’d ever get used to it.
“Put your hands above your head.”
“Yes, master.” She smirked, but stretched her arms up, locking one hand over her opposite wrist.
“I see you’re learning your place here.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but when he shifted suddenly, pressing his cock deep into her wet pussy, all that emerged from her throat was a low moan.
He grasped her thighs, controlling her movements, pumping so slowly she wanted to scream. The angle was amazing. It was so tight. Rolling his hips, he increased the friction, slipping one hand down to flit over her swollen clitoris.
She strained upward, her hand tight on her wrist. “Please let me touch you, Kesuk. Please, I want—”
Begging, little bear? I like that. Do it again.
“Please.” Her hips bucked, but his hand moved from her clit to press down on her belly, staying her movements, making her sob in frustration. “Go faster, deeper, something.”
Chuckling, he resumed his lazy circling of her wet flesh, pushing into her, pulling away. She clamped her pussy on his cock, squeezing tight with each thrust until he groaned. Grinning, she watched his control slip. His breath hissed and his fangs slid out.
“Jain,” he growled.
“Yes?” She kept her tone as sweet and innocent as she could, but she knew her wide grin gave her away.
His next thrust slapped against her and she gasped. Hot pleasure rolled through her. Her legs flexed to meet his next push. He slapped the fleshy part of her upper thigh, the shock thrusting her into orgasm.
“Kesuk!”
But he wasn’t listening. He’d lost all control. His eyes were solid black, and he pounded roughly into her, consumed by his own needs. He threw back his head and roared his finish, filling her with his hot seed.
He collapsed beside her, panting. He turned her on her side and then buried his face in her hair, each breath fluttering the short strands. His arms tightened around her, pulling her back against his chest, cradling her to him.
She fought the sudden tears pressing against her lids because she felt…safe. Right here on this barbaric, backward planet with this uncivilized man.
“I thought I’d lost you. That I failed you.” His harsh whisper seemed to echo in the chamber. “You and Miki. I thought…” He swallowed, shook his head, and stopped speaking.
“You didn’t.” She turned to face him, laid a hand on his cheek, smoothing her fingers over his strong jaw.
“I could have. In a few more moments—” He leaned his forehead against hers, shuddering, his breathing ragged.
Stroking his shoulder, she tried to comfort him. “It didn’t happen. You can’t control everything, remember?”
He chuckled. “My own words used against me.”
“Used for you. You were right.” Her fingers slipped into his hair.
“Truly? Say it again, little bear. My ears must be deceiving me.”
“Shut up!” She laughed, bucking away from him.
Planting his palm in the middle of her back, he arched her torso toward him, dipping to suck her nipple.
“Ah!” Clenching her fingers in his hair, she pulled him closer.
He bit and released her nipple, just rough enough to make her moan, pulling as much of her small breast into his mouth as he could. His stubble scraped at the soft underside. She hooked her leg over his thigh, opening herself to his thick cock.
A crisp knock interrupted them, and they both groaned.
“If it’s one of my soldiers, he’ll be on night duty for a full Turn.” Kesuk reared up, his still-hard cock bouncing in the air.
A sleek man with dramatic black-striped auburn hair walked in without waiting for permission. His kohl-rimmed gaze took in the entire situation, including Jain’s blushing cheeks. Everything about the man was golden, including his skin, his eyes, and the thick loop in his ear. What appeared to be faded henna tattoos curved in stripes over his forearms.
Kesuk gave a warning growl before jerking the pelts over Jain. “You have a great deal of nerve coming in here, cat king.”
“The correct term is Amir, and felines are known for their arrogance. I am no exception.” The golden man favored her with a charming smile. His pupils were slitted like a cat’s. Fascinating.
Forgetting to be embarrassed, she held out her hand. “Hello. I’m Jain.”
“So you’re the lovely woman who’s caused such a fuss. I am the Amir Varad Mohan.” Ignoring Kesuk, he swept her hand to his lips.
“Are you really a cat king? They were just considering gene-splicing experiments with Siberian tigers when I left Earth.”
“Yes, tigers were successfully spliced. The king of the jungle, as it were.”
“That was lions.”
“I don’t see any lions left. They abandoned the throne.” His golden eyes twinkled in good humor, and she liked him immediately.
Five minutes later, Kesuk padded naked to his own room with Varad on his heels.
“My apologies for interrupting, Lord Kesuk. I wished to warn you—”
He glanced back. “Warn me? Of what?”
The weretiger’s hands spread. “The Aquatilian ambassador accompanied me on this voyage. He awaits us in your main hall.”
A growl rose in Kesuk’s throat. “He should have remained on the ship. He has no business here.”
“He wants to collect the humans.”
He frowned, shooting a quick glance at the other man. “The humans? There is only one.”
“No, there is a second. She was at High Den.”
“What did you have to trade to get her?” Browns were notorious in their wily dealings, so much so that he was amazed they had parted with the other human at all. Especially if she was as attractive as Jain.
“Nothing. They thanked me for taking her. She is not as…amiable as your human.”
“Mine?” He missed a step, the blow hitting him hard. Jain. He braced an arm against the wall, trying to catch his breath. A hard hand closed over his shoulder.
“I am sorry, my friend.”
Kesuk shook Varad off. “I’m fine. I knew this day would come. I planned to send her with you when you came.”
“Not everything goes according to plan. Keep her if you wish. Unless my instincts deceive me, the lady would remain if you ask.”
“No. She is not suited for this world.” If he said the words enough, he would believe them. He had to. It was his duty to do what was best for those under his protection. Look how close he had come to losing her this day. He shook his head. He couldn’t keep her, and she would be safer hidden under the oceans of Aquatilis.
“Kesuk—”
“I will join you shortly. I m
ust dress.”
Chapter 8
Jain pulled the soft dove-gray tunic over her head. It fluttered around her thighs, almost brushing her knee-high charcoal boots. Wanting to look good for Kesuk and his guests, she forked her fingers through her short hair. The side slits on her tunic exposed tight striped leather pants with every step she took. She hurried to the main hall, limping a little on her stiff ankle.
Before she’d even entered the room, a loud feminine voice demanded, “I don’t want to be patient. I want to see her now. I want to make sure she hasn’t been mistreated.”
She knew that voice. Breaking into an uneven jog, she rounded the last corner.
“She has not been mistreated.” Anger laced Kesuk’s deep voice, his prickly honor at question.
“Dr. Gibbons? Sera?” Jain asked, stunned to see someone from her ship.
“Jain!” A huge smile lit the young scientist’s face.
“Where did you…how did you…the ship exploded. No one else got out but me. I waited and waited and no one else was there.”
“My cryogenic pod was thrown from the ship. The ship probably started breaking up when we entered the atmosphere. I was thrown clear of the crash somewhere in the mountains and ended up with a bunch of smelly bear-shifters… You’re hurt.” Sera abruptly changed topics as her gaze took in Jain’s limp. She turned an accusing glare on Kesuk. He growled in return, his irritation plain.
“I had an accident, Sera. It wasn’t Kesuk’s fault. He saved me from hypothermia.” No need to mention the predators.
Jain stepped up onto the dais that held the main table and Kesuk’s large chair. She stood next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Bare-chested, he wore tight leather breeches and a long, sleeveless leather cape with a huge fur collar, making him appear even more massive than he already was. A hammered silver circlet hugged his muscled bicep. Some symbol of his rank in the clan? She’d never seen him wear it before. He lounged in the chair, his leg hooked negligently over the arm, chin propped in his hand. She fought a grin as she realized he was playing the barbarian they thought him to be.
Sera sniffed, scanning the large hall with obvious distaste. Jain stiffened, wanting to defend this place. She loved it here. She loved the people—exuberant Miki, contained Nukilik, controlled Kesuk. Kesuk. She tried to be rational, to see Sea Den through Sera’s eyes. Large, scrubbed bare stone floors, decorated skins on the walls, trestle tables. It lacked the technology she was used to, but the roaring fire and groups of chatting people made it homey and welcoming.
She wanted to stay.
“You’re coming with us, Jain.”
Sera’s voice broke through Jain’s reverie. “What?”
“We’ll be on Aquatilis in three weeks. They came to get us.”
“They?” She swiveled around, seeing Varad and another man behind him. The stranger’s pale skin set off the sheet of inky hair that hung straight to the middle of his back. Almost as pale as Kesuk, he had deep turquoise eyes and a high forehead. He also had an air of perpetual blasé boredom.
The man had a small flat nose, and his nostrils flared in obvious distaste as he took in the main hall of Sea Den. Then he turned to Jain and executed a neat bow. “Ambassador Hahn of Aquatilis at your service, Dr…”
“Oh, I’m not a scientist. My brother was. I’m a schoolteacher. And, please, call me Jain.”
Disappointment flashed in his turquoise eyes, but he recovered quickly. “How charming. You may call me Bretton, of course.”
Memory kicked in and her history knowledge popped up. “Sirius Hahn was the founder of the Aquatilian colony. Is he your ancestor?”
“The very same.” A wide genuine smile curved his lips. Bretton was a handsome man when he wasn’t wearing a condescending look. “Aquatilis will embrace a woman with so fine a knowledge of our past. I’m sure we can arrange for more…comfortable lodging than the Alysians offered you.”
“I somehow doubt Aquatilis could compare.” Jain grinned, remembering the feel of soft pelts under her back as Kesuk pounded inside her. A private smile lit Kesuk’s face as he glanced up at her, letting his gaze slide down her body.
Bretton’s lip curled. “Unlike the barbarians, we still have use of most of the technology from your time. It will be much more to your liking.”
Kesuk’s gaze flashed with resentment. When he smiled, he let his fangs show. “It is unfortunate that our calls for aid from your advanced people resulted in nothing. Our loremasters teach that while we were struggling to survive, your technology was worthless because you never came. How un-neighborly.”
The ambassador flushed, taking a small step back. “Yes, well. We had our own problems when no supplies were delivered from Earth. Our life-support systems were failing, and half our population was still made up of unaltered humans. You understand our dilemma.”
“Oh, yes. I understand perfectly.”
A cold silence settled over the group as old bitterness played out between Kesuk and Bretton. Jain took a breath. “As far as I can tell, every one of the colonized planets has done what they must to survive. For Aquatilis, that meant preserving the technology that runs your life-support systems in the underwater city. For Alysians, it meant learning to cope with being hunted by predators.” Flexing her sore ankle, she shivered at the ugly memory.
Varad stepped forward. “An excellent assessment. I’m sure you would be fascinated to know about the adaptation the weredragons have made on their desert world.”
“Dragons?” Sera and Jain echoed together.
Sera’s brow furrowed. “That’s not feasible. All the other shifter species were created from splicing human genes with known animals. Dragons are a myth.”
“These are not.” Varad shrugged.
“I want to see.” Academic zeal lit Sera’s eyes. This was the kind of puzzle the woman lived for.
“We have several Harenan diplomats stationed on Aquatilis. You’ll see them soon.” Bretton’s nasal accent cut across their conversation. He smiled at Sera, and she all but melted in a puddle at his feet. Oh, dear. Sera was the youngest scientist to be recruited to Aquatilis, and only then because of her precocious genius. She had no social skills or experience with men. How unfortunate that her first crush would be on such a techno-snob.
Jain rolled her eyes and sighed. She probably fawned just as much when Kesuk smiled at her.
Kesuk rose from his chair and bent to Jain’s ear. “We must speak, little bear.” He held out his hand, and she placed her fingers in his proffered palm. He drew her away from the group as they discussed the vagaries of dragons and led her down the hall to her chamber.
She knew what this was about. What he was going to say. Panic exploded in her belly. No. Please, no.
His big hands closed over her shoulders, and she leaned back into his warmth. His forehead rested against the back of her head.
“I don’t want to go.” The words burst from her.
Tears pressed against her lids. How could she leave this place now? She loved it here. They needed her for what she could teach them. She was valued, free to be herself as she never had been before. No expectation of rigid logic. If Bretton was anything to go by, she doubted that would be the case on Aquatilis.
“You cannot stay.” Kesuk’s hands tightened on her shoulders.
She closed her eyes over the pain. Her voice grew softer. “Why?”
“It is not safe here.”
“It’s not safe anywhere. Even technology malfunctions. How else did I end up here? Now?”
He sighed, his breath tickling the back of her neck. “Jain—”
“Safety isn’t a good enough reason. What else do you have?”
“I don’t want you here. This is my Den. You must go.”
He didn’t want her to stay? Pain hit her square in the chest, squeezed her heart in an iron grip. She searched for something, anything to change his mind. “But…but, my debt isn’t paid. I’m still your sla—”
“You risked your life to sa
ve my cub. Your debt is repaid. I release you.”
She turned to face him, pulling out of his arms. “I only did what anyone would have done.”
“That is not so. Anyone not in my clan would have left her for dead.”
“That’s horrible and barbar—” She cut herself off, the look on his face freezing her blood. “Oh, Kesuk, that’s not what I—”
“No. Perhaps you are right. You will be more suited to the civility of Aquatilis.” He spun on a heel and strode from the room, never once looking back.
Her breath choked on a sob. “Kesuk.”
Light-headed, she leaned against the bed, her body tingling with shock. She felt as though a part of her had been ripped away. He wanted her gone.
Well, she sure as hell didn’t want to stay where she wasn’t wanted. She began to pack, stuffing her clothes and belongings randomly into a satchel. Her hands shook so badly, Miki’s shells slipped through her fingers and scattered across the floor.
“Damn.”
She gathered up the shells, crawling halfway under the bed to retrieve a few strays. The only man to ever make her feel didn’t even want to be on the same planet with her. Her breath rattled past parched lips as she tried to swallow the huge lump in her throat. She pressed her forehead against the cool stone floor, trying to push away her emotions like she used to. She tried to make it matter as little as her husband leaving her. She couldn’t.
Someone knocked on the door. “Jain?”
“I’ll be out in a minute, Sera.”
“What are you doing under there?” Footsteps tapped across the floor.
“I dropped Miki’s shells.” Where were they? She searched, frantic to find them all. She couldn’t leave them. She just couldn’t. They were her present. Her breath sobbed out, stirring the dust.
“There are plenty of shells out here. Just leave them.”
“No! I have to bring them all. I have to.” Tears burned her lids, and she clamped a desperate hand over her mouth to stifle her sudden sobs.
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