Her scent jolted him, spicing the air with need unfulfilled. Though sleep beckoned, he didn’t want to leave her unsated. She still had the blanket separating her from his touch, but their legs were tangled together beneath the covering. Would she accept the relief her body demanded?
Slowly, so as not to startle her, he raised his leg up between hers, until it pressed against the lips of her sex in a silent invitation. She raised her head and he read the conflict there, blue eyes wide with apprehension, yet so hot with need.
“Use me,” he said softly.
She shook her head even as she shifted her weight and pressed herself more firmly against his leg. Wetness coated his thigh as her sex lips parted. He growled his approval.
She licked her lips as though she could still taste him there as her hips circled and ground against him. Her head fell back, her eyes closed as she slowly rode him.
She was breathtaking, his sensual little mate. The way she arched and bucked against him, even his cock twitched at the sight of her. He couldn’t stop himself from reaching through the blanket to cup one of her bobbing breasts. The tight nipple abraded his palm. He didn’t fondle or squeeze, just held her, let her know he wanted to pleasure her however she would have him.
It was Sage who took his other hand, and threaded her fingers through it. Sage who let the blanket fall away so he could see all of her, perched on his knee in the throes of passion. Sage who arched with a cry and came with her eyes locked on his face.
In that moment he believed they would have it all, share everything. She’d open herself to him, let him touch and taste her the way he yearned to and then he would finally know what it was like to join with her, to empty himself into her and see the pleasure mirrored in her own eyes.
She collapsed against him, her body still twitching with aftershocks. He wanted to thank her for trusting him to take care of her, for opening herself to him. For simply being. He searched for the perfect words, ones that wouldn’t break the spell.
She moved only long enough to retrieve her blanket, this time to cover them both. “Good night, Berrick.”
Berrick. The beast stirred and he choked back a snarl. All the peace from a moment before evaporated and his arms tightened around her. Damn, he wanted to hear his name on her lips. Preferably in the throes of orgasm. He wanted her to know that she was made for Dayen and him alone.
In sleep she curled even tighter against him until her entire back molded into his side. He relaxed little by little and soon the beast too settled down. Tomorrow he’d tell her all she needed to know and then she’d be his mate in truth. After what they’d shared, he felt sure she’d forgive him the deception, see that he’d done it to win her trust the only way he knew how. And then he would have her, forever.
Dayen smiled. Everything would be all right.
****
Strong hands on her flesh, hot breath on the back of her neck the searing impact as something tore inside her, giving way beneath his driving thrusts. She could smell him, the unwashed body that mated frantically with hers, that laughed as she cried and she begged him to stop.
“Get used to it Borg whore.” He spat on her and then groaned as he drove in deeper, ignoring her cries. “He’ll fuck you until he’s bored and then pass you around like an open keg of ale until you’re dry and used up.”
It didn’t go on long even as the moments stretched out into forever. He finished and she retreated from the bed where she’d been sleeping. Where she’d always felt safe to the floor, crawling away like a wounded animal.
Her attacker lay on his back, pants dangling from his knees, shaft softening. It didn’t look like something that should hurt, yet the place between her legs was battered and bruised, a testament to how dangerous a weapon he’d wielded against her. She didn’t look at his face, didn’t want to know if she recognized him. But then he sat up and those eyes burned into her with malice and hatred….
“Better get used to it, bitch. Cyborgs fuck for hours without rest.”
It was the hot breath on her neck that woke her, that or the iron hard length nestled into the small of her back, insisting, demanding.
She screamed and bolted to get away from him. Or at least, she tried to. Strong arms gripped her around the middle and dragged her back. She fought and clawed and kicked, her entire being focused on escape. Not again, not again, not again.
Her attacker spoke, his tone of voice familiar but her heart beat too fast to let her hear his words.
All at once, her struggles ceased as he pulled her flat onto her back and a familiar face loomed over her.
“Sage, easy, it’s all right. You’re safe.”
Her latest lungful of air escaped in a relieved sigh. Berrick. So she wasn’t back in her room in the Born tunnels, wasn’t in danger of being attacked or violated.
At least not until her mating ceremony took place.
“Are you all right?” Concern darkened those leafy green eyes.
She bit her lip and shook her head.
“It was just a bad dream.” He released his iron grip on her arms, though he did thread his fingers through hers in the same way she’d done with him the night before when she’d rubbed herself against him until she came all over his leg.
Shame flushed beneath her skin and she glanced away, unable to hold his gaze. Lily took the opportunity to come over and sniff at the blankets.
Rough fingers glided along her cheek. “Do you want to talk about it?” He was careful to keep the lower half of his body away from her, as though he knew that feeling him engorged with waking demand would send her out into orbit once more.
What had he asked? If she wanted to talk about her nightmare. “No,” she breathed.
Berrick studied her face intently, probably trying to read her. With his hands on her he couldn’t just peek inside her head and view her memories. She thought maybe he wanted to, but he didn’t force the issue.
She needed to get her thoughts under control before he released her. She closed her eyes and concentrated on taking long, steady breaths.
He moved aside, gave her space to collect herself. She breathed him in on every inhalation, his unique fragrance the one that had wrapped around her all night long and made her feel safe.
Safety was an illusion though, a fact that came roaring back when he asked, “Are you hungry? We should eat quickly and then head back.”
Back. Back beneath the ground to the Borg settlement where Berrick would hand her over to the man she was supposed to have been with last night.
Did she really mean so little to him that he could just pass her off and walk away without a backward glance?
That’s what he had told her, her attacker. That cyborgs shared everything, including their lovers. Originally she’d been worried that Dayen would harm Berrick for absconding with her but Berrick hadn’t seemed nervous or even hesitant about touching her. Was it because Dayen planned to share her with his men, just as her rapist had said?
But no, that couldn’t be true. Cyborgs mated for life.
With each other, an insidious inner voice hissed. You’re born, part of a treaty, property not a true mate. Anything goes.
The thought drove her to her feet, away from Berrick, back behind the stone divide to the hot spring where she retched.
He followed her, though he didn’t reach for her again, just whispered, “Sage,”
“Leave me,” she begged, frightened and ashamed and hating herself for her predicament. She was trapped, saw no way out of the mess she’d backed herself into.
“What mess? What has upset you so?”
She turned to face Berrick, whose features appeared pinched as though he were in pain.
Out of instinct to soothe him, she reached for his face. His tension eased though he still eyed her with concern. “Tell me what’s wrong so I can make it better.”
“You didn’t hear me?” Though she wasn’t sure hear was the right word for what he did, she couldn’t think of a better one.
&n
bsp; Slowly, careful to keep contact with her skin, he shook his head. “Your thoughts were jumbled and coated with emotions, mostly fear and anger. I didn’t have time to sort anything out. Will you share your fear with me so I can better protect you?”
Though it was rude, she answered his question with one of her own. “What do you know about Dayen?”
He drew back, blinked and then repeated, “Dayen is what you fear?”
Her gaze fell to where Lily sat, tail wagging. “Will he be upset about what we did last night?”
He laughed, he actually laughed at that. “Upset? Not in the least. Trust me when I tell you that Dayen understands better than anyone else about my affliction.”
Her heart sank down into her bowels. “So it won’t matter to him.”
“Well, I wouldn’t phrase it like that.” A finger snagged her chin and forced her to meet his gaze. “He’ll be as thrilled as I am. Does that ease your mind?”
Exactly the opposite, his words confirmed her dread. In writhed inside her like a mass of oily snakes.
“I think I have my mental defenses in place. We’ll test it if you’ll let go.”
She withdrew her hand and he closed his eyes, though he could see his eyes moving behind his lids as though searching for something. Her brainwaves perhaps?
Then his green eyes opened and he smiled. “Blocked. I knew I could manage it.” He looked down on her and frowned. “You’re shivering again. You should bathe and warm yourself as much as possible for the trip back to the tunneler.” He moved as though he intended to carry her into the water like he had the night before but she stayed him with a raised palm.
“No, I’ll do it. Would you make some breakfast?” She knew she couldn’t stomach food but it was as good an excuse as any to get him to give her some physical as well as mental space.
“Of course.” He rose and stretched, uncaring of his nudity. She moved toward the pool so she didn’t stare at him. Even with her back turned she could feel his heated gaze on her, devouring her. And God help her she liked it. To punish them both she dipped into the water and closed her eyes.
“I’ll bring you your clothes,” he said at last and then finally withdrew, Lily’s nails clicking on the stone behind him.
Sage stewed in hot water and misery. Last night she’d thought they’d been fated to end up alone together in the tunnel. That she was meant to give him pleasure and reclaim the part of herself she’d lost after the rape. It had worked, almost too well. Now, she wanted Berrick, but he wasn’t the man she was promised to. He’d probably only wanted her because she could touch him without pain. She’d thought there was more between them, thought they had shared something special, that maybe he would find a way to keep her for himself. What a joke. He seemed completely set on handing her over and completely open to the idea of sharing her with Dayen or countless other faceless cyborgs. He might even give them a rundown of the things she’d done to him. Her stomach lurched again.
One man she could handle but to be passed around like a reward from one to the next?
She’d rather be dead.
Instead of scaring her, the maudlin thought calmed her. Her life was not her own but ending it, that she could control.
It was just a matter of deciding how.
Chapter Eight
Dayen was in a fantastic mood as he packed up their meager little camp, even humming to himself, something he’d never done before. Why make more noise when he was under a constant onslaught of it? But with his mental wall fully built up and the promise of mating with Sage on the horizon, all his other troubles seemed, if not insignificant, at least bearable.
He had it all planned out. He’d carry Lily and the pack, Sage too if she tired. The tunneler was only about a kilometer off, he could handle her weight easily. And once they were secure underground where he knew she couldn’t get away, he’d confess the truth to her.
A cloud darkened his sunny mood. He should have told her by the pool, revealed his identity and saved her from her worry. But he wasn’t sure how she would react and he wanted her safe and warm and able to process the truth without his having to be on the lookout for more of those creatures that were liable to attack.
To think, she’d been afraid he would hurt her for unfaithfulness. He frowned as he stirred the soup. Well, of course he wanted her to be true to him alone, but she had been, though she didn’t know it. And think of her relief when she learned that the man she was attracted to was her intended mate. She might even laugh about it, they would laugh together and then he’d have her in his bed—in their bed— and he would take his time loving her properly, saving every sweet bit of her. The cloud blew away, his good mood restored.
Sage emerged from her bath, dressed. He frowned at the garments, glad she was warm but still sorry to see her delectable curves covered up. All he said though was. “Feeling better?”
She nodded and bent to pick up Lily.
He studied her face, was tempted to drop his mental shield to find out what she was thinking, but restrained himself. Curiosity was one thing but he wanted Sage to feel comfortable around him. His telepathy disconcerted her and he’d worked hard to give her some privacy. Tearing it down now would be a violation and his beautiful mate deserved better from him.
He handed her a bowl of soup, same as they’d had for last meal the night before but pickings were slim and then went to wash himself, humming tunelessly as he scrubbed along his arms, down over his chest. It wasn’t nearly as nice as feeling her hands on him, her fingers caressing his cock, or massaging his balls or slipping down lower to all those secret hotspots she’d revealed to him the night before. His cock jerked as he recalled the orgasm she’d wrung from him and he was tempted to touch himself until he relived it.
But no, he wanted her hands, not his own. He’d refrain until they were properly mated. Denial would make the eventual relief all the sweeter.
He ducked under the water for one final rinse and then emerged, calling to Sage to make sure she still had his gloves on her.
No answer.
“Sage?” Naked and dripping wet, he moved around until he could see the main part of the cavern.
His bag was still there, the blankets and his shredded clothes from the night before. But no sign of his mate or her little dog.
Perhaps she had taken Lily out to relieve herself. He didn’t like the idea, especially because she’d said nothing to him of her intentions, but he clung to it as he hurried into his spare thermals, only half dressed and thoroughly concerned.
The snow gleamed in the darkness and the beast’s eyesight revealed her footprints leading away from the cave, too far to be any sort of innocent excursion.
She’d run from him. Not the mad dash flight of adrenaline charged fear from the day before but a calculated flight to get away from him. Grief and raged prodded the beast to the fore and he let it loose as he charged after her.
His legs ate up the distance as he powered through the darkened snowscape with the question bouncing off the inside of his skull over and over. Why?
Instinctively, he knew where she was going, the only place she could go, to the tunneler and could easily beat her there. Her route was not a direct one. Part of him wanted to charge straight to it and wait there for her to appear. But what if something happened to her along the way? No, he was better off trailing her for now.
Dayen ran faster.
Her tracks bypassed the frozen lake and moved steadily up the ridge he’d chased her down yesterday. The tunneler was in sight now but the tracks indicated that even though she must have seen the vehicle, she’d turned the other direction, toward the volcano.
His heart in his throat, he sprinted forward, eyes glued to her small prints. What the hell was she intending to do? She knew the damn volcano was active, he’d told her so yesterday. Memories of the books he’d read assailed him, legends of women who threw themselves into the volcano to appease the fire gods and save their village. But there was no village here, no other peop
le, just her and him, so why was she headed there?
The acrid tang of lava and ask burned his nose now. Too close to the source of the instability. He coughed and wiped his eyes.
Dayen squinted down at the snow and his blood flash froze. Another set of prints had joined with Sage’s, two sets, one shod in thermal boots and a second set identical to the beast he’d killed the day before.
His mate was being stalked.
****
At first Sage had no real plan other than to take the opportunity to put some distance between herself and Berrick. He would do his level best to stop her, to return her to the head honcho. So the obvious solution was to distance herself from him as quickly as possible. Never mind that the thought of never seeing him again hurt her more than the idea of ending her life. And just what the hell did that say about her priorities?
The other problem was Lily. What could she do with her little dog? Lily had been hurt enough in her life, Sage wasn’t going to cause her any more suffering if it was the last thing she did. And most likely would be. When he’d ventured into the water to bathe, she’d briefly considered leaving Lily behind. Surly she could trust Berrick to look out for Lily, the two had bonded.
But who knew how long he’d search for her, leaving Lily alone. No, the dog had to come with her, at least for the time being. She’d been surprised when she’d seen the tunneler, had even taken a step toward it, thinking she could shut Lily in again, but then thought better of it. Berrick couldn’t be far behind her and she didn’t want to risk his catching her up.
Her gaze fastened to the steaming peak. The volcano. In her jacket, Lily shivered. There was no snow on the volcano, which she reasoned meant it was warmer than this damn valley. She could go there and hide, wait until Berrick left. He’d be back, she was sure, most likely with reinforcements to help him search for her. She could make for the cave with the hot spring and leave Lily there for him to find.
As plans went, it was incredibly half-assed, but it was the best she could manage.
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