by Aubrey Ross
She splayed her fingers across his chest and closed her eyes. “You are so warm.”
“That’s my job, to keep you safe and warm.”
She smiled, pleased by the sentiment. Her hands pushed up to his shoulders and squeezed before the descended along his arms. “Is your entire body this warm?”
“Would you like to find out?”
Before her building courage deserted her, she nodded and reached for the waistband of his pants. He let her unfasten them then he took over, standing briefly as he shed the rest of his garments. His body was perfectly proportioned and a feast for her curious gaze. It wasn’t that she’d never seen a naked man before, but he was aroused and inches from her face.
He took her hand and guided it to his erect cock, wrapping her fingers around the shaft. “Well? Am I warm all over?”
“Oh yes.” He slid her hand down to the base and then up to the tip and her eyes widened. “Is this what you want me to do?”
“Oh yes,” he echoed her breathy tone, and then grinned. “But only if you want to.”
Exploring his body was far more exciting than she ever imagined. Perion had not allowed her to touch him, so this was new territory. No, nothing about this resembled the abuse she had endured with Perion. She would never again think of them in the same context.
Emboldened by the thought, she stoked Aiden, watching the subtle flexing of his muscles and the obvious pleasure on his face. She knew women took men into their mouths. She’d seen that often enough in the temple. Would Aiden mind if her exploration became a bit bolder?
She leaned down and kissed the tip of his cock, startled to find it dewy. “Can I…” She couldn’t bring herself to say it.
“Do whatever you like. I want you to enjoy this as much as I do.”
One of her hands lightly cupped his balls while the other continued to stroke his shaft. Then she parted her lips and took the flared head into her mouth. He groaned and touched her face, brushing her hair back and caressing her cheek. She sucked him deeper and he slowly pulled back then pushed even farther into her welcoming heat. Slowly, understanding expanded through her mind. He wanted her to slide up and down.
Creating a tight seal with her lips, she bobbed her head, taking as much of him into her mouth as she could. He was hot against her mouth, hard and yet soft. The contrast fascinated her. And his taste—salty and sharp yet natural. This was the literal essence of life.
“Oh sweetheart, you have to stop or I’m going to come in your mouth.”
She paused and looked up at him. Did she want to watch him lose control, knowing she had brought him to this point? “I want you to.”
“I think it’s better if we start…”
She sucked hard and pushed her mouth all the way down on his cock. He pressed against the back of her throat before she slowly reversed direction. Come for me, Aiden. I want to taste your seed.
He steadied her face between his hands as he began to fuck her mouth. Sliding her lips up and down on him had been pleasurable, but this was thrilling. He was taking her, filling her mouth as he would fill her pussy. She kept her lips snug as he rocked in and out. His balls grew tight in her hand and his speed increased.
His body seemed to vibrate with his impending climax. He shook and his thighs flexed, and then he pushed to the back of her mouth and came in hot spurts. She instinctively swallowed and he gave her some more. He pulled back and she swirled her tongue around his tip, not yet ready to release him.
“You are unbelievable.” He eased out of her mouth and pulled her to her feet. His chest rubbed against her breasts and she realized her nipples were hard. She parted her lips for him as his mouth settled over hers. His tongue swept inside and he groaned, crushing her against his chest. He pulled her robes out from between their bodies and they slid to her feet.
He placed her on the bunk and lay down beside her, slipping his arm under her neck. “I can’t believe you did that. I wanted tonight to be about your pleasure.”
“I enjoyed that immensely. Do you not find pleasure in giving pleasure?”
“We’re about to find out, because I’m going to lick your pussy until you scream.”
* * * * *
“We found him, Sir.” Quade clasped his hands behind his back and waited for Xyell to look up from the risk assessment he was studying.
Xyell powered down the holo-pad and glared at Quade. “It took you long enough.”
The temple attendants had been grouped together, so Quade had been relatively certain the high priest was on this ship. The priestess they’d interrogated assured them that the high priest had been in the temple when “Venus swept them away”. Even so, it had taken Quade several hours to locate Perion.
“He had not yet been processed,” he assured Xyell.
“Let’s get this over with. Then you can get back to your other assignment.”
Falling into step behind Xyell, Quade indulged in a vicious glare. Why the fuck did Xyell want him to seduce his wife? It was so twisted! Laetif was attractive, but she’d made it obvious she was not interested in a sexual surrogate.
“About that, Sir. Your wife—”
Xyell spun and slammed Quade against the wall, forearm across his throat. “I thought I made myself clear. You are to follow orders. Insubordination is grounds for immediate termination. How will your daughter survive if I’m forced to cancel you?”
Quade returned his weapon to its thigh bracket and refastened the safety strap. Killing Xyell wasn’t an option. He’d be genetically reconditioned and his daughter would disappear. Prince Tarhee would see to his fate if anything happened to Xyell.
“May I know why?” He ground out the words between clenched teeth.
Xyell pushed off his body, smashing his throat in the process. Quade gasped then coughed, rubbing his bruised esophagus. “Normally I’d tell you to go to hell, but I’m feeling generous and you asked so nicely. It’s really quite simple. I need her distracted, or better yet, corrupted. She must willingly participate in our new dynasty or she is a liability. I’m through with her personally, but I’m not willing to sacrifice the connections I was able to forge because of her father’s support. Got it?”
“Yes Sir.”
“As soon as we’re done with the priest, I want you to find her. Tell her you have been reassigned as her bodyguard. Then stick with her night and day until she accepts the fact you aren’t going anywhere.”
“How long will I be reassigned?”
“Until I tell you otherwise. I need to know what she’s doing, who she talks to and who she fucks. She ran to Thrax last night and that will never do! The easiest way for you to accomplish all this is if you’re the one she’s fucking.”
“I see, Sir. Thank you for the information.”
“Can we go now?” Without waiting for a reply, Xyell turned and stormed off down the corridor.
So, this wasn’t just a shipboard diversion. Xyell wanted a permanent spy. Understanding his motivation should have made the assignment easier to accept, so why was his gut still tied in knots? He’d fucked his share of women, but ruthless seduction was really not his style.
“Are you coming?” Xyell threw the question over his shoulder without turning around.
Quade heaved a frustrated sigh and hurried after his boss.
The high priest sat on the bunk in the interrogation room. His features were composed and haughty, but fear shone through in his dark eyes. He pushed to his feet as they entered, his gaze wide and wary. “Why have I been taken from the temple? What do you hope to gain?”
Xyell shoved him back down on the bunk, standing over him as he explained. “I am your new master. Pompeii has been destroyed. I need the names and descriptions of everyone in the city who might attempt to usurp my authority. Convince me you are worth saving or prepare to meet your goddess.”
“But how was this accomplished? Where am I?”
Xyell motioned Quade forward. “Motivate him.”
Quade backhanded the pries
t, snapping his head to the side. He raised his hand to strike again, but the priest cowered.
“There is no need for that! I will tell you what you want to know.” He swiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smearing blood across his cheek. “The governor is very popular. It would be wise to depose him.”
“Go on.”
“Felicia. Do you have Felicia? She could turn the people against you faster than anyone.”
“Who is Felicia?”
“The high priestess. She has been blessed with prophetic visions. They have been confirmed repeatedly. They are accurate and irrefutable.”
Xyell looked at Quade, his expression contemplative. “Was this woman processed with the other priestesses?”
“Not to my knowledge. I will check the log, but I don’t recall seeing that name.”
“No, I will investigate this prophetic priestess. You have other duties awaiting you.”
Quade inclined his head, despising his helplessness.
“Have I proven my value?” the priest dared to ask.
Xyell shot him an impatient glance. “For now.”
Chapter Eight
Felicia held her breath as Aiden kissed his way down the arch of her neck. His hand rested on her breast, the thumb teasing her nipple. This had been easier when she was in control. The memories had seemed irrelevant. He reached her shoulder and lightly scraped his teeth over her sensitive skin. She shivered and released her pent-up breath.
She would not let Perion invade this moment! She had wasted too many years punishing herself for his crimes. Aiden’s lips brushed against the swell of her breast and his tongue trailed liquid fire across her skin. He was beside her, not on top of her, but it didn’t seem to matter. She was naked, on her back, and a man was enjoying her body.
Cold, dark eyes pierced her memory. The cruel twist of thin lips followed a moment behind. “I cannot do this.” She pushed Aiden away, unable to still her thundering heart.
He propped himself on his elbow and looked down at her, compassion warming his green eyes. “Talk to me, sweetheart. Tell me what you’re feeling.”
“I thought I could do this, but I cannot. His image is all I see.”
“How long ago did all this happen? How old were you?”
“I was fourteen. It has been twelve years.” She sighed, frustrated by the weakness. “I know I should be over it by now.”
“I don’t think anyone ever gets over something like that. You learn to cope with it and you minimize its impact on your life, but it will always be part of your past.”
She nodded, having come to the same conclusion shortly after it happened.
He sat, pulling her up with him. “Wrap your legs around my waist. Let’s try something different.”
His hands supported her and guided her into position, face-to-face, bodies inches apart. “Touch me as I touch you. Let’s find our way together.”
Their mouths met in the middle while their hands explored. She ran her hands up and down his back and he mirrored her movements. His lips slid over hers and meshed with hers in a leisurely exchange that left them both breathless.
This was better. So much better. His kiss was addictive and his touch comforted as much as it aroused. She pulled back for a moment and told him, “I think it’s being on my back. It’s too similar to…”
“I understand.” He whispered the words against her lips then pressed her against his body, heart to heart and skin to skin. His mouth lured her deeper into the kiss with soft strokes and gentle nips. She touched her tongue to his and he curled around her, drawing her into his mouth.
His fingers ran up and down her sides, knuckles skimming the outer swell of her breasts. It was barely a touch and yet heat swirled through her chest and pooled low in her abdomen. She groaned and tightened her legs, trying to bring herself closer.
He grasped her hips and stilled her restless movements. “Have you ever touched yourself?”
She shook her head, unwilling to admit she’d been afraid of losing her gift as well as rekindling the hated memories. Her gift was so much a part of who she was. Without her abilities, she would feel truly useless.
So why was she risking it now?
He took her hand and drew it between their bodies. Her knuckles passed over his growing erection and he hissed. “None of that. It’s your turn now.”
She barely touched the hair covering her mound then snatched her hand out from under his. For an instant his fingers covered her pussy then he went after her hand, stubbornly bringing her fingers back to that secret place between her legs.
“I want you to feel why I want you so badly.” He curved her hand, pressing her fingers into her folds.
“Why am I so wet? Is that supposed to happen?”
“Yes, love. That’s how your body welcomes mine. Feel how soft and hot your pussy is. Imagine how you will feel wrapped around my cock.”
He pushed her middle finger into her core and the muscles constricted. Felicia sighed and wiggled, driving her finger farther into her body. “I feel all tight and fluttery.”
His hand released hers and he passed his fingers over a spot at the top of her passage. She gasped and shivered. “Is that my clit?”
“Who taught you that word? Laetif?” He stroked her again and all she could do was nod. Sensations spread through her abdomen and spiraled up her passage like a sensory tornado. She moved her hand aside and gave him more room to maneuver, resting back on her hands while he worked between her thighs. Again and again he strummed that hidden nub until her body shook with a tension she didn’t understand.
Then his fingers pushed into her pussy while he stroked her clit with his other hand. She lifted her hips, taking him deeper, and the pressure inside her released. She cried out in surprise and awe, pleasure pulsing through her. Her inner muscles tightly squeezed his fingers as the orgasm swept her along.
“That was…amazing.” Her breath escaped in shallow pants.
“That was a taste of what’s waiting for us. As soon as you’re ready to take the next step.”
“I’m ready now.” She objected reaching for his cock.
He caught her wrist and shook his head. “You need time to accept that this can be good, to process the new sensations.” He pulled down the covers and urged her beneath them then snuggled against her back. “Go to sleep. We have a lot to accomplish tomorrow.”
* * * * *
Laetif walked into her cabin and froze. Quade sat in a chair on the far side of the room, feet propped on her bed. At least he’d taken off his boots! Which only indicated his intention to stay. “Get. Out.” She pointed toward the door that had just closed behind her.
“I can’t do that, ma’am.” His voice dropped to a soft growling whisper as he added, “I’ve nowhere else to go.”
“What is that supposed to mean? You’re one of Mikko’s goons. Go back to wherever you stayed before you… How did you get in here?”
“Security override.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. “Why would you be given the security override to my cabin?”
“Because I’m your new bodyguard.”
He couldn’t be serious. “I do not need a bodyguard.”
“Obviously your husband disagrees.”
Her husband. She cringed at the thought of Mikko and all the upheaval he had brought to her life. “My husband is a maniacal bastard. He’s playing some twisted game and I won’t be a part of it.”
Quade leaned back slightly in the chair, looking far too at home in her bedroom. “What made you marry a ‘maniacal bastard’?”
“Youthful stupidity.” She sighed, unsure what to do with her uninvited guest. If she called security, Quade was sure to flash some manufactured identification or offer a clearance code that Mikko would verify. Mikko wouldn’t send one of his thugs into battle unarmed. “Are you going to follow me around until we reach Fedoros?”
Now that thought wasn’t unpleasant at all. There was something about Q
uade that fascinated her. Beyond his rugged good looks and brooding silence lurked mysteries she longed to explore. Her cowardice the night before had been uncharacteristic. He’d just caught her at the end of an extremely turbulent day.
“No, ma’am. I’ve been assigned until further notice.” He smiled. The expression charming yet challenging. “Looks like you’re stuck with me.”
“And you’re okay with being stuck with another man’s wife?”
“Depends on the wife.”
Heat suffused her cheeks and she turned away. Even with the bed separating them—perhaps because a bed separated them—she didn’t feel safe. “I know Mikko won’t relent once he’s made his mind up, so you’ll have to sleep on the couch.”
He ignored the comment and stood, reaching into the pocket of his pants. “I couldn’t find a chess board, but I borrowed a deck of cards.”
“You want me to sit down and play cards with you?”
“Is there something you’d rather do?” He looked pointedly at the bed.
“Cards would be delightful.”
He strolled to the small, round table and sat. She scrambled for an alternative, but came up blank. Caleb wouldn’t be off duty for another hour or so and she couldn’t wander around the hallways again. Besides, it sounded like Quade would be waiting for her when she returned. Mikko had given him a legitimate reason for being in her cabin.
She took the chair facing him and watched the cards fly from his long, tapered fingers. Such graceful fingers for such big hands. She fanned her cards then shook her head. “What are we playing?”
“Poker? Colonial rules.” His beautifully sculpted lips curved with the beginnings of a smile but he suppressed the impulse before it fully formed. “I play most games by Colonial rules.”
She should have realized he was a colonist. The colonies were rough and tumble, creating a fierceness not found on Fedoros. The strong flourished and people created their own destiny. She could hardly imagine a world so free. “Mikko doesn’t trust anyone from the colonies. How did you convince him to hire you?”
