Warrior's Valor

by Gun Brooke

  “You have the day off. Well, at least you have the afternoon off. You’re to report in at 2000 hours. Captain Zeger’s orders.” Dwyn stood in the doorway, dressed in a white tunic and light blue pants. Her hair was down and she looked healthy and rested.

  “I...you sure?” Emeron felt silly standing there with the sheet wrapped around her.

  “I’m sure. You can double-check, but that really isn’t necessary. Captain Zeger and Admiral Jacelon promised to let us know right away if something comes up.”

  “Ah. I see.” She sat down on the side of the bed and watched Dwyn approach, her lips curving in a half smile, so familiar by now. “Are you all right?” she asked, fully aware how husky she sounded.

  “I’m fine. Thanks to you.” Dwyn stopped in front of her. “And I’m so happy that you’re doing fine also.” She stroked Emeron’s face. “So, very...very glad.” She kissed Emeron’s forehead slowly. Her heart seemed lodged somewhere in her throat and pounded painfully.

  Now she was certain she hadn’t dreamed the kisses before she went to sleep. Dwyn kissed a trail down her nose, skipped her lips, and kissed her chin. She raised her head and looked intently into Emeron’s eyes.

  “I’ve dreamed of having you to myself without interruptions.”

  “You have?” She closed her eyes briefly, trying to get herself under control. “I want you.” She opened her eyes and returned the unwavering gaze. She had to know that Dwyn, innocent in so many ways despite her worldliness, knew what they were talking about. “I want to make love to you.”

  Dwyn blushed, a fresh pink color that enhanced her elfin beauty. “I want that too. I’ve never wanted it before, never thought those feelings...these feelings were meant for me.”

  “What feelings are you talking about?” She pulled Dwyn onto her lap. She wanted her to feel safe and cared for, certain that she’d never want to hurt her. “Tell me.”

  “You know that the only indulgence in my life has been listening to music.” Dwyn leaned against Emeron and nuzzled her neck. “I thought I was too unfeeling, too wrapped up in the causes I was involved with, and that wanting more was selfish.”

  “So at times you wanted more?”

  “When I dreamed of more.” Dwyn curled up and Emeron kissed the top of her head.

  “I’m here. I’m prepared to give you more. As much as you want.” The words, so unlike her, came easily to Emeron. “Or as little as you want.”

  “What do you mean, ‘as little’?” Dwyn peered up at her.

  “Well, I want you. That’s rather obvious, but I understand that you might want to go slowly. And truthfully, even if it has been quite a while, I’m still in full control of myself. I won’t hurt you.” At least I hope I’m in control. The way you smell, maitele, could drive anyone crazy.

  “I don’t want that,” Dwyn said, crushing Emeron’s hopes until she continued. “I don’t want you to be in control of yourself. I want to feel everything. I want you to let yourself go and remember that I’m not made of crystal like that chandelier.” Dwyn pressed her parted lips to Emeron’s in a clear invitation.

  She groaned into the kiss and met Dwyn’s tongue with her own. The kiss deepened. Soft whimpers told her that Dwyn was far from unaffected by the kisses, and she eased them both onto the bed. At least Dwyn would lose her virginity on the finest of beds. Then she flinched and pulled away far enough to look into Dwyn’s eyes.

  “You don’t have to make up your mind now, and you can tell me to stop any time you want. I’m just asking, are you sure? I—”

  “Shh.” Dwyn placed a finger across Emeron’s lips. “I’m sure. But thank you.” Dwyn raised her arms and tugged off her tunic, then her pants. To Emeron’s surprise, Dwyn didn’t wear any underwear.

  “Oh, maitele.”

  “Show me?” Dwyn pulled the sheet away. “Show me how to caress you.”

  “You did fine when you touched me in the tent,” she managed. “Just to feel your hands against me is heavenly.” It had been so long since she’d been stroked by a lover, and even back then, it hadn’t felt anything like when Dwyn slid her hands from her waist to beneath her breasts.

  “Nipples?” Dwyn asked hoarsely, clearing her throat. “This good?” She rubbed her thumbs across Emeron’s aching hard nipples.

  “Yes.” Arching, she couldn’t get close enough. “Like that.”

  “Or like this?” Dwyn kissed the skin between her breasts, a hot burning trail to the left nipple, which she sucked into her mouth, just hard enough to make her cry out. Dwyn let go instantly. “Did I hurt you?”

  “Only if you stop.”

  “Oh.” Dwyn took the other nipple gently between her teeth and flicked her tongue over it.

  “How do you know?” Emeron’s head was spinning and her toes curled as wetness pooled between her legs.

  “I watched a few instructional films this morning.”

  “What?” Dizzy, she tried to focus on Dwyn and what she had said.

  “Well, they were in the hotel database. Under ‘cultural exchange.’”

  She barked out a short laugh and rolled Dwyn over on her back. Lying half on top, mindful not to crush her lover-to-be, she looked down at Dwyn, half-laughing, half-scowling. “You studied while I was asleep?”

  “Yes. I didn’t want to appear a complete moron.”

  “Oh, maitele, you could never seem even remotely like a moron. If anyone, I’m the moron for not seeing you for who you are from day one.” She ran her hands over Dwyn’s body, trying to feel all the satiny skin at the same time. She was greedy and about to lose the control she’d vowed she could maintain. Burying her head between Dwyn’s small breasts, she pressed one leg between hers. “I want you so much. You’re so sexy, so precious—”

  “Emeron, yes, yes.” It was Dwyn’s turn to arch, and she pressed Emeron’s head against her, guided her toward her breasts. “Taste me. Please. I want you to, so much.”

  Emeron knew then that she couldn’t turn back. No matter what she’d told Dwyn, if Dwyn changed her mind, she’d have to direct a weapon at her or kick her where it hurt for her to stop now.

  *

  Dwyn spread her legs, hoping the fact that she was completely soaked wouldn’t become embarrassing. Self-conscious, and more turned on than she had ever thought possible, she held her breath as Emeron’s hand shot down between them. When it made contact with the sparse tuft of hair between her legs, Emeron groaned loudly and hid her head against Dwyn’s neck. “You’re so wet—”

  “Yes, I’m sorry.” She squeezed her eyes closed. “I know why. But—”

  “Don’t ever be sorry. This,” Emeron said, and ran a finger lightly along her sex, “is for me.”

  And it was. She knew it and so, obviously, did Emeron. “It is.” Dwyn, trusting Emeron with her life, spread her legs farther, pulling one up to her chest.

  “So willing.” Emeron spoke huskily and parted her folds. “So trusting.” The gentle fingertips examined the moisture and spread it farther. Every time they brushed over the small protrusion of nerves, she flinched, which made Emeron chuckle and sound very pleased. “So responsive.”

  Two could play this game, she decided, and sneaked a hand down between them. If she was wet, Emeron turned out to be positively drenched. She slid her finger easily in between Emeron’s folds, and now she realized why such wetness wasn’t embarrassing at all. The scent of their lovemaking aroused her, and when she found Emeron’s entrance, more or less by mistake, Emeron raised herself above her.

  “Not yet,” Emeron rumbled, the tenderness in her eyes contradicting the feral tone in her voice. “First you, maitele.” She spread Dwyn’s legs wide and kissed her way down her stomach. Dwyn gasped and clutched the sheets, then Emeron’s hair. Hot, burning her mercilessly, Emeron kissed, sucked, and licked her way down toward her swollen folds. Trying to prepare for the onslaught of emotions, she still had to clench her teeth around a scream of pleasure when Emeron plunged her tongue against her pulsating ridge of nerve endings.<
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  Emeron was merciless in an excruciatingly pleasurable way. Her tongue, silken and coarse at the same time, never stopped moving, and finally she focused all her attention on that aching part of Dwyn that would explode very soon. When Emeron pinched one of her nipples, something toppled her. The orgasm hit, and the way it took her breath away and made her cry out should have frightened her, and in a way it did, but mostly, she felt Emeron slide up, pull her into her arms, and ride the waves with her.

  “Imer-Ohon-Da.” She sobbed. “Oh, Emeron, oh—”

  “I know. I know.”

  She sobbed as the convulsions began to ease and clung to Emeron’s neck, certain that Emeron and how she made her feel had created this amazing orgasm.

  A few minutes later, Emeron lifted her head and looked down at her with almost black eyes. She could read all about Emeron’s arousal in their bottomless depth. Emeron needed her touch, and she was eager to provide anything that would give her relief.

  She rested her free hand between Emeron’s breasts. “That was something,” she said, and kissed Emeron with all the tenderness she felt.

  “I’m glad. That it was something.” Emeron breathed evenly, but she kept her eyes on Dwyn’s lips. “Very.”

  “Your turn.”

  “Yes?”

  “Tell me. Show me.”

  “Anything you want to do with me, to me, is fine.” Emeron looked a little flustered, and it took her a few moments to realize that Emeron was embarrassed. Intrigued, she knew she had to investigate.

  “I’m sure you know yourself much better than I do.” She infused as much innocence as she could into her voice. “I really want to do this right and make it as pleasurable as possible for you.”

  “Oh. Yes.” Emeron drew a deep breath. “I...eh...I like to...I mean, if you lie on your back.” Now she blushed profusely, probably because this was about her, Emeron, and not about introducing Dwyn to pleasure.

  She lay down next to Emeron, flat on her back. “Like so? And now?”

  “Raise one knee.”

  She pulled up her left knee. Emeron rose onto her hands and knees and straddled her raised leg. Trembling, she began to slide her sex up and down Dwyn’s thigh, coating it with her own moisture, blending it with hers. Not about to torment Emeron with any more questions, she held Emeron’s breasts and tweaked her nipples, wanting her to feel what she herself had just experienced.

  Emeron moved faster, pressing down harder, and as she did, her right thigh rubbed against Dwyn, over and over, reigniting the flame that had never really died down. “Dwyn, Dwyn. Just like that. Oh, maitele.”

  Emeron lunged forward and kissed her hard and deep. Her body shook and then began to convulse like her own had. Dwyn wrapped her free leg around Emeron and suddenly felt one of Emeron’s fingertips at her opening.

  “Yes.” She opened up as much as she could, certain this was what she wanted.

  Emeron went gently inside. There was so much tenderness in the way she did it, and no pain at all. Dwyn had never felt so full, or so taken, in the best sense of the word. Her body knew what to do when she didn’t. Another orgasm, not as forceful, but deeper, pulled Emeron’s finger farther in, and she contracted around it until she was spent.

  Emeron rolled onto her side and gently extracted her finger before she tugged Dwyn with her. She covered their sweaty bodies with a sheet and kissed Dwyn repeatedly.

  “Oh, Emeron.” Dwyn sobbed. “Emeron.”

  “Did I hurt you?” she asked, sounding appalled.

  “Not at all. I’ve never felt so loved. The way you touched me. Do you love me, Emeron?” She looked into Emeron’s eyes, needing to know the truth instantly. If this was merely a physical reaction after having been in constant danger for days, she needed to know now.

  “I—”

  “Zeger to D’Artansis. Come in.” The distant male voice from Emeron’s communicator cut between them like a laser-blade knife, and Dwyn pulled back with a small gasp.

  *

  Emeron looked at Dwyn, tormented, before she reached for the device. “D’Artansis here, Captain.”

  “You need to come in earlier. Several ministers have demanded to talk to you, as a representative of the Disian Nation.”

  “The what, sir?” Emeron didn’t take her eyes off Dwyn, who seemed to shrink where she lay naked. She backed up, just enough for their bodies not to touch, but the movement was obvious. “There’s no such thing as a Disian Nation, sir.”

  “There is now. Apparently the ministers have had emergency meetings all day, and your name came up more than once. I will have a hovercraft at your address within half an hour.”

  “I’m going to be a little longer, sir. I’m not home right now, and I need to go back to my place to change.”

  “Very well. Two hours then. Formal attire, D’Artansis,” Zeger said shortly. “Try to make us look good. Zeger out.”

  “Make the military look good? I thought I was representing the Disians,” she muttered.

  “I suppose duty calls,” Dwyn said brightly. Too brightly.

  “In a manner of speaking.” She gazed down at Dwyn, who valiantly struggled to seem casual. “Would you come with me?”

  “What? To your place? I’m not sure. I should get my notes in order—”

  “To meet the ministers. You asked me a very important question, and I’ve never wanted to strangle my boss as much as I did just now. And trust me, there have been several occasions.” She paused. “Anyway. I’d like to answer this question when we’re really alone and have plenty of time to follow it up appropriately.”

  A careful glimpse of hope lit up Dwyn’s eyes. “You would?”

  “Absolutely. So, do you have a dress, or something else that’s kind of posh to wear?”

  “I always bring one dress.”

  “Then let’s clean up and get out of here. We have things to do and I want to finish them quickly, so I can show you as well as tell you why you never have to ask me that question again.”

  Dwyn’s eyes filled with tears, but she jumped out of bed and headed for the bathroom immediately. When Emeron joined her in the ionic-resonance shower, Dwyn slid promptly into her arms. Emeron kissed her softly and tipped her head back so she could meet her eyes.

  “You already know, don’t you, when you think about it?” she asked tenderly.

  “Yes.” Dwyn trembled, but her smile was the most beautiful thing Emeron had ever seen. She was certain Dwyn loved her. It was there, beaming in her eyes, and she hoped that one day Dwyn would be able to read her just as easily.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  “Kellen, Rae.” Armeo ran along the corridor on deck four aboard the Dalathea. He threw one arm around each of them and nearly knocked them down in his eagerness. Rae held him tight, and so did Kellen, and Rae was happier than she’d been in a long time. “You’re back,” Armeo continued. “Where’s Grandma?”

  “Here, son.” Dahlia stepped from behind Kellen and smiled at him. “You look like you’ve missed me.”

  Armeo’s mouth fell open at her words, but then his sense of humor obviously kicked in and he grinned at her. “A little,” he said, measuring half a centimeter between his thumb and index finger.

  “You little devil,” Dahlia said, and hugged him. “I’ve missed you too.” She looked over at her husband, who had just caught up with Armeo. “Hello, love. Sorry I’m late.”

  “Dahlia.” Ewan took two long steps and wrapped her in his arms.

  “Hey, Granddad. Let me out first.” Armeo freed himself of his grandparents and stood next to Kellen, one arm around her waist.

  Ewan kissed Dahlia tenderly and embraced her one more time. He kept one arm around her, looking at her with so much love it was palpable. Finally, he lifted his gaze. “Excellent job, my daughter. And Kellen, what would we do without you?” For a frightening moment, Ewan seemed as he might shed the tears that glazed his eyes, but he cleared his throat and remained in control.

  “We’re glad to be able to del
iver her, at last,” Kellen said. “We meant to bring Dahlia and M’Ekar back here immediately, but M’Ekar’s condition worsened and Dahlia made the MEDEVAC pilot stop by a local hospital in the capital. That saved his sorry life,” she continued darkly, “and they’re admitting him to the infirmary aboard here as we speak.”

  “I assume under heavy guard?” Ewan asked.

  “Of course,” Rae said. “He’s very ill and probably will lose his legs, but I’ll keep him alive to stand trial again. No pun intended.”

  “I thought Commanders Grey and D’Artansis were joining us?” Ewan asked.

  “They were, but they took the opportunity to continue their honeymoon at the hotel a few more days. They might join us here tomorrow or the next day.”

  And speaking of missing people, where is Ayahliss?” Dahlia asked, glancing around. She paled. “She isn’t injured more than you said, is she, Rae?”

  “No, Ayahliss’s injuries have healed,” another familiar voice interjected as Judge Beqq joined the happy reunion. “She’s in my quarters. Hiding.”

  “What?” Kellen stared at Judge Beqq.

  “Why is she hiding?” Rae asked, nonplussed.

  “You’re welcome to join me for lunch, and you can talk to her yourself. She’s got the wrong idea about a few things, and I don’t think she’ll be all right until she’s spoken with the two of you and Diplomat Jacelon. The admiral and I have tried, but...” Beqq shrugged.

  Rae didn’t like the sound of this. Ayahliss had come so far since they took her to Earth, and to learn that now she was going through something they knew nothing about disturbed her.