Eluria's Enforcer (The Argadian Heart Trilogy Book 1)

by Adrianna Dane

  He tilted her head and leaned forward to possess her lips with a kiss claiming her acceptance and allowing no argument. Eluria wanted to fight him, to ignore the needs of her body, the visions planned long ago, which never faltered over the years.

  Devon stroked his tongue across her lips, coaxing her to yield, and finally, unable to deny him, she opened her mouth, allowing him entry. When his tongue drove home, a shudder passed through her. She wanted him so much.

  Pulling back, he yanked at the front closing of her skinsuit, then pulled open the front of his own. He clasped each of her hands, placed one on his chest, then he pressed his left hand to her chest, between her breasts.

  “Feel the rhythms, Eluria,” he commanded her in a guttural, husky tone. “I detected the change when we first awoke. What do you feel?”

  She felt the steady life-beats, absorbed the rhythms. Her gaze widened with uncertainty as she looked into his face. “There is no difference in the patterns. How can that be?”

  He nodded. “We are in perfect concordance—balance, if you will. A change to your rhythm will cause a change in mine. If you feel fear, I will know it. If you feel pleasure, I will experience it. If your life-beats stop, so will mine.”

  “No, oh no.” The full import of what he implied caused her to panic. “If something happened to me, if I were terminated—”

  “I don’t fear termination, Eluria. If your life-beats were to end, I wouldn’t want mine to continue. It is an assurance that in the future you will have a care.”

  “But to tie you to a twilighter—” She didn’t want that for him. Eluria could give him no Beyond.

  “An ex-twilighter. As I am an ex-Enforcer. Our paths were ordained to part and to come together with knowledge to combat the Tribunal. Together we will succeed. We are stronger.” Devon cupped her face, his gaze locking with hers. “If children are in our Beyond, we’ll find the path. Know this. I’d rather be joined with you in True Union without surety of Beyond, than any other female and a planet full of children offering continuity. That will never change. There is no other vision for me.”

  Eluria wanted to believe him. Too badly. “I want this too much,” she murmured, trying to convince herself she would have her visions. That she would not be destroyed because of it.

  “Seal with me, Eluria.” Slowly he pushed her skinsuit from her shoulders, releasing her arms from the material. He shifted to his knees and pushed the cloth down her legs. As he lifted one of her feet to remove the garment, he leaned forward and placed a kiss at the center of her smooth, golden stomach.

  “I want to feel your silk surround me again,” he whispered against her skin. She felt the vibrations of his words through her whole body.

  “It arouses me when we move closer to completion, to know that when your anstillia cord penetrates my anal entrance you feel the extent of my pleasure as I fill you. That you bind us completely—that you dwell inside me and possess me as completely as I do you.”

  Her golden radiance glimmered, bathing them in its light. Her breathing hitched as he shed his own clothing. The prominent display of his desire rose thick and long. His body was that of a warrior, hard and tightly muscled. His passion only for her. A shudder of fiery desire raced through her, and her arousal ran warm and rich down her inner thighs.

  Again he knelt and with his tongue, he traced the scar running from her first rib to the top of her hip bone. “Where did this scar come from? How close did I come to losing you without even being aware of it? I could have ended this life without ever experiencing the sweet taste of you.”

  Swallowing hard, she found it difficult to concentrate. “It-it was an altercation with an Enforcer. Oh, Symion, Devon, I’m burning up from your touch.”

  Her radiance extended. “I can see your passion, na-nivia. How bright will it burn before we reach balance, I wonder?” He forced her to part her legs, and she moaned when his lips moved to her mound, sending an electrical path of pleasure spiraling through her.

  “Who tried to terminate you? Does he still live?”

  She felt his moist breath at her shax lips. Thrusting her hips, she needed to feel his mouth, his tongue.

  Devon slid his hands along her calves, up her thighs. With his fingers, he parted her secret lips and she felt the warm seduction of his tongue lapping at her slick juices. “No—ah—no, he’s dead. I killed him,” she rasped, as her knees buckled.

  Devon eased her to the ground, his tongue buried deep inside her. He pulled her legs wider, buried himself deeper. His hands were at her shax lips, his thumb circling her hard bud. He leaned away and lightly blew across her lips, making her quiver. Then he inserted two fingers, rubbing, sliding, driving her ever beyond. So many sensations swirled inside her – heat, need, raw lust.

  “Your passion glows bright enough to keep us warm in the fiercest of ice storms. Na-nivia, release for me. You throb with need, your body calls to me. Release for me and I’ll take us both to completion. Dance for me, beautiful one.”

  She could do no other as he drove her onwards, his words inciting her passion to radiate, vibrating around them. The exquisite explosion overcame her in a sweet, magical cadence, her glow pulsing in rhythm with her release. Not the mind-numbing, heat-filled release achieved with completion, but the gentle, rhythmic billowing of all-consuming pleasure.

  “Oh, Devon, please,” she gasped, “I need to your khout inside me. I want to feel you grow, feel your vibris stroking me. Please.”

  He moved up her body, stopping at her breasts. The moist warmth of his tongue drove her wild, as he sucked and nibbled, drawing sensations that arrowed straight to her shax-ra, building her need. He licked and tugged until both of her nipples glistened and beaded with desire. Eluria arched back, driven wild with the determination to have him buried inside her.

  Finally, moving up her body, the tip of his khout pushed at her entrance. “Yes,” she breathed, tangling her fingers in his hair, and pulling him down. “Seal with me, please.”

  Devon drove his hips forward, seating himself deep, retreating and driving inwards again, his twin sacs slapping hard against her each time. Finally, he halted, buried inside. Breathing hard, heartbeats aligned, she stared into his eyes as she felt his steely shaft lengthen, filling her completely. When at last the thick tip pushed against her cervix, again he began to move in long, slow thrusts, driving them both to the summit. He brought a hand down to tease her hard bud.

  Anchoring her hips, he powered faster and faster. She screamed her pleasure as he buried himself, and she felt the vibris release and seduce her opening for full acceptance of his seed. Her shax threads reached out, twining at the base of his khout, sealing them, halting all movement, preventing him from withdrawing.

  Breathing stopped as her anstillia cord extended, found his anal channel, massaging the entrance. It slid in and out of his opening, lubricating, until finally plunging home, sealing them as they entered completion. His guttural groan was one of pleasure as Eluria’s cord locked him to her.

  She felt Devon’s life-beat, knew it was his, yet felt the essence of his pleasure inside herself, intensifying her own. Her soul released to join his in balance. Her scream mingled with Devon’s groans of fulfillment as together they entered the void of soundless balance, seconds later the wash of colors and completion, and her golden radiance, bathed them in ecstasy.

  “If this be Lydion,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around Devon and inhaling his scent, “let me not awake.” Tears of joy bathe Eluria’s face. Happiness as she’d never known filled her as the blanket of unconsciousness wrapped around her.

  * * *

  Eluria woke to find herself cocooned in warmth. She lifted her head and glanced around. Devon had apparently moved them to the bedroll, one muscled leg was anchored across her lower body, and a hard arm was curled possessively around her waist. She studied him as he lay sleeping. She felt the strong beat of his heart matching the beat inside her own body. Its steady rhythm soothed her. She remembered the erra
tic beat changes when they sealed, how that elemental physical, as well as spiritual, connection enhanced her own arousal, knowing its source.

  Devon was right. The ties Guardian joined could not be severed and she would have to accept that. The intensity of their completion and balance confirmed it. Eluria admitted to herself she hadn’t wanted to be free of that special connection. She and Devon were bound into the Beyond. As it should be.

  She laid her head on his shoulder. There would never be a time she would grow tired of feeling his body next to her, inside her, of knowing his life-beat was her own.

  This time of bonding had been necessary in order to rediscover their love. Being with him began the healing process of her soul. The wounds had been open and gaping, bleeding endlessly through the years. Devon’s love acted as a magical mediseal, healing her as nothing else could.

  “I love you, Devon Andromeda. You are my heart,” she whispered, snuggling against his hard chest.

  “As you are mine, Eluria Zydon.” She stiffened at the deep rumble of his voice, assuming he’d been in stasis. “My heart and my soul.”

  Leaning back, she tilted her head to look into his intense turquoise eyes. She raised a hand and stroked the side of his face. “I’ve always loved the color of your eyes. When you look at me, it’s as though I can feel your hands stroking my body, feel you inside me.”

  Easing her close, he nuzzled at her neck. “There will never be a time I’m not inside you. Never again. Always, you’ll feel my presence, know I’m with you.”

  They stayed entwined for long moments, before Devon released a heavy sigh. “I suppose it’s time to prepare.”

  Eluria pulled away. “Yes. We must return to Ednos. With the antidote and the fact we now know it works, we need to move quickly. And your mother and sister await you, Devon. They need to know you’ve been restored.”

  Sitting up, Devon threw back the blanket. “I know. I am eager to see them after all this time.”

  “They are much changed,” she cautioned.

  Sadness reflected in his eyes as he reached up, fingering his white hair. “As am I, Eluria.”

  She leaned forward brushing her hand along the whitened locks. “Your essence has been restored. I loved your raven hair, but this white makes you look quite dashing, I think.” Her lips curved in a smile.

  “It is the signature of an Enforcer,” he responded bleakly.

  Rising to her knees, she cupped his face, and drew him towards her. “But no longer a Tribunal Enforcer. Now you’re my Enforcer.” She felt his breath against her lips. “Eluria’s Enforcer,” she whispered. “And that makes a whole world of difference.” The heat of his kiss captured her. Another few moments of tasting ecstasy in his arms would be well worth the delay of their departure.

  CHAPTER NINE

  “We’ll need to move out on foot. Taking your velocitor will make us too easy to track.”

  Eluria nodded as she continued to stuff necessary items into her shoulder pack. “I know. Although I think I found the beamer they were using to track me, I can’t be totally certain there wasn’t a second one I didn’t locate. It would be like them to have placed two beamers, hoping I wouldn’t locate the second.”

  She looked across the chamber, her focus pulled to the freshly healed scar on his neck. The chip was destroyed—the Enforcers wouldn’t be able to track them through the beamer embedded in the information chip. She trembled at the memory of the procedure to remove it from his flesh.

  Devon wouldn’t accept the numbing drink she’d prepared. He’d said he wanted to remain alert; and he could handle the slight pain it would bring. Eluria had tried to be as quick as possible. She’d stayed attuned to his life-beat, searching for any irregularity to hint at his pain. Surprisingly, it had remained steady. It was only now, once her nerves were steadied and the procedure was complete, she realized what he’d done.

  “You deliberately controlled your life-beats and masked your pain from me,” she accused him.

  Devon’s steady blue gaze met hers, but he said nothing. She threw the pack aside and strode across the room.

  “And now you’re masking your feelings.” She balled her hand into a fist and struck him in the chest. “You will not do that. We’re tied, and you will not hide your feelings in this way. I won’t tolerate it.” She attempted to strike him again, but he caught her fist in his grip.

  “Eluria, it would have served no purpose for you to know the pain I felt. It would have caused your concentration to waver.”

  She struggled to free her hand. “You had no right. Do you consider me so weak? I’ve handled much worse procedures in my time.”

  Devon yanked her close. “On someone you love, Female?”

  “Female? You call me Female?” She wanted to strike out at him again, but he held her arms too firmly—but not her legs.

  “Don’t even think about it,” he warned her, his narrowed gaze locked with hers. “We’ll have an understanding here and now.”

  Slowly, she lowered the leg she’d lifted, readying for attack. “What kind of understanding?” she asked mutinously.

  “I know well those who hunt us. I lived as one of them. I know how they think. You must agree to follow my instructions. I’ll do whatever is required to protect you.”

  “As I’ll do for you.” She raised her chin. “I’ve worked alone all these years, Devon. I’ve destroyed my share of Enforcers who have sought to terminate me. I’m not as weak as you seem to think me.”

  He cuped her face. “I don’t think you’re weak. I admire your courage, your devotion.” Stroking the side of her face, he continued. “If you were hurt, it would compromise my sanity. Do you understand? To deal with the return of emotions is hard enough without concern that you won’t heed my commands. My concentration must be unwavering.”

  Devon was right. He did know the Enforcers better than she did. He could anticipate what they would do.

  “I’ll do as you ask, Devon. I know you want only to get us safely away. But you will not mask your emotions from me again. Promise me.”

  He released a deep sigh. “Like you, I’ve always worked alone.” After a long moment he nodded. “I’ll hide nothing from you in future. But I will see to your safety. No matter what emotions transmit to you, you’ll follow my commands.”

  “We’re going to clash like this a lot, aren’t we?”

  “If you continue to prove obstinate, I expect we will. Your oath.”

  “Obstinate? You should talk. Very well, I’ll follow your commands, you have my oath. Only because you obviously have a better knowledge of Enforcer mentality. And that’s not a compliment by the way. Now, I’ll have your oath you’ll never again mask your emotions from me.”

  He released her and nodded. “You have my oath. Unless your safety is compromised,” he qualified.

  “Males. Stubborn and pigheaded. I’ve always found them so. For now, I accept your oath, as limited as it is.” She reached up and pulled him down for a hard kiss. “I love you, Devon. Don’t ever forget it. If your safety is compromised, I’ll do what I must.”

  Stepping away from him, she turned and stalked back to her pack. She heard him chuckle behind her. “We make quite a pair, tafai, don’t we?”

  Her lips curved into a smile she refused to show him. “Yes, we do…taman.”

  Eluria lifted the pack onto her shoulder and turned back to him. “You’re sure your ship isn’t compromised?”

  “It’s veiled. They won’t be able to detect its exact location.”

  “Why not? Didn’t they use a beamer to track you? Wouldn’t it secure the location of your ship?”

  The smile he gave her was feral. “I’m not as trusting of the Tribunal as they expect. I’ve altered the beamer, providing a mirror location. It’s not enough of an adjustment to cause suspicion, but sufficient so they won’t be able to detect the exact location of my ship.” He lifted a pack onto his back. “My guess is they’ll monitor the mirror site and circumference the beamer indica
tes. They’ll wait for us there. It’s strategically sound for them to watch the position indicated by the beamer than to search the whole planet. They’d know it’s my only way off the planet.”

  Eluria nodded. “What’s your plan once we reach the ship?”

  Devon was silent for a moment before responding. “We’ll circle around and attempt to eliminate the trackers on the surface. Once we take off, I’ll deactivate the beamer and engage the veil. I’ll alter the veil signal so they won’t be able to pinpoint it. They’ll be unable to locate or track us at that point.”

  “Well, it all sounds very good. Let’s hope it works.” She turned to leave the chamber.

  “Eluria, wait.”

  She turned back to him questioningly. “What is it?”

  His gaze was serious as he studied her. “You will do as I say? Our lives depend on it. You won’t jeopardize your safety.”

  “I’ll do as you say,” she confirmed. “And you won’t jeopardize your safety.”

  He strode towards her, halted and reached out to caress the side of her face. “You have my thanks for restoring my memories. And my emotions.”

  She smiled. “I couldn’t have done otherwise.”

  “If we don’t survive, you should know I love you. I wouldn’t go back to the shadowland of the last twelve years. Having found you again, these hours with you…”

  Smiling, she lifted her hand, hushing his words. “I know. And I feel the same, Devon. I wouldn’t change a moment. But as you pointed out, Guardian wouldn’t have guided us this far if we were meant to fail. We will succeed.”

  * * *

  They’d been on the move for about an hour when Devon raised his hand and called a halt. They were hidden behind a large boulder sheltered from the blazing rays of a fierce sun. They’d been lucky so far in that they’d encountered no firestorms. Yet. Devon pulled out a container of fluid and tilted it to his mouth. The cool liquid refreshed his parched throat. The suit he wore regulated his body temperature so he didn’t become dehydrated from loss of bodily fluids, but he still needed to remember to replenish.