Fearless (Battle Born Book 12)

by Cyndi Friberg

  After only a few teasing circles with his tongue, she cried out and bucked against his mouth. Pleasure surged through her, rushing across their link to drench him in sensation. His determination to make this last all night shattered in an instant. He pulled out his fingers, ripped off his underwear, and draped her legs over his arms. Then he thrust his entire length into her waiting warmth.

  Kelsey cried out again as Jakkin filled her with something considerably thicker than his fingers. She stretched tight around him, accenting the last few ripples of her fading orgasm. Damn the man was good at that. He never failed to send her into orbit with that talented tongue.

  “Ready?” he whispered the question against her parted lips.

  “God yes.” She kissed him, thrilled by the now familiar mixture of her taste and his. Claim me, love. Make this last forever.

  He pulled back, paused, then thrust deep. The transfer link disintegrated and his presence faded from her mind. She didn’t even have time to miss him though. A sharp sensation pricked her mind then his energy flowed back in, only the connection was wider now, more detailed and intense. She could feel his emotions, as before, but now she could sense his thoughts as well as his feelings.

  Oh wow. She couldn’t force anything more articulate out of her overwhelmed mind.

  He was just as overwhelmed. His hips started moving, dragging his shaft nearly out before filling her again, and again. She dug her nails into his shoulders, anchoring herself against his strong body as their mutual pleasure fed the newly formed link. She was surrounded by him and filled with him, connected in a way that surpassed her wildest expectations. His body joined with hers as their spirits melded. She felt more alive than she ever had before. Each sensation was more intense than the last. Even the colors surrounding them seemed somehow brighter.

  His hips sped and his head dropped back as he lost himself in the glory of claiming his mate. They moved together, perfectly in tune with each other. They climbed steadily, gradually, yet the end felt sudden, almost violent as it shattered reality.

  Her harsh cry was echoed by his as they clung to each other, coming at exactly the same time. The link anchored within their minds, burrowing deeper as she shuddered against him. His mouth found hers and they kissed gently as they slowly drifted down from the staggering peak.

  “That was intense,” she admitted when she finally caught her breath again.

  “I warned you that it would be.” He kissed her some more then asked, “Do you feel stronger?”

  “It’s hard to say. I’m all tingly and sleepy right now.”

  “Then sleep.” He rolled them to their sides, arms holding her securely. “We’ll test your strength in the morning.”

  She nodded against his shoulder, her only reply a contented smile.

  * * * * *

  Bright and early the following morning, Jakkin received word that Marsden’s ship had been located, thanks to the adjustments Torrin had made to the sensors. The mysterious new ship was in a low Earth orbit. Marsden was using the International Space Station to muffle their intermittent signals and confuse Earth’s satellites. It would take less than an hour to reach the ship, but there was still a lot to do before the mission began.

  Jakkin showered and dressed before waking his newly claimed mate. The temptation to crawl back in bed was nearly overwhelming, but Marsden’s capture hung over Jakkin like a storm cloud. The irrational human had brought Earth to the brink of war. He had to be stopped before the situation escalated any farther.

  “Wake up, hellion. We have a busy day ahead of us.” She reached for him, still half asleep. He allowed another lingering kiss, then disentangled her arms from around his neck. “You really need to get moving.”

  He ordered a tray from Lianty’s Café, as he did most every morning, wanting a nice warm breakfast to be waiting when Kelsey emerged from their bedroom. When she joined him in the living room, she was dressed in a gray utility uniform rather than her customary safari dress. She’d left her hair sex-tangled, but worked it into a haphazard braid. It was obvious she hadn’t showered. Dread banded his chest, instantly robbing him of his appetite.

  Sensing his hesitation, she asked, “You’ve located Marsden, haven’t you? I presumed that was what you meant.”

  He nodded, his throat so tight he couldn’t force words out. He motioned toward the breakfast tray and took a deep breath. He couldn’t allow his worry to distract or hinder her. She needed to be sharp and focused. “Have something to eat. We don’t starve our prisoners.”

  “I’ll try, but your stomach isn’t the only one tied in knots.”

  She managed to eat more than he did, but they still left more than half of the food untouched.

  There was no avoiding what came next, so he pushed back from the table with a sigh. “Would you rather do this in the clinic, just in case?”

  She rolled her eyes, then smiled. “You’re sweet, but that’s not necessary. Just see if Torrin has time to do this now.”

  Jakkin commed Torrin and explained what the mission required. As Kelsey predicted, the assassin had no problem with what needed to be done. He arrived at their quarters a few minutes later and Jakkin stepped out into the corridor.

  I’m going to shield my end of the link. If I feel what he’s doing to you, I won’t be able to stay away.

  Understood. Her mental voice was all business now, calm, almost emotionless. We’ll come out when it’s over.

  Jakkin paced the corridor, fists clenched, mind focused on the mission rather than what was taking place on the other side of the door.

  What the hells was taking so long? He glared at the door and kept on pacing. Every minute they delayed increased the risk of Marsden’s ship sensing them before they were ready to be noticed.

  When the door finally parted, Jakkin braced for what he was about to see. Torrin appeared first, looking worried and extremely apologetic.

  “It looks worse than it is,” Torrin stressed. “Her skin is so damn fair, it bruises really easily.”

  Fear and fury blasted through Jakkin. He shoved Torrin aside and rushed into the living room. Kelsey looked up from the bloody cloth she’d been pressing against her badly swollen lip. One of her cheeks was bright purple and distinct fingerprints now encircled her throat. Her uniform top was torn, revealing the top of one breast and a particularly ugly bruise on her shoulder. Alloy restraint cuffs dangled from one wrist and both were now deeply bruised as if she’d been fighting against the metal for weeks, not moments.

  “I’m going to kill him!” He spun around, but Kelsey caught his arm.

  “It looks much worse than it is.” She squeezed his arm hard, to drive the point home. “I’m fine. Torrin only did what we asked of him.”

  Jakkin took a deep breath and then another before he pulled her into his arms. “You will be fully regenerated as soon as this mission is over.” She groaned as he gave her a little squeeze and he pushed her to arm’s length. “What else did he do to you?”

  “He gave me a couple of rib shots in case they aren’t convinced by my face.”

  “Or your wrists or your throat?” he cried. “I know it was necessary, but this was overkill.”

  She shook her head and tried to smile, but her swollen lip made it look more like a grimace. “This is accurate. I know how to push buttons better than anyone. Marsden was my C.O. He knows I’d provoke my captors until they lost control. He also knows I’d never break, which is why he’ll rush to assist me.”

  This was a side of Kelsey he’d never seen before. She’d been feisty and spirited from the start, but being courted by a Rodyte was way outside her comfort zone. This was home to his mate, where she lived and thrived. She was ready to walk headlong into danger and she was…fearless.

  Pride swelled in his heart. Fearless might be the name of his ship, but Kelsey deserved the title much more than he did. “You’re amazing.” He kissed her on the forehead, then moved out of her way.

  Chapter Eleven

  Kelse
y rolled her hands, cringing at the stiffness already limiting her range of motion. Damn. At least she could still make a fist. The shuttle would basically fly itself. All she had to do was activate a distress signal and operate the comlink. And play her part so believably that Marsden wouldn’t hesitate to help her.

  Her lip was driving her crazy. At least it had stopped bleeding. She’d told Torrin to avoid her eyes. She needed to be able to see once the fighting started. She’d try to isolate Marsden before she went after him. He was almost thirty years her senior, so incapacitating him shouldn’t be too difficult.

  She’d been given com-bots so she could communicate with the Fearless and the other team members directly. Hopefully Marsden’s new ship wouldn’t be able to detect the microscopic implant.

  Torrin, are you in place? It felt strange to use real names while on a mission. But Jakkin assured her that the frequency they were using was encrypted and private, so codenames were unnecessary.

  Affirmative. Ready when you are.

  Copy.

  Not trusting herself to locate the private path during the heat of battle, she left the link open and quieted her mind by focusing on each step awaiting her. She pushed her hands into the control matrix and carefully performed the motions Jakkin had taught her. The launch doors were already open and she’d been cleared for departure, so she set the shuttle in motion, then pulled her hands back.

  The tiny ship glided out of the bay and sailed into the velvet blackness of space. She’d flown a variety of helicopters and even a few small planes, but nothing like this. It was thrilling, and humbling, to realize how far human technology had to go.

  The Fearless had temporarily extended their covert shields so the shuttle didn’t immediately give away their location. Marsden’s ship hadn’t reacted to their arrival, so Kelsey was cautiously hopeful that they didn’t yet realize the battle born had discovered their hiding place.

  Adrenaline kicked her pulse into high gear, making her feel jittery. She rolled her hands, needing the discomfort in her wrists to help keep her focused. The shuttle emerged from the ship’s protective cover and she took one final calming breath. This mission was important on several levels. Marsden needed to be removed from power and held accountable for the ramifications of his decisions. But she had personal reasons for wanting to participate. This would help clear her mate’s name, which was important to both of them. It would also establish her as a legitimate field operative in the eyes of the battle born. She could not spend the rest of her life lying around in their cabin watching entertainment files, waiting for her powerful mate to come home from work. She needed to feel useful, and not just as a wife and eventually a mother. She needed to actively contribute to the battle born cause.

  “Unidentified shuttle, state your purpose or we’ll open fire!”

  Not a very hospitable welcome, but it was exactly what she’d expected. She pressed her lips together, the sting making her eyes water. “Help me.” Her voice broke and she thought of the restaurant explosion that had nearly cost her and Alyssa their lives. That only made her angry.

  “Identify yourself.”

  “Captain Kelsey Lindon.” The words sounded distorted as she maneuvered them past her swollen lips. “Solar Warden Agent 952. Medical emergency.”

  “Where did you come from, Captain? Are the battle born in pursuit?”

  Who the hell was this moron? She was glad she wasn’t bleeding to death. “Please help me.” She tried to sound as pathetic as she possibly could.

  “Kelsey, release control of your ship. I’ll bring you aboard the Vengeance.”

  Marsden. Thank God. He’d named his ship Vengeance? Not surprising given his current state of mind. “I don’t know how,” she cried, finally achieving a helpless victim timbre. “I barely got this thing away from the Fearless.” That should do the trick. He’d move heaven and Earth to bring her aboard now.

  “Do nothing. We’ll take control.”

  Unsure if they had visual or not, she raised her hands and pressed back into her seat. It took them a couple of tries, but the shuttle was soon flying toward the unseen ship. They guided her into a landing bay, the only part of the ship that ever appeared. Marsden was waiting as she stumbled off the shuttle.

  “Commander.” She hurried toward him, then stumbled, praying he’d instinctively catch her. He caught her and righted her as a sob tore from her throat. “Thank you. I can’t believe I’m finally free.”

  He looked her over, then glanced toward the shuttle. “Are you alone? How did you escape?”

  “It’s just me, and it wasn’t easy.” She swayed and blinked, encouraging the tears pooling in her eyes to run down her cheeks. “Be careful, sir. He’s not going to let me go without a fight.”

  “Who? You said you escaped from the Fearless?”

  “The commander thinks I’m his mate.” She shuddered and forced a dry sob. “He’s so damn twisted. They all are.”

  “I’m well aware. How long ago did you escape?”

  “I’m not sure.” She swayed again. They needed to get moving. “I passed out. Two hours, maybe more.”

  “Let’s get you to the clinic.”

  She shook her head and sobbed, lightly covering her mouth with one hand. “Please, sir. Not yet. Let me pull myself together.”

  “You said it was a medical emergency. Are you sure you don’t need a doctor?”

  “He, they… Nothing’s broken, luckily.” She gestured with the hand from which the restraint dangled, drawing his attention to her wrist. “I think my ribs are cracked. But I can’t deal with another stranger touching me right now.”

  He looked at her ripped top and the strangle marks on her neck. “Of course. You can rest in my cabin as long as you like. But my physician is very good. You can trust him.” He saw the panic she created in her eyes and added, “When you’re ready.”

  “Thank you, sir. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been out here.”

  “I apologize for my security officer. He’ll be reprimanded. We always help our own.” He turned and left the bay, clearly assuming that she would follow him.

  You’re clear, Torrin. Be careful.

  Copy that.

  She detected a hint of amusement in his tone and had to fight back a smile. It wasn’t like her to mother her team members. Jakkin was making her soft.

  The Vengeance didn’t look that different from the other Solar Warden ships. The basic design was similar to the other ships they’d received from the Evonti. It was hard to judge its size without having seen the exterior and they’d been shielded as they pulled her shuttle aboard.

  The cabin Marsden took her to was large and luxurious. Not unlike Jakkin’s, the main living area was multipurpose with a seating-entertainment area as well as a small dining room. He motioned her to the sofa, then sat in the chair facing her.

  “Have you been on the Fearless this entire time?”

  So he intended to interrogate her himself. That was fine. She couldn’t take him out of commission until Torrin signaled her that he was finished. “Most of it. I was taken to Lunar Nine briefly, but…” She cleared her throat as if she were fighting back tears. “I was taken back to his ship when they figured out who Alyssa was.”

  “By ‘his ship’ do you mean Jakkin Arvik, Commander of the Fearless?”

  “Yes, sir.” She didn’t want to give him too much too soon.

  “And he believes you’re his mate?”

  She nodded, glancing at him through several strands of her hair. “He’s obsessed.”

  “Rodyte males are like that, all animal instincts and mindless brawn.” He studied her for a moment in silence, then asked, “You estimate that he is two hours behind you?”

  “I don’t know.” She allowed a bit of her frustration to show. Marsden had always been a self-absorbed asshole. Clearly nothing had changed. “The Fearless is much faster than that shuttle.”

  Show time. Torrin told her. I’m about to drop their pants.


  I’m in position. Carry on.

  No doubt the bridge officers would notify Marsden as soon as the shields dropped. “I need to…” She stood up and motioned around the room. “Where’s the bathroom.”

  Marsden started to speak, then tapped his right ear. “This is Marsden, go ahead.” He motioned to a door across the room. “It’s through there.”

  She moved slowly forward, waiting for him to finish his conversation.

  “What?” he snapped, then, “Shit. I’ll be right there.” He looked at her, eyes narrowed. “Try to get some sleep. Do not leave this cabin.”

  “Of course, sir.”

  He started for the main door, so she timed her steps to his. As they reached the center of the room, she dropped the victim act and punched him squarely in the jaw. He staggered back, but didn’t go down.

  Fury erupted in his eyes and he lunged for her, hands balled into fists. He swung wildly for her midsection, but she easily avoided the blow. He swung again, catching her already bruised cheek.

  She cried out and her vision blurred for just a moment, then she drove him back with a sharp roundhouse kick and a two quick jabs.

  “You lying bitch!” he screamed, then took a deep breath. “Security to—”

  Her vicious forearm chop to his throat silenced him, and she kneed him in the gut as he grabbed his throat with both hands. Bracing for the inevitable pain, she made a fist and punched him in the jaw a second time. He groaned and finally collapsed at her feet. She shook off the pain, then reached into her pocket and pressed the restraint release. The alloy cuff encircling her wrist popped open and she caught it before it clattered to the deck.

  Marsden landed on his side, one arm already behind him. She dragged his other behind his back and fastened the restraints around his wrists. She searched him for weapons and found a knife and a compact pulse pistol, as well as the larger gun strapped to his hip.