Sarazen's Vengeance: Book 1.1

by Wroth, Isabel

  Her butt hit her heels when she sat back, dumbfounded. She pressed her tongue briefly to the roof of her mouth.

  “Is that normal? I don’t know why I did it. I just…did.”

  Ohlen made a careless, content sound. He was distracted by the sight of her bare breasts long enough for her to have to whack his hip to get his attention. He shot a careless grin up at her.

  “It is not uncommon for a female to soothe the sting of the marks she has left on her mate. Some, not all of them, have healing agents in their saliva. Don’t lick it again.”

  “What? Why not? It’s helping!”

  He chortled at her outrage. Catching her hair in his big fist to stop her from leaning back down. To keep her from licking at him until all the cuts and slashes on his body were healed.

  “You are still cresting the edge of your heat cycle. Ga’rae has not yet told me if it is because you are so newly changed, or because of a surge in hormones due to my blood having repaired your womb. Until your body passes through this fertile time we will mate frequently. I wish to carry the marks of our first cycle, always. If you lick them away, they will not scar and I will have to wait until next season when the heat comes again.”

  Andi chewed on her thumb. Recalling something Gwen had said to her and Clary when they’d been back on board the warship. The first day, after they had all apparently “gone after their mates like horny junkies in need of a fix.” Gwen’s description of the event.

  Tarek, Ga’rae, and Ohlen had all gone around shirtless for the whole day. Every warrior they had passed had looked at her with respect. At Ohlen with no small bit of envy. Like they were jealous she’d cut him up so badly. Gwen had said something about coming up with birth control. Now that they were all “sporting a uterus again.”

  “What has you frowning, my one? Truly, I want your marks so that I may admire them later. Surely you can sense the truth of that through our bond.”

  She nodded, because yes, she could feel it. His need to have evidence of their mating. Evidence that could not be disputed later.

  “I was just thinking about something Gwen said. She’s going to want to know that my saliva does…this,” she waved at the one healing line that she’d licked. Her mouth literally watering to finish and lick the hurt from all of them.

  “Will you let me take the sting out of it at least? Please? I don’t like it that I hurt you every time we have sex. It upsets me even though I know it heightens your pleasure. Though I don’t understand how that’s possible,” she grumbled. More to herself than him. The hand he’d held her back with, loosened immediately.

  Ohlen opened both eyes. Combed his fingers through her hair. His expression was slumberous, content. Happy even. “If it pleases you to ease this tiny hurt-“

  “Tiny hurt? Ohlen, I saw these things shred through metal. I know, I was there. I saw me do it. They’re freaking dangerous!” she held her fingers up and wiggled them menacingly.

  It made his lips twitch in amusement. Clearly fighting not to laugh at her. She could feel it. He took her hand. Used his strong fingers to rub up along her index finger until the cartilage shifted. Out came one wicked, dangerously sharp claw. It had been fun to cut his clothes off. But cutting through his skin nearly to the bone? Not fun. Not fun at all.

  Ohlen looked at her claw for a long time. Moving finger to finger, massaging and tugging gently. Until each was tipped with the razor sharp, crystal colored claw. He studied them. Lacing their fingers together until the tips lay along the back of his hand.

  “Your claws are lovely. As unique as you are, my one. When they press through my flesh the slice is so sharp, so precise, it is almost painless. It had been many, many of your earth years since I had felt the touch of a female. And the pleasure between mates is in no way comparable. It has no equal. We are told this from birth, but I did not believe it in truth. I can say now with absolute certainty it is so. The pleasure of mating with you is so intense, so foreign and unknown to me, it doesn’t seem real without pain. Does this make sense?”

  She nodded. It certainly did make sense. She had no other frame of reference as to what sex with someone who cared for you was like. All she’d known of it was pain and fear. A revulsion for the idea of ever experiencing it again. With Ohlen, it was exactly what he said. Intense, amazing and such a foreign feeling that she could barely process it all.

  However, “I don’t want to hurt you. I get it, that you want everyone to know just how strong our bond is. How well you’re able to pleasure your mate into submission. Could we find some other way to do that? One that doesn’t involve me almost cutting you to the bone? Please?”

  He hummed with warmth, watching her flex her hand to retract her claws back. Reached up to cup the back of her head. Pulled her down to touch a kiss to her brow, rubbing it in with his mouth, “As you wish, my one. Take the sting away,”

  Andi shifted to immediately put her tongue on his chest. Pausing when his hand tightened in her hair again,

  “Only the sting. Leave the scars.”

  She rolled her eyes up to meet his. Her body heating with an almost instant reaction to the commanding growl in his voice.

  “Only the sting,” she murmured in agreement.

  Smiling to herself, Andi threw a leg over his hips. To gain a better angle of course. He groaned in agony. It was weird, and it should have been gross. The way she could feel the smooth edges of the slices she’d made in his skin. Instead, all it made her want to do was purr. To comfort him, soothe his hurts. If he was turned on as a result? More the better. She licked slowly. Taking her time, making him hiss. His muscles turned to iron beneath her when she wrapped her lips around the flat disk of his nipple. Sucking the way he did to her. He lasted all of maybe a minute before he flipped her onto her back.

  They didn’t leave their quarters until it was time to leave for the festival.

  Sixteen

  Ohlen was commanded to pilot the craft from the main Sarazen planet, S1, to the planet where this season’s festival was to be held on S3. He did so with great displeasure as it meant he would be separated from Andi for most of the flight. It helped that they were already able to communicate along their bond. Falken was having difficulty doing so with Cassie. He said it was intermittent, that Cassie had to be experiencing an extreme emotion for the connection to become clear. Ohlen suspected that Falken and Cassie still were struggling together to find balance. The fair-haired female was in possession of a fiercely independent beast. One who did not appreciate the idea of taking second place to the much stronger male.

  It was unkind of him, but Ohlen was insanely relieved that he did not have such an issue with Andi. Her little beast was cunning and extremely intelligent. Didn’t just give in lightly. But she trusted him completely and without question. However, he was certain if he ever did anything to upset his little mate, she might not be so content to follow.

  With every rising of a new day Andi grew more confident. Settled into her new surroundings with an ease that surprised him. He had attentively watched her for any signs of discomfort after some of their more fierce bouts of mating. Tuned into their bond to carefully study her emotions and feelings. Relieved beyond belief that thus far, all seemed well. She rarely closed herself off from him. Demanded no privacy when he dipped into her surface thoughts to listen in on what it was she was thinking.

  He had asked her why, just this morning.

  “I ask, not because I wish for you to close yourself off from our bond. But you never deny me access to your thoughts.”

  Andi had been sitting at what she called her vanity, brushing out her hair. He took great pleasure in watching her feminine rituals. The pleasure she took in using the oils procured for her on her arms and legs. He took even greater pleasure when she asked for his assistance in rubbing the softly scented liquid on her back. He had already made plans to take her to the market for other things that might please her. After the festival.

  She smiled at him in the mirror, “Even if you
aren’t in the same room with me, I can feel you. It makes me feel safe. Having that constant connection.”

  Ohlen had never received so great a compliment.

  He had literally taken his hand off the command screen, having just input the codes and coordinates for their journey to S3. When a sudden acceleration in his heart rate made him pause. Made him touch in on Andi’s thoughts at the same moment she was reaching for him.

  Ohlen? Can you hear me?

  His brows slammed down at the worry in her tone. The fear he could feel shivering through her body.

  -Of course I can, my one. You are afraid. What’s wrong?

  The surge of her relief that followed was instant.

  I’m with Clary and the other human crew in the observation room. Clary asked us all to come because she overheard two different warriors talking about having poisoned our food. It’s some kind of toxin meant to cut off our ability to speak to one another telepathically. Clary, Cassie, and Gwen all tried to get hold of their guys, but they can’t. I didn’t eat breakfast, so it hasn’t affected me yet. Can you come-

  He was already up and running to her. Throwing the order for the other pilot to take the controls over his shoulder. Luckily, Tarek was with Falken and Brennaugh in the nearest meeting room. He was able to relay what Andi had told him, quickly. Ohlen and the handful of warriors with human mates blew into the observation room like a maelstrom. Andi was the only one who didn’t leap to her feet to run to him. She stood up calmly and let him wrap her up tight in his arms. Reassuring him that she was alright with a murmur.

  He held her precious little body to him. Pressed her face into his chest so he could rest his lips on her brow. Ohlen breathed in the scent of her hair while around them voices rose and fell in furious arguments. Even when it was boldly stated that the reason behind the traitorous act, the reason that Clary and the other hybrid females had been poisoned, was because of their unknown strength and allegiance to Tarek. To the rightful ruler of the Sarazen pride.

  Ohlen was in complete agreement when Tarek made plain his intention to hunt down the traitors on board and strip the fur from their carcasses. Clary talked her mate out of it. Ohlen was not so ready to simply allow Andi to return to their quarters like nothing was wrong. To be alone while unknown traitors freely roamed the ship with the intent to harm his mate.

  It was an absolute fact, that to be protected by their mating laws, he would have to locate her in the chaos of the breeding festival. At its end, they would have to physically bond together. His beast prowled as plans for the festival were made. His body starting to tremble with the physical fight to keep the enraged animal contained.

  He knew, had known the entire time, he would be separated from Andi during the hunt. It was the whole purpose of the festival. Now with the threat of an unknown enemy potentially lying in wait to take her down…

  Ohlen, I’ll be with Tarek. Nothing will happen to me.

  Andi’s voice was like a cool wind through his mind. Under normal circumstances, it would have been enough to calm him. It did not this time. Until this moment, he hadn’t ever thought of the festival as an antiquated and ridiculous practice. What other proof did he need? They had bonded. Andi was his mate. Irrefutably. Participation was now just a formality.

  Hey,

  Andi reached up to touch his jaw. Turning his face back her way so he could see her smile.

  It’s going to be alright.

  Fury continued to rise. It was his job to reassure her. He was the warrior. He was the one who had too many cycles to be counted of experience fighting an unseen enemy. Yet here she was, his mate, reassuring him that everything was going to be fine. Andi made this assumption that he was somewhat civilized. She had no idea what a struggle it was at this moment to not allow his beast to return to its feral state. She laughed, concealing the sound of it against his chest.

  Ohlen? I have every idea. I’m inside your thoughts. I feel what you feel. You’re just too pissed off to notice that I’m not scared.

  He took a deep breath. Then another. He listened to the plan with one ear, his attention torn between it and speaking to his mate.

  -You will not leave our quarters until we land. Not for any reason. I will give you the security control code to bar the door and you will stay there unless I personally come for you. Understood?

  He could offer her no comfort or kindness. Not with the gravity of this treacherous situation. He would take no chances, allow no opportunities for her to be hurt.

  Understood. Small problem.

  -Name it.

  I’m hungry. I didn’t eat anything this morning when I woke up.

  He sighed, thankful she had not. She would have ingested the toxin meant to silence their bond. And that was the root of his fury. Their bond made her feel safe. Feeling his presence constantly within her, made her feel safe, and these traitors intended to take that from her. If he discovered who the traitors were on board, there would not be anything left of them for Tarek to punish.

  Ohlen?

  Why did she sound amused?

  -What?

  Did you forget that you gave me every memory you have on how to defend myself? In my human form or on four paws?

  Ohlen narrowed his eyes at her, scowling. He had not forgotten. He was immensely grateful that Tarek had granted him permission to utilize the information transfer. That was not the point and he told her so. The point of giving her his memories had been to ensure she was able to protect or defend herself until such time as he was able to get to her.

  Isn’t that what’s going to happen now? And I won’t be alone. You know that.

  That she was correct, made it not one iota less infuriating.

  ****

  Andi had not been wrong about the forest. It was every bit as primeval as she had thought it would be. Only more intimidating because it was so dark under the canopy. According to Tarek, the festival went on for the equivalent of three weeks. Thereby giving everyone an opportunity to locate their potential mate and…it was unmitigated chaos.

  If she hadn’t already had a bond with Ohlen, she could see how finding him could have been more than just difficult. Honestly, she didn’t understand how anyone could find anything in this much disarray. It made a little bit of sense now why it took so long for any of the Sarazen’s to find a mate.

  Tarek had shifted into his beast form and of the three other warriors who did the same, he was by far the largest. The top of his head stretched up a full two feet over hers. Golden fur covering every inch of his muscular body. Ohlen had demanded that she shift into her beast form too. Wanting her to have every advantage possible while out of his sight.

  So here she was, trotting alongside Tarek on all fours. Looking at the world in streams of heat and vibrant color. Assaulted by an overwhelming number of scents and sounds. Twitching with every twig snap or rough growl in the distance. So low to the ground that her belly fur brushed the grass.

  Grass. What a strange feeling that was. Spongy, sometimes sharp. Every step releasing another burst of smell. God, there were so many scents to smell!

  -Andi, relax. I can feel how overwhelmed you are. Take a moment. Take a breath. Focus on the sound of my voice. Imagine your nose turning to my throat as it did last night and breathe deeply. Find my scent. I have yours already. I will be with you soon.

  Ohlen’s voice filled her mind. Brushed away all the other sounds cluttering everything up like the sweep of a broom. She did what he said and pictured last night. Remembered how she had sat spread across his lap with her face buried in his throat. Chest to chest, discovering the pleasure of riding his cock in that position.

  Her entire body broke out in sensual chills. Made her fur ripple all the way down to the very tip of her tail. The next deep breath she took, she caught a tiny tendril of that musky scent unique to her mate. Joy flooded the mind of her beast. Made her leap forward towards it, her paws silently bounding over the forest floor. She didn’t make it far before the golden beast behind her
roared. The bone-rattling sound had her dropping into an immediate crouch. Her cat swallowed nervously. Lowered her head in submission as she looked at the larger beast that was Tarek.

  He jerked his head at her. Smacking the ground with his paw like he was commanding her to fall back into line. Andi whined, crawling a few more steps in the direction she knew Ohlen was. Tarek’s ears flattened to his skull. His growl made leaves actually fall from the trees above them.

  -What’s wrong? What happened?

  At the worry in Ohlen’s demanding tone, she hung her head and moved back over to where Tarek waited with the others. He chuffed, lifting his muzzle to scent at the air and turned in the direction she’d wanted to go in the first place.

  Nothing, Ohlen. I caught your scent and wanted to follow it. Tarek um, barked at me.

  -Don’t you dare leave his side!

  But I can smell your-

  -Do. Not. Leave. His. Side.

  Andi grunted derisively at Ohlen’s snarl. Earned herself a dirty glare from the golden beast, too.

  She wasn’t sure how long it actually took for both groups to meet, but it felt like endless hours. Even at a slow pace her beast was beginning to tire. Until Ohlen’s scent strengthened, then it was all ahead full. Tarek perked up too. Nudging at her with his nose as though giving her permission to take off.

  Andi made it a whole foot before Ohlen’s ginger beast leaped off the small overhang to her left. Flying through the air above her with a victorious snarl. He hit the dirt on silent paws. Claws digging furrows into the ground to stop his forward momentum. Feeling playful, overjoyed to be reunited, Andi shot out of his reach. Jumped up when he lunged for her. Hissed playfully at him when his paws met nothing but air. She teased him with a smack of her tail across his furry face. Her beast was enjoying this.