Choosing Riley: Sarafin Warriors Book 1

by S. E. Smith

  Vox’s deep snarl ripped through the corridor as his cat reacted to the creature wrapped around his mate’s neck. Vox shifted between one jerky step and the next as his cat took over. He vaguely heard Riley’s scream followed by his brother Viper’s roar to stop but none of it mattered. The beady-eyed creature stared in challenge, as if daring him to take Riley from him. Vox’s teeth sank into the neck of the creature just as his massive paws knocked Riley over Tadzio’s inert figure. He pulled, listening with satisfaction as the creature came apart in his mouth. The creature tasted foul but he didn’t stop until he had torn it to tattered pieces. Only then did he realize that Riley wasn’t yelling anymore. It was her heartbreaking sobs that finally broke through the haze of rage coursing through him.

  He shifted back to his two-legged form straddling her as she looked up at him with a quivering lip and quiet sobs choking her. He looked down at her bright blue eyes in confusion. He had done it again. He had destroyed another one of her jackets, only this time she wasn’t laughing.

  “What?” He asked as he reached out to touch her lower lip. “I did it again, didn’t I? I messed up.”

  Riley just looked at him as tears escaped from the corners of her eyes. “I hate you! It was the last thing she gave me and you ruined it,” she whispered as her lower lip quivered uncontrollably. “I knew she loved me when she gave me this jacket for my birthday and you ruined it.”

  “Who?” Vox asked quietly, ignoring the men who were silently helping Tadzio to his feet.

  “My little sister, Tina,” Riley answered as she turned her face away from him and closed her eyes, shutting him out. “I miss my family,” she said quietly.

  Viper stared down at the female who had seemed so different and realized that maybe he had been a little harsh in his judgment of her. Right now, he wanted to promise her whatever in the Gods she wanted. He wondered if this was what his brother felt whenever he was near her. There was something about her that pulled at something deep inside him. He shook his head. It had to be a trick. Surely this was part of their power. He watched as Vox gently pulled his mate into his arms, muttering words of apology and promises he would make it up to her as soon as he could.

  Chapter 17

  Two days later, Vox was ready to start another war. He wanted – needed – to kill something or someone. Once Riley had gotten over being so upset she had become very, very angry. She swore she would drive him to the brink of insanity if he didn’t return her home. She had started singing a song that was about to drive him to that point. Out of desperation, he had contacted Creon and demanded he tell him the location of Earth. A rueful smile curved his lips as he thought of his mate’s tenacity. It was one of the things he loved about her. She had finally worn herself out that first night and fallen asleep. The problem was she started again the moment she woke up and had been working on him for two solid days. That was when he made up his mind he would compromise with her. He would not take her back to her world but he would bring a bit of her world to her.

  “I will be going to Earth after we have taken care of Raffvin,” Creon responded quietly. “My mate needs closure on the life she had before. I owe this to her and to us so that we can move forward.”

  “I want you to take Viper with you,” Vox stated. “I want him to bring Riley’s sister and Grandma Pearl back to her. She misses them. I cannot return with her to her world. There are still traitors among my people I need to take care of. He will go in our place to her world for them.”

  Creon’s eyebrows rose. He remembered the young Sarafin royal as being a bit of a hot head, not unlike himself. He wondered how Viper would handle being around females who were so different from what they were used to. His lips curved as he thought of what his own mate’s reaction would be to the news he planned to return with her to her world to say goodbye.

  “I will talk to Kelan. He has returned with his mate Trisha to retrieve her father,” Creon shared. “I will let him know that Viper will be joining us. From what Mandra said the last time I talked with him, there might be a few more. Adalard, Bahadur and Zebulon wanted to go as well. So far the only one resisting is Ha’ven. He states he has enough females to choose from and doesn’t need any more.”

  “Viper is only going to retrieve the females, not mate with one of them,” Vox stated firmly. “I will brief him. He will need to spend time with Riley so he knows where to begin his search.”

  “So, how is it going with your mate? You look a bit – tired,” Creon said with a grin.

  “She has most of the crew ready to throw me in one of the detention cells,” Vox replied just as the door opened and Viper walked in with a dark scowl on his face. “I have to go. I will contact you again in a few hours.”

  “Good luck my friend,” Creon said with a laugh as he signed off.

  “We should be within range of Raffvin’s hidden base by tomorrow,” Viper said walking over to the wall replicator and ordering a drink.

  “Good, I am ready to be done with this,” Vox said turning to study his brother. “I have a mission for you.”

  Viper turned with his drink in his hand and raised his eyebrow at the edge of authority in his brother’s voice. He only used that tone when he was giving him an order that he knew Viper wasn’t going to like. Viper took a slow drink before he responded.

  “What is it?” Viper asked moving over to the conference table and sitting down across from Vox.

  “I need you to return to my mate’s planet and retrieve her Grandma Pearl and her younger sister, Tina,” Vox said forcefully.

  Viper sat back and gazed at his brother with a frigid look. “Why send me? You could send another warrior. I am not an escort. I’m an assassin if you need one or a spy should the need arise,” he replied in an emotionless voice.

  “I want someone I can trust,” Vox replied softly. “I am not asking, Viper. I am ordering you to go. Creon will be returning to his mate’s planet. Kelan is already there. I will have Riley share everything she can with you to help you.”

  “Do you trust her? What if it is a trap?” Viper asked slamming his hand down angrily on the table. “Have these females taken all your wits from you and the Valdier?”

  Vox growled low, the sound rumbling in warning that Viper was treading on thin ice. “Do not question my sanity unless you are willing to challenge me for my position. You may be my brother but I will not let you or anyone else question my leadership or my mate’s loyalty to me.”

  Viper’s lips tightened. “Loyal to you but what of your people?” He snarled back.

  Vox stood up, towering over his brother who was still sitting. “She chose five mates when she should have chosen just one. She did it to protect the males that were left from being used as food. She was prepared to die even as she freed all the prisoners on that mining asteroid. She would have if I hadn’t stopped her. She is my mate, Viper, accept it. She is your queen and you will not disrespect her - ever. It is your duty to protect her at all cost, even if it means with your life.”

  Viper set his barely touched drink down and stood up stiffly. “As you wish, my lord,” he said formally, bowing his head in stiff respect. “I will get the necessary information from my queen and prepare to leave as soon as our strike on Raffvin is complete.”

  Vox watched as his younger brother turned and strode out of the room leaving him alone. He rolled his shoulders in an effort to ease the tight muscles in them. If he had known having a mate was going to be so much work he might have thought twice about it. That was until images of Riley’s flashing eyes, the twinkle in them when she got into things she shouldn’t, her wild mass of hair twirling as she laughed or walked, and her gazing up at him with burning eyes flared through his mind. He wondered how he was going to survive until she forgave him. His eyes lit up as he thought of how he had left her sleeping just a short time again. Maybe it was time to wake her up. If he kept her too tired to argue and too satisfied to be mad maybe he could win her love.

  Finally! His cat hissed.
>
  Oh, shut up, he grunted as he felt his body react to his thoughts. He was going to go claim his mate over and over again until she couldn’t think to be upset anymore. Then, he would tell her about Viper going for her family. That should make her forgive him once and for all. With the hope that this plan worked, he stood up and strode determinedly out the door heading for his living quarters and Riley.

  *.*.*

  Riley groaned as waves of heat flared inside her. Her skin tingled where it touched the hot flesh rubbing against it. She was having the most delicious dream. A hiss escaped her as sharp teeth nipped at first one nipple then the other until both throbbed and ached for more. Her legs fell apart at the first tug on her neatly trimmed silk curls. A loud cry burst from her as thick fingers rubbed her clit, making her slick and swollen with their determined search.

  “Vox,” she whispered sleepily.

  “Yes, my fiery little mate,” Vox replied as he ran his lips down over her softly rounded belly. “You were made for loving, Riley” he groaned as he tugged on the silken curls. “I love touching you and how responsive you are to me.”

  “That feels so good,” she moaned as she bit her lip as sharp waves of heat flooded her. “You better not stop if you want to live.”

  Vox chuckled as he gently opened her to his lips, nipping at her engorged clitoris and purring as her body reacted to his with undeniable passion.

  “I wouldn’t even think of it,” he responded huskily as her scent overwhelmed him and his cat.

  He was going to have to tell her before too much longer about the changes occurring within her body. His cat could not wait much longer. He buried his tongue inside her, lapping at the delicious moisture as it flowed over it. A loud purr escaped him as his cat responded to his mate being close. He moaned when Riley lifted her legs and draped them over his shoulders, pulling him closer. Her body moved in increasing agitation as she came closer to her climax and he increased the pressure wanting to taste her release.

  He slid his hands under the soft flesh of her ass and lifted her so he could drink deeper from her flowing well. Her loud cries told him she was enjoying what he was doing. He spread his fingers out, squeezing her ass as he nipped her swollen nub with his sharp teeth and was rewarded when her body exploded over his tongue.

  “Yes!” She hissed out, bunching the covers of the bed in her fisted hands. “Oh yes!” She moaned, shuddering and letting her legs fall weakly to the mattress.

  He chuckled as he released her, moving quickly to sit back and sliding his hands under her. “My turn,” he growled out in excitement.

  He flipped her over so fast she didn’t have time to protest. Gripping her around the waist, he lifted her at the same time as he aligned his thick, hard cock with her dripping channel. He pulled her back toward him and watched as his cock disappeared slowly inside her, his thumbs caressing the sweet globes of her ass. He drew in a shuddering breath at the beauty of the sight, his hands tightening on her hips to hold her still so he could control the pace.

  “Oh God!” Riley breathed out throwing her head back at the feeling of fullness invading her body.

  “Oh Vox!” He growled in response, watching her beautiful curls flow along the delicate curve of her back.

  Streaks of swirling black suddenly appeared, teasing him and his cat with what she would look like in her cat form. He held his breath, pushing in and out of her body slowly, trying to draw more of her cat to the surface without having her shift. He groaned as the swirls danced to the rhythm of his thrusts. Never in his life had he ever seen anything more breathtaking. His eyes jerked up to Riley’s when she glanced over her shoulder at him as he mounted her with strong, swift strokes. Her eyes had changed slightly, becoming more tilted at the corners and the blue was swirled with darker blues and golden yellows. Her pupils were more elongated, as well. He felt the pull of her gaze as he increased the speed of his claiming. He was drowning in the beauty of them as much as in the feel of her body wrapped around his. The combination was too much for the fragile hold he had on his control.

  “Riley!” He roared as his body jerked suddenly, exploding inside her with such force he fell forward over her back in gasping pants. “Oh Gods Riley, I need you.”

  Riley’s body clenched around his as she felt his cock swell and lock deep inside her. She didn’t think she would ever get used to the erotic feeling of being locked as one with him. Her vaginal channel rippled with shockwaves as her orgasm wrapped around his cock, pulling him deeper into her in response to his own powerful one. Her head fell to the bed as she struggled to catch her breath and not collapse under him. She wouldn’t have been able to anyway with the way he was gripping on her hips as if he was grasping a lifeline.

  *.*.*

  The next morning she realized one thing, if she thought he would make love to her and leave, she had been sadly mistaken. They had both fallen into a deep sleep after the third time he took her, this time with her sitting on his lap while he pounded into her and sucked on her breasts until she was totally mindless. Even then, he had only slept for a few hours before he woke her again loving her over and over in positions she turned hot just thinking about. He continued his systematic attack throughout the night, barely letting her fall asleep before he woke her to start all over again. She had no idea how he could function since she was a melted puddle against the sheets but once he started touching her, she didn’t care how he did it, just that he didn’t stop.

  “You are going to be the death of me,” she moaned as she felt his hand moving over her hip again. “If I could bottle whatever you have inside you and sell it back home I’d be a billionaire within a week!”

  Vox’s hand tightened on her hip at her mention of her home world. “I need you to talk to Viper. He will be going to your world.”

  Riley jerked in surprise and rose up to look at Vox with her mouth hanging open. “When do we leave? How long will it take? Oh my God, I didn’t think I would ever make it home again! I’ll have to go see my Grandma Pearl and Tina. I won’t make the mistake this time of not telling them how much I love them and that I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world, no matter what I normally tell them. Oh!” She released her pinned up breath and sat up, uncaring of the sheets that dropped to her lap showing all the ‘love bites’ that Vox had left against their creamy flesh. “I have to get the paperwork to the proper authorities about my ex-boss and his dad too! How long did you say it would take for us to get there?” She asked, impatiently pushing her wild curls out of her face.

  Vox’s mouth pulled into a straight line as he realized Riley misunderstood his explanation. “Riley, I said Viper is going, not you. You will be returning to Sarafin with me. Viper will transfer to the Horizon and travel with Creon and his mate back to your world.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” She demanded glaring down at him where he lay watching her with a deep frown. “If he is going there is no reason I can’t tag along. I never unpacked and I can be in and out of the shower in minutes and ready to go.”

  Vox’s hands whipped up to grip Riley’s upper arms in a fierce hold. “You think to leave me after the last few hours?” He asked in disbelief. “I have chosen you as my queen! You are my mate!”

  Riley frowned, pressing her hands against his chest in confusion. “I thought you were going too. Besides, I never said I wanted to be a queen! Hell, I couldn’t even get a date to the prom, what in the hell makes you think I’m queen material? Why are you sending Viper to Earth if not to take me back?”

  Vox fought the urge to wrap his hands around Riley’s neck instead of her arms. “To get your Grandma Pearl and Tina, of course. You said you missed them. I will bring them to you so you won’t. I need you to explain to Viper what he needs to know so he can return with them,” he said with a frustrated release of his breath.

  Riley’s mouth dropped open again but this time instead of excitement in her eyes, there was horror in them. “Are you nuts?!” She screeched.

 
Chapter 18

  Vox ground his teeth in frustration as Riley trailed behind him. She had not reacted anything like he expected after he informed her that he was sending Viper to her world to retrieve her family. In fact, the look of horror when he told her made him question his own sanity. He needed to make sure he told Viper to handle Grandma Pearl with extreme caution or he might end up with his head mounted to the wall of her ‘bar’, whatever that was. It wouldn’t make a difference, if she missed her family it was the only way to solve the situation.

  “Grandma will eat Viper alive! Forget the barbecue sauce, think sushi!” Riley insisted as she hurried to keep up Vox as he headed for the bridge.

  “I will warn him that your Grandma can be difficult – and dangerous,” Vox insisted. “I will not return you to your world, Riley. You belong by my side. If the only way for you to be with your family is to bring them to Sarafin, then that is what will happen.”

  “But what if they don’t want to come,” she demanded. “You have no idea what they are like! They are nothing like me,” she added. “I am the mild one of the three of us.”

  “Gods!” Vox muttered under his breath. “I find that hard to believe.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Riley asked indignantly.

  “I can’t believe they can be worse than you,” Vox admitted as he strode onto the bridge.

  Riley stopped with her mouth hanging open before her eyes flashed. “I am NOT that bad!” She protested.

  Vox turned as he was about to enter the commander’s room and raised his eyebrow. “Would they have spent the last two days singing that Gods awful song?”

  Riley flushed and her mouth tightened. “It’s driving you nuts, is it? No, they wouldn’t have spent two days singing. Grandma Pearl would have whipped your ass into the ground or filled it full of rock salt! Tina would be too dignified to sing, she would have frozen you out to the point your dick would have been a popsicle,” she snapped defensively. “The whole purpose of driving you nuts was so you would take me back! I have to take care of my old boss and his dad and I don’t want to die!”