PrimalHunger

by Dawn Montgomery

  He stroked shallow and teasingly. Her pussy clenched and tingled, desperate to be filled. His breath brushed against the curve of her ear. “You can do better than that.”

  She clenched her jaw and groaned at a deeper thrust. The groan turned to a cry of frustration when he continued with shallow, teasing strokes. “Fate! Please.”

  He nipped at her ear and then soothed with his tongue. “Tell me.” He held her wrists with one hand and softly scraped his nails down her side to the sensitive dip above her hipbone. She jerked in response.

  “Please fuck me, Azros. I need…” The words ended in a half sob and he thrust deep, gently whispering words to her in another language.

  He rolled them to a new position, one that let his cock surge deeper. Her head fell back against the mattress at the exquisite pleasure. Her hands were free to touch, and she did. His body was incredible. Orgasm loomed like an oncoming storm, wild and untamable. The pleasure stroking her nerve endings bordered on pain. Intense. Desperate. She cried and begged. He was killing her with passion.

  He whispered against her lips, supping and licking. “Let go. Let it take you.”

  Her nails dug into his shoulders and she fought the tide rising against her. It was too much! Her fingers dug into the silky strands of his hair and she put all the desperation and fear tearing her apart into a soul-shattering kiss. His growl against her lips had an edge of danger that spiked her lust higher. Small tremors flexed the walls of her channel.

  His thrusts became erratic, harder, and impossibly intense. She pulled from his lips and cried out. He scraped his teeth against her shoulder. Danger set the hairs of her neck on end. He could rip her throat out with those fangs. Her heart rate spiked and his thumb pressed between their bodies, rubbing her clit. The sensation was too much and orgasm crashed over her, sweeping away her sanity in mind-blowing pleasure.

  He followed close behind, thrusting deep.

  Her pussy continued to caress him with micro aftershocks. It took a long time for her mind to clear. He had buried his face against her neck, and she was pleased to note that they were both gasping for breath. She ran shaky hands through his sweat-soaked hair, and pressed a kiss against his forehead.

  She sighed. Things just got damn complicated.

  Azros swiped his tongue lightly against the pulse point leaping erratically on her throat. The beast reveled in her submission, temporary though it may be. Azros held the sensuous creature tight against his body. He wasn’t foolish enough to think she would be easy to convince. One time with this woman had his beast so close to the surface he made feral noises. He smiled. Not that she was complaining. She seemed to especially like his purr. How could he have found such a wild lover? Fate’s hand was heavy in this.

  A frown tugged at his lips. Her body had taken the hormone. Already he could taste the changes in her scent. It was normal for a female to respond to his lambyre. For it to change her own scent was unusual. He doubted she knew what it would mean. Hell, even he didn’t know what it meant. He’d told her it was temporary, but was that the truth?

  It wasn’t the Valorian way to question the mating rites of their people, but Azros couldn’t stop suspicion from clenching in his chest. The only compatible race in seven sectors was the Sheon. What if she was the enemy? His dark thoughts threatened to poison the beginning tendrils of their mating. It wasn’t enough to be physically compatible. They would have to be soul linked, kindred spirits for the final acceptance. There were few true mates among his people.

  She shivered against his body, trembling in the aftermath of their wild sex. He could taste her confusion, her doubts in the air. The beast was calm, patient, content. It had already made its choice. This hunt was over. For now. It knew she would continue fighting against it. For the beast of Azros, there would be no other.

  But what did it mean?

  He drew the sheet up over their bodies, tugging her against his chest. Her breath fanned across his chest and he ran his hands down her incredibly soft hair.

  “What happened to your team?”

  Kendra brushed her cheek against his skin in a light caress. Every touch on his stripes hitched his breath. He wasn’t used to being touched, and was starting to wonder why. Her caresses were incredible. “There are some caves on the north face of the plateau. Clean water, shade from the burning sun, and naturally cool depths will keep them safe.”

  “Are there any more of those slime things?” He shuddered.

  “They can’t survive on the rock. Bob will patch in any radio signals we receive.” She turned her head so that her chin rested lightly on his chest. “Your concern for my team is touching, but this isn’t the first time we’ve been in a tight spot.”

  He caught the challenge in her gaze, and wondered at it. He pulled her up for a gentle kiss. Her lips were stiff. He coaxed them to soften with gentle brushes of his lips. Finally, she kissed him back, albeit reservedly. He would take this small victory.

  “How did you end up here?”

  The smile died on her lips, and her expression hardened to an emotionless mask.

  “My parents were killed during what was supposed to be a routine supply drop.” Her voice held a husky edge. She turned away and once more brushed her cheek against his chest.

  He froze, before continuing the soft caress of her hair. His lips brushed against her forehead.

  “I was seven.”

  Azros winced. “So young.” His arms tightened around her.

  “The terraform project was seen as a threat to some sects of the Sheon royal family. Enough to wipe it from existence.”

  It didn’t surprise him. His people had already fallen prey to the brutality of the Sheon regime. His soul ached at her pain. “What happened?”

  “My mother and father were killed, along with all the scientists at the station. We had no real weapons. Nothing that could stand against a full assault.” Her fist tightened against his chest. He could hear the raw agony in her voice and understood. Anger pulsed within. Fury that anyone would dare harm this woman.

  “How did you escape?” He caressed down her arm, carefully projecting calm, hiding the building anger against the Sheon.

  Her laugh was bitter. “I was left here. Alone.” Her fingertip traced the edge of a stripe. Her tender touch was distracting. “It’s considered a blood curse to murder a child…” Her voice trailed off before she cleared her throat.

  “So they left you to die instead?” He couldn’t control the fury that tightened his voice. “How is that any different?”

  She shrugged. “It’s the Sheon way. Survival of the fittest. One of the Sheon daughters came over and spat in my face. She used it as a cover to discreetly drop a blade. That single moment saved my life.”

  The Sheon daughters were children of royal blood. Ambassadors. He’d met one during his captivity, one who was nothing like her vicious mother. “I have a daughter to thank for my escape as well.” He gave a soft prayer to the gods for that small bit of assistance, hoping that the daughter remained safe. For the moment he found a kindred spirit in Kendra. From their race across the slime-infested nightmare to the acceptance by his beast, this woman was exceptional.

  “You’ve learned a lot about survival since then.” Pride and tenderness for this woman tugged at his heart. Azros tried to shake it off. He had to rescue his people and warn his home world. Six months was a long time with no contact. Why fate had chosen now to send him into a mating, he’d never fathom. She was a distraction he didn’t need.

  “Yeah, a thing or two.” She settled against his chest. He sensed her hesitation. “What happens now?”

  He gently grabbed her wrist and pressed lingering kisses against her skin. “Now, we rest. Allow our bodies time to recover, for a while, anyway.” He could already taste the heat of her lust simmering. They wouldn’t have much time before he had to take her again.

  “So once isn’t enough?”

  He rubbed his lips against her skin, letting it soothe him. Once, he worried,
would never be enough. “Over a week, remember? You get to have a little more fun, yet.”

  She gave a breathless chuckle. “More? I think you wore me out.” She cracked a yawn and tucked close. He breathed slow and steady, easing her to a deep sleep. The crackling sexual tension between them eventually eased, and Azros gently disentangled himself from her far-too-comforting embrace.

  His knuckles gently caressed her cheek. Even in sleep, he could see the strain of exhaustion on her lovely face. He doubted their race through the slimes caused this kind of bone-weary slumber. What kind of life did his fierce warrioress lead? What did she do as a security specialist? She had moves that were tempered in battle. Long hours of training had honed her body. He tucked a stray tendril of hair behind her ear.

  She was a fascinating puzzle. He reveled in her lovely body. Her awakening sexuality. She was the kind of woman who would hold control in all aspects of her life. His lips lifted in a satisfied smile. A control he’d like to test every step of the way.

  Where did she hail from? Her features were arresting, and he couldn’t quite place her accent.

  He pressed a light kiss against her lips, and smiled at the way her lips melted to his. Her fist knotted against her cheek, and he allowed one more caress of her skin.

  “Well, my lady warrior, if we’re ever to have a chance, I’ve got a war to stop.”

  A line formed between her brows and he smoothed it with his fingers. Leaving the bed was one of the hardest things he’d ever done. He didn’t like it.

  He walked away with a strange emotion burning in his chest. One that had him worried things were getting way too dangerous. He left his woman to rest. It was time he found out more about this Sheon terraforming lab, and the mysterious mate his beast had chosen.

  Chapter Four

  Kendra woke to an empty bed. She ran her palm over the sheets. Cold. A quick look around told her he wasn’t in the immediate vicinity. Her internal chrono read three hours until nightfall. She dropped her face in the pillow while flashes of her wanton behavior rolled through her mind. A groan tore from her throat. She’d begged. Begged. Mortification burned hot in her cheeks. Her body ached in areas she’d never thought possible, and it was ready to go again. Her nipples hardened against the mattress and her pussy slickened with moist heat. For fate’s sake! Wasn’t one heated day with the Valorian enough?

  And that’s exactly what it was. Heat. She was in heat for the Valorian. Was it permanent? The side effects were just pissing her off. Kendra rolled over and stared at the gray ceiling. Not that sex with the Valorian wasn’t very enjoyable. Her body pleasantly hummed from his attentions. She was no stranger to lust, but not this kind of raging inferno.

  She shoved the pillow against her face. Fuck! She didn’t have time for this kind of all-consuming fuck-fest.

  Why the hell had she told him about her parents? In a moment of weakness she’d almost told him of her Sheon heritage. “You’re a genius, St. Thomas.” His hatred for the Sheon was almost palpable. She just couldn’t stand the idea of seeing his eyes go cold when he looked at her. Exile was already hard enough. Hiding from her queen’s assassins. He was dangerous to her peace of mind. Dangerous to the terraforming mission…and her life.

  She rolled out of the bed and flung the sheet away from her body. Her life was nice, orderly and stable. She didn’t need some hard-bodied military man flitting in and out of it. She sure as hell didn’t need any Sheon commanders sniffing around after him. Her family’s legacy needed to live on. The planet was in the final stages of development. An invasion would destroy the fragile ecosystem, not to mention the uproar finding a long-lost Sheon princess would create.

  “Bob.” She found her clothes and dragged them on in record time despite the strain of her muscles. It would be a few days before she would be able to recover from that run. And sex with the Valorian.

  Yes, Science Officer Kendra?

  She winced at the inherited formal title, but was thankful he used it rarely. “Prep the scan room. I need a full-body scan and labs. Check hormone levels, pathogen, and all the regular stuff. I need to see what’s changing in my body.” The Valorian’s search would open the doors to finishing the massacre started fifteen years before. She didn’t fight for her legacy and the right to live, only to have it snatched from her by the greed of political power.

  They would get him safely out of reach of the Sheon Empire. She owed him that much for saving her life.

  Affirmative. Scan room will be available in five mikes.

  Five minutes to get to the medlab. She could still smell the Valorian’s incredible scent on her body. A part of her wore it with pride, and another wanted to wipe away any imprints he had put on her, body and soul. That same part that realized it was already too late.

  “Bob, where is our guest?”

  He is currently in the viewing room. Per your standard inquiry, I have noted that he has accessed historical files on the terraform project, and all references to Kendra St. Thomas.

  Her bare feet tread lightly on the cold tile floor. An ache in the sole of one of her feet increased until she had a slight limp. Kendra St. Thomas’ information would be limited to the last decade or so, and had no ties to her previous life, so she wasn’t worried. She didn’t know if she was irritated or amused that the Valorian was keeping his distance. Her calf cramped and she leaned against the wall to rub it. She was obviously getting soft if her muscles were being this ridiculous. Maybe the single-minded lovemaking had broken whatever his mating frenzy consisted of.

  She pushed away from the wall and a different kind of sensation drew a groan from her lips. Her pussy tingled and a slow burn of lust uncoiled from deep within. Too bad it seemed to have stimulated hers.

  She unlatched the door to the clinic and let it swing open. The Valorian had cleaned up after his scan. She didn’t know if she was more pleased or surprised. Just the thought of the tiger-striped man uncoiled a heavy thrum of lust within her core. She huffed out a breath. Maybe another round of hot sex would burn him out of her system.

  Please undress.

  She stripped without hesitation and folded the clothes neatly. With a hefty sigh, she climbed onto the exam table.

  Scanning commencing.

  The scan began and she couldn’t help but remember a time, forever ago, when this same program had saved her life. Bob’s voice droned on, announcing comparison findings as it went. Most of the information hadn’t changed since her last exam. So far, so good.

  The lab console rose and she placed her palm against it. A red light’s scan followed by rapid pinpricks and she was done. Her fingers burned where blood still seeped.

  Scan confirms muscular atrophy.

  “Shit.” Kendra leaned back against the table and shook her still-stinging hand. Too hard of a run, and none of her stretches. She should have seen this coming. A light scan along her left foot was followed by rapid pinpricks of pain. She clenched her jaw and a soft moan came from her throat. The injections stung and burned, but relief of her muscles began almost instantly. It wasn’t until the pain began to ease that she realized how much it had actually hurt.

  “Did you have a good rest?” His voice jerked her out of her fugue. She cursed that he was able to sneak up on her, and fought off an instinctive need to cover her naked body.

  “Yes, thank you. Delightful.” She said the words through clenched teeth. The last injection still burned. She gripped the side of the table and tried to relax.

  He stalked toward her, and Kendra wondered how anyone could ever look away from such a prime specimen. The stripes continued down his body, curving over rock-hard muscles. His pants left nothing to the imagination. Her nipples hardened under his heated gaze, and she knew he could smell the rich scent of her lust.

  His knuckles caressed her cheek before walking to the end of the table. A warm glow of pleasure burned in her chest. He ran his fingers along her ankle, and Kendra’s traitorous pussy clenched. Those same fingertips ran along the scars cris
s-crossing the bottom of her feet. In some areas the scarring was so bad as to make the nerves dead. In others, light touches could be agony. Long nights on her feet were hell. His gaze examined both feet, and Kendra held up her chin, determined not to let him see her weakness, how much she was ashamed of her scars.

  “How did this happen?” He began gently rubbing where the muscle still burned from the injection.

  “Upon my parents’ deaths, I’d foolishly challenged my aunt to a blood feud, single-armed combat. She accepted. And I lost.” She ran her fingers along the rigid scar beneath her rib cage. Only superstition had stayed her aunt’s hand from delivering a mortal wound. “My shoes were removed so that my soul would wander in shame forever after my death. After they left me to die, I cut the ropes and ran for my life. I tried wrapping cloth around my feet, but the slimes made the trek treacherous. My feet were shredded by the time I got back to the lab.”

  “You were seven when this happened.” It wasn’t a question. She nodded. Something burned deep in his gaze. A fierce light she’d never seen before. His thumb pushed and rolled against the knots in her foot and she groaned at the pleasure-pain. His fingers were working magic unlike anything she’d ever felt.

  “When the medscan results told me what to do, I slapped esskin on the soles of my feet without extending the muscles.”

  He winced in sympathy.

  It had taken years to recover from that one costly mistake.

  “So they healed in atrophy.” His fingertips caressed her feet.

  “Yeah.” Remembered pain ghosted across her feet and up her calves. The bloody mess had cost nearly all the clinic supplies, while stretching the limits of Bob’s capabilities. Not to mention the knife wound to the side. Kendra cleared her throat. “Thanks.” She gently pulled her foot from his warmth. This constant craving for his touch was disturbing.

  “It is normal to need touch during a mating, Desh’ra. Part of the natural cycle.” He ran his fingers up her leg, and she locked down the urge to reach for him.