A Darkside Interlude: Darkstar Mercenaries Book 0.5
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She smiled, taking his hand as they stepped into the shadows.
Chapter Twenty
Iskar was about to explode. In all his years of fighting and command, his self-discipline had never been tested like this.
Each step she took sent a jolt of lust through his body. Each twist of her hips, each touch of her hands, each waft of her intoxicating scent was pure, exquisite torture.
She didn’t understand what she did to him. When he’d burst through the roof and found her standing over that sniveling wretch of a human, white-hot jealousy had flooded his mind.
He’d almost killed the man there and then, but he’d partly come to his senses, just enough to know that if he plasma-fried this creature in front of his precious human, it might traumatize her.
He hadn’t wanted her to see that side of him, so he’d waited until she was safely in the glider before briefly returning to dispense a very Kordolian form of justice.
“Please…” His voice was a cracked whisper as he led Mari into his personal quarters. “Inside.”
Look at you, idiot. You are barely coherent. Pull yourself together!
After all, he wanted to make a good first impression. As they’d flown back to base, he’d communicated with Nakiva, his Kordolian assistant, and asked her to send extra light-pods, fragrant Ekinese lotions, and a box of Veronian sweets to his chambers.
Iskar was aware his request was highly out of character, but Nakiva hadn’t questioned it.
As Mari entered his private residence, Iskar was grateful he’d planned ahead. The light-pods added a pleasant muted glow to the room, and the spicy-floral scent of Ekinese sooriba filled the air. Suddenly, his plain, charmless quarters were transformed into a place that was warm and inviting.
He wanted her to feel comfortable, not afraid. Although she tried her best to hide it, her unease was obvious.
As the Qualum door closed behind them, Iskar took her into his arms. “I think I must be some sort of masochist.”
The corners of her eyes crinkled in amusement. “Why do you say that?”
“Because here I am, with the woman of my dreams in my arms, and I want to prolong this torture.”
“Prolong?”
“Mari, you need to be comfortable.” He slid his ceremonial jacket off her shoulders and slowly drank her in with his eyes. “Right now, I can tell you aren’t.”
“With you, I’m more than comfortable.” She leaned in and planted a soft kiss on his lips.
Iskar slid his hands over the curve of her waist in an affectionate caress. “Through that doorway, there is a shower. In the garment-pod, there are robes. Take your time.” He looked down at her body again. The brilliant white dress she wore encased her from neck to knee, covering her arms. It left nothing to the imagination; he could see the outline of her breasts, the delicate points of her nipples, the flat planes of her stomach, the curve of her hips, the slight indentation where her sex was…
“You like the dress?” She followed the direction of his gaze.
“No. I will not lie, seeing you like this makes me incredibly horny, but it is not to my taste. I would rather see you comfortable.”
The garment had been designed purely to emphasize and objectify her body. Iskar breathed in sharply, trying to rein in his lust. “I would rather see you without that dress.”
“That can be arranged.” Slowly, sensually, she undid the zipper.
Iskar nearly choked.
Mari peeled the dress off her body like a second skin, letting it drop to the floor. Still wearing those ridiculous silver shoes—oh, how nicely they accentuated her long golden legs—she walked toward the shower, glancing over her shoulder. “You coming, Sir?”
“Sir?” His stiff cock banged against his armor-plate.
“You’re the boss around here, aren’t you?”
Iskar’s frantic hands were all over his exo-armor, activating the release mechanism. Suddenly, he felt very hot beneath his protective suit.
Mari disappeared into the wash-chamber. Damn temptress. His armor clattered to the floor, and he stalked after her, unable to contain himself any longer.
At last, she would be his, and finally this exquisite madness would be tamed.
Chapter Twenty-One
Mari closed her eyes as she stood underneath the torrent of warm water.
Amazing.
She was standing in a rainstorm in the middle of the dessert, inside a Kordolian warrior’s dark-walled chambers.
And she was horny.
It was incredible.
“Here you are.” Rough hands slid across her waist. Something hard and warm and very male pressed against her. Insistent lips planted deep kisses in the hollow of her neck. “You were supposed to have waited.”
“Whatever for?” She wanted him so badly. Mari moaned as he shifted, his massive erection pressing against the small of her back. “What if I can’t wait?”
Broad hands cupped her breasts. She leaned into him, enjoying the feeling of his hard, powerful body against hers. Warm water sluiced over her hair, her face, her body, washing away unpleasant memories.
“Then I will have to do something about that, because I am at my limit.” His hand traveled down the flat of her belly, curving over the mound of her sex. He found the sensitive, throbbing pearl of her clit and caressed it.
“Oooh!” Mari squirmed as intense pleasure coursed through her, turning her legs to jelly. He slipped his other arm around her waist, holding her tight.
“There is no escape,” he whispered in her ear. “You are mine now.”
The way he said it—in that rough, possessive tone—made Mari feel invincible.
His words were truth, and she knew it deep in her bones. Nothing in the Universe could come between them.
Iskar maintained the gentle pressure on her clit as he spun her around. Crimson eyes flashed in the dim light. His lips met hers. Their slick bodies met, bare skin on bare skin, moving together in a symphony of desperate need.
He was all around her, all over her, with his fingers inside her, and he was everything.
Mari ran her hands over his broad, muscular back, discovering a body shaped by years of training and discipline. She dared to look down.
Slick, silver, wet, and all hers. He was a living, breathing sculpture; the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.
His proud erection stood between them, massive and straining. A narrow ridge ran down the top of his cock, from base to tip. The mere sight of it elicited a deep, shuddering breath of anticipation. “Oh,” she exclaimed, in a husky, breathless voice.
Mari was awestruck. This hard, intimidating man had somehow turned into a warm, sinful lover.
She looked up, caressing his cheeks as he did magical things down below. Each deft touch seemed to take her to a higher level of pleasure, and just when she thought she couldn’t feel any better, he cranked it up another notch.
Mari ran her fingers over the hard angles and planes of his face.
“Here,” he whispered, capturing her hand and placing her fingers at his temple. Beneath his silver skin, there was something smooth and slightly raised. Come to think of it, Mari thought she could see a slightly darkened area where the bump was.
“What’s this?” As she traced her fingers over the bump, a low, guttural rumble came from deep within his throat.
It was a primal, animalistic sound, and it stoked her arousal to near-breaking point.
“H-horns,” he gasped. “I only ever want your hands on them.”
“And I only ever want your fingers inside me,” she whispered as she gently rubbed both of his horn-stumps with the pads of her thumbs.
The effect was incredible.
“Ah, Ma-ri-bel…” He caressed her name, drawing it out and making it his. “I’m yours.”
Her Universe shattered into a million blissful pieces.
Iskar pulled her against him, kissing her frantically. “I need you.”
He thrust inside her, going deep.
He moved his hips.
He claimed her lips with his.
He moved sinuously, gracefully, stretching her, engulfing her with his powerful body.
Mari was tight. That was to be expected, because he was her first.
Her glorious first.
She opened up to him like a blossoming flower, surrendering to his undeniable force. He swept her up in his rhythm, carrying her away.
She loved it.
Mari forgot where she ended. She forgot where Iskar began. She became one with her fierce, passionate warrior as he rocked back-and-forth, the intensity of his movements building.
Harder, harder… his hands moving up-and-down her neck, her back, her ass, gliding over bare wet skin.
And his movements sent her deeper and deeper into this beautiful madness.
Mari wrapped her legs around him. She curled her arms around his neck, savoring his kisses.
Almost…
A towering precipice of need grew out of her desperation. It was beautiful and agonizing, all at once.
Her body had developed a mind of its own. She ground her hips against his, crying out as she sought that elusive feeling.
So close…
She couldn’t get enough of him. Mari became a slave to her need, demanding her fill.
Iskar obliged, his movements becoming rougher, more savage.
This is it…
Mari howled.
Climax!
Her savage Kordolian cried out, his deep voice filling the small cubicle with the echoes of his release. He sank the points of his fangs into the soft skin at the base of her neck, marking her, claiming her.
He came.
She came.
Mari whimpered as pleasure mingled with pain. She quivered, riding the aftershocks of her orgasm.
All the tension drained from her body.
Iskar held her tightly, and for a long time, neither of them said a word. They just stood together under the warm water, basking in each other’s presence.
Discovering each other.
Forging an unlikely bond.
“Now I am satisfied,” he said at last, gently withdrawing. In a swift, elegant motion, he lifted her into his arms.
As if by magic, the water automatically stopped as they stepped out of the shower. Warm air rushed around them, and suddenly the water evaporated from Mari’s skin, leaving her perfectly dry.
Still naked, Iskar carried her down a dark corridor, heading for his bedroom. The cocoon-like space was illuminated with small warm lights that burnished his skin, turning him into a perfect living sculpture.
“You know, that’s the first time I’ve ever experienced a real shower.” Before now, showering had only been a distant fantasy for Mari; it was something only rich Telurians had access to. Water was scarce in the Dust Alleys, and people usually made do with buckets and dry-sanitation canisters.
“Hm.” If Iskar was surprised, he didn’t show it. He gently deposited her on his bed, a shadowy, womb-like pod covered in the softest black sheets. “So? Did you like it, my precious Mari?” His expression turned sly.
“Very much so.” Infused with the afterglow of their lovemaking, she reclined on the bed, enjoying his appreciative stare. “If all showers are like that, I will be taking a lot of them.”
She returned his stare. For the first time, Mari was able to appreciate him in all his bare-naked glory.
He was completely, utterly breathtaking. Tall and lean, Iskar was all muscle. His silver body could have been carved from solid metal, but when he moved, the warm light dancing across his skin, he was very much a living, breathing creature.
Scars of various lengths marred his body, reminding Mari that he was a warrior. The black pendant—the very one she’d tried to steal—hung around his neck, contrasting sharply with his luminous skin.
Battle-scars.
How many wars had he fought? What terrible things had he done before he landed on Earth? How many people had he… killed?
Iskar seemed to notice the direction of Mari’s gaze. As he sat down beside her, he reached for her hand. “I am far from perfect, Maribel. Not all of these scars were earned righteously.”
“I can’t even imagine…” She didn’t know what to say. He was being completely open with her, and she was a little afraid of what she might hear.
Not that it would change anything. She was utterly addicted to this man.
“You would not have liked the old me. I was young, vicious, and hungry for promotion. I believed the Empire’s propaganda, and I reveled in the power I was granted.”
The tenderness of his touch provided a stark contrast to his chilling words.
“What changed? I know you’re not that type of person anymore.”
“There wasn’t a single defining moment. Change was a gradual thing, but perhaps it started at a certain point in time.”
“Something happened to you?” Mari moved across and curled up beside him. She sensed that he was revealing a very secret part of himself. This was a side to this tough, hard Kordolian that others never got to see.
“To my father,” he corrected. “He was an infantryman; a grunt. On a routine flight back to base, he got caught in a spacefight between two warring Noble Houses over a group of Veronian slaves. He was killed.”
“Oh, Iskar. I’m so sorry.”
“It was a long time ago,” he said gruffly, stroking her hand. “The irony of it all was that he was protecting the slaves, not the nobles. My father was at the frontline of many battles in his life. He always used to tell me that the ideals of the Empire were misguided. I would tell him he was a fool, that his words bordered on treason. I was young. I thought I knew everything.” Iskar’s hand drifted to the diamond-shaped pendant at his neck. “After his death, the Empire awarded him this medal. It wasn’t because they saw his actions as heroic. His intervention allowed the more favored Noble House to recapture their slaves. They thought he was on their side.”
Mari took a deep, shuddering breath. “It’s a memento of your father?” A pang of guilt wormed its way into her chest. She’d tried to steal something that was precious to him. “I’m sorry.”
“Do not apologize to me, Mari. You are mine now. That more than makes up for the original transgression, does it not?” Iskar put his arm around her, pulling her into a warm embrace. “After he died, all the things my father had said about the Empire started to come true. He, a simple infantryman, became a prophet in death, and there was so much I wanted to share with him, but that chance was lost forever. That is why I wear this medal around my neck. It is to remind myself that there is always another way of looking at a situation. Nothing is absolute.”
“Is that why you let me go? Why you gave me the krath?”
The heaviness lifted from his expression, and the corner of his mouth quirked upwards. “Partly. But you are also very beautiful, and that influenced my decision somewhat. The kiss alone was worth it.”
“So the Head of Security is not immune to a woman’s charms.”
“I am only vulnerable to your charms, Maribel. I told you to be careful. The effect you have on me is dangerous.”
“And you’re quite the smooth-talker when you want to be.”
“Only for you, my love.”
“Is this only for me, too?” She curled her fingers around his cock, which had gone hard again.
“Amongst other things, yes,” he growled, exploding into movement.
So fast!
Her world turned upside-down.
Mari didn’t quite understand what had happened, but suddenly she was lying on her back with Iskar prowling over her, his fangs flashing in the soft light as he grinned. “And you my clever thief, are mine to desire, cherish, possess, and pleasure as I please.” He trailed slow, hot kisses down her belly, arriving at
her tender sex.
Oh, my… Is he really going to…?
He went down, and took Mari to fucking heaven.
Epilogue
As he entered the bio-dome, Iskar quietly sympathized with Borak Amantul. He made a mental note to assign the gunner a constructive punishment, as opposed to one of the more traditional punitive measures he would have used in the past.
Iskar walked through vertical racks of edible green plants. Humans were leaf-eaters, but Kordolian metabolism demanded protein and only protein. Luckily for them, the endless desert was home to vast numbers of hopping creatures called kangaroos. Their meat was lean and rich, the way Iskar liked it.
As he passed into a large central dome filled with fragrant flowering plants, he reminded himself to bring Mari here after work. She would enjoy this place, and perhaps he could arrange a little privacy for the both of them.
But right now, he was here on official business. Iskar had been summoned here by none other than General Akkadian himself, and he suspected there would be hell to pay for the havoc he’d wreaked in Darkside.
“There is a certain serenity to be found amongst these green organisms, is there not, Commander?” The General emerged through a stand of long-stemmed plants, moving silently across the polished floor. Clad in the traditional male version of a Kordolian kashkan, he appeared relaxed, but Iskar knew as well as anyone that he could turn deadly in the blink of an eye.
When had he…? Iskar’s battle-sense was pretty good, but the General’s silent appearance had caught him by surprise.
But of course, the General was part of the notorious First Division. The bastards all moved like that. Stealth was one of their trademarks.
“I find myself coming here quite often to strategize. My wife seems to have a talent for creating small sanctuaries amidst the chaos.”
“There is a certain charm to it,” Iskar admitted, tipping his head respectfully as the General came to stand beside him. He clasped his hands behind his back, awaiting his fate.
His actions had been supremely out of character, but Iskar didn’t regret a thing, because he’d found his mate.