by Marie Harte
* * * *
When Gren awoke, he felt refreshed and for the first time in his life, truly whole. Temis stirred in his arms and he soothed her, knowing she needed more rest.
“Sleep, sura. I’m here.”
She immediately snuggled closer to him, and his heart thumped at the contact.
It was too late now to change things. Having experienced utter wainu, he wouldn’t change his circumstances even if he could. Never had he thought to find a woman like Temis, a woman to join him in all ways possible.
He felt the oneness between them, could sense her breathing, her heartbeat, just by searching within himself. Her thoughts he would respect, and he would teach her how to shield them. She already had the innate knowledge, since she’d kept herself apart from him for the past several days. But now that they’d joined, she would be susceptible to him at all times.
Worry reared its ugly head, but he ignored his responsibilities for once and took comfort in the woman beside him. Temis had just entered into a sacred bond, whether she knew it or not, and he intended to take advantage of her loving for as long as he could. Reality would be upon them all too soon. For now, he would love his mate and share with her Theshan pleasures few would ever know. Satisfied with his decision, he let drowsiness take him into the dark, his arms locked around his woman.
Hours later he felt the heat of warm breath on his shaft, waking him to unbearable pleasure.
He opened his eyes. Temis lay between his thighs, waiting for him to waken. The minute she saw him blink, she closed her mouth around his engorged cock, licking and sucking while she watched with a swirling lavender gaze.
He thought it the most erotic thing, watching her pleasure him. She knew just how to stroke him, how to lave the sensitive spot beneath his glans, to fondle his sac while she consumed him.
His breathing quickened until he was panting, and still she continued.
“Wait, sura,” he breathed, not wanting to come in her mouth when he’d been waiting for what seemed like forever to spill inside her. “I want to come inside your sweet pussy.”
She smiled, like a cat toying with prey, and crawled up his body. She dragged the tips of her nipples over him, exacerbating his need.
“More,” he growled and mentally showed her what he wanted. Her eyes glittered with promise. And soon enough, she straddled his face.
He grabbed her hips and lowered her until her clit danced over his lips. He hungrily licked her nub as she rode his tongue. So good, he never wanted to stop. She cried out as she came hard, her moisture flooding his tongue as she convulsed. Near to bursting himself, he hurriedly pulled her away to sit atop his erection.
She slid down his rod with ease and bounced over him with the help of his hands guiding her hips. The heat engulfing him mirrored the perfection of wainu. And that quickly, her orgasm built again. He pushed her further, a burst of Theshan bliss causing her to gush around him.
Her scent fed his excitement and he shot hard, grinding against her as he came. The sexual energy flowed between them like ethereal gold. Power lit the room, so that he could see every nuance of her voluptuous body. Her full breasts heaved in the aftermath; her tight belly quivered with satisfaction.
She stared down at him with eyes cloudy from lusty energy. Her irises were a glowing combination of purple and silver that he’d never forget. To his amazement, he remained hard.
“Oh, yes,” she breathed and rocked over him once more.
“You won’t feel sore after,” he promised. Had her first time been with anyone else of his size, she would have hurt after making love. But Gren refused to allow anything to harm his woman. He sat up, hugging her curves to him as he pushed deeper. “I’ll make sure of that.”
“And you’ll explain why I can’t stop wanting you,” she ordered. She didn’t give him time to answer but plastered her mouth to his.
They didn’t speak until much, much later.
Chapter Twelve
To her amazement, Temis and Gren spent hours upon hours making love, an exhaustive but thoroughly satisfying exchange. She wouldn’t have thought it possible, but each time she touched him she wanted him more.
After finally succumbing to their bodies’ need for sleep, the two rested.
Waking with a deliciously well-used soreness, Temis stretched and discovered Gren already awake, staring at her with a sleepy smile on his face.
He brushed his lips over hers and the soreness vanished, replaced with a languid peace.
“Not that I’m complaining.” Temis traced every facet of his handsome face. “But when are you going to explain how you’re able to do things like that?”
He sighed. “Do we have to go into this now?”
She nodded. “I can’t help it. My curiosity is killing me.” She sat up and saw his eyes darken. Flushing, she pulled the sheet up to cover her breasts. “Focus, Gren.”
“I am,” he murmured, stroking her leg through the thin sheet covering them.
“How is it I want to smack you and kiss you at the same time?”
He shrugged, his grin tugging on her heartstrings.
Needing some answers, and shying from such confusing affection, she pressed forward. “You took me to places I had no idea existed. I saw stars, Gren. Real stars. And though I don’t have much experience with this kind of thing, I know that’s not normal.”
He continued to stroke her thigh, his gaze shifting from her eyes to the blanket covering her.
She continued. “And what about the flashing lights? The surge of energy that rocked the ship while we made love?” She took his chin in her hand and made him look at her. “Tell me, Gren.” Her voice softened. “Please. I need to know.”
He pressed a kiss to the centre of her palm that quickly turned her insides to mush.
“I told you I’m a telepath.”
She stared, waiting.
“And I should have guessed you wouldn’t believe me. Temis,” he paused and sat up, his flexing abdomen and tense pectorals a definite distraction. “I’m somewhat of a rarity, different from the men you normally meet.”
“Tell me about it.” She grinned, but her smile faded when his lips thinned.
“I can do things others can’t. I—” He stopped. “I don’t know how to explain, exactly.”
She frowned. “Just tell me the truth. I won’t tell anyone else.” A sudden thought struck her. “Are you an enhanced psychic?”
“Enhanced? Oh, you mean, like a Creation? Or a genetically enhanced being the scientists of Eyra like to tinker with? Hell no. My gifts are a natural part of my heritage.” He sounded proud, his tone that of the arrogant mercenary she had first met. “Unfortunately, they’re worth far more than what the Eyrans are paying for recapture of their ‘scientific experiments’,” he added caustically.
“I’ve never much cared for biological tampering either,” she admitted. “Real Zeirens look down on skills acquired through artificial means. We prize true strength and power.” She eyed him with curiosity. “I don’t understand why you can’t tell me what you’re hiding. I’ve seen you fight. I know your strength is your own and that you’ve spent at least some training time on my planet.”
His brows rose. “So it’s my body you’re attracted to, and not my mind?”
“Can’t you just answer the question?”
“It’s more complicated than you know.” He pulled her into his arms and rested his chin on top of her head, making her feel warm and protected. “I can tell you I’m not telepathic, at least not with everyone. I have an affinity towards women.”
She stiffened. She couldn’t help it.
He chuckled. “I mean my abilities only work on women.”
“But I heard you communicate with Lurin.” She tried to squirm out of his hold to look at him, but he tightened his arms around her.
“So you heard that, hmm? And you say you’ve no mental gifts of your own.”
“Only the ability to structure dreams, and that’s not all that uncommon am
ong my mother’s people. I only started sharing some of your thoughts and feelings after we, uh, well, after we were intimate that first time.”
“You mean after I licked your sweet pussy? Made you come all over my tongue?”
“Gren.” She blushed, as embarrassed from his frank talk as much as at her arousal because of it.
“I’m sorry, sura. But you’re so easy to tease.” He took a deep breath and released it on a loud exhale. “What we shared, Temis, is something I will never share with another. Nor will you.” He squeezed her. “Our souls connected on a spiritual plane my people call wainu.”
“Your people?” She finally managed to free herself and looked into his dark eyes, so full of mysteries.
“I’ve never heard of a foreigner reaching that state. I wouldn’t have believed it possible had I not seen you there with me.”
She wanted to take exception to being called a ‘foreigner’, but his earnest expression stopped her.
“We bonded, Temis. Though I tried to avoid it, it happened regardless.”
“Bonded?” He seemed to be talking about permanence, and she still didn’t understand just what he could do, who he really was. “What do you mean you tried to avoid it?”
“I felt drawn to you from the first. I thought if I could steer clear of your sexuality, I would be safe. It worked at first, but you grew too tempting.”
“I don’t understand.” At least the initial attraction hadn’t been one-sided.
“I wanted to fuck you until neither of us could walk, but I didn’t want to take your virginity, as much as I did.” Satisfaction laced his words. “I instinctively knew making love to you fully, coming inside you, would change us both, but I couldn’t help myself.”
“So we bonded on the ship. What now?”
He shook his head. “We bonded before that. When I tasted you, something in me shifted. With you, Temis, I can communicate the way I do with those of my kind—mentally.” So Lurin was one of his kind. “Only with you does the lovemaking get so out of control.” His eyes burned. “Every time we touch I want you. It’s an ache that will never fade. Though it’s typical of my kind to share everything, know I won’t ever let another touch you.”
She stared at him in surprise. ‘Not ever’ implied a definite future, which both pleased and worried her. The shots all peacemakers were forced to take made conception or disease impossible. Permanence, then, was a choice a Zeiren woman made willingly.
“You’ll willingly make it with me.”
“You can read my thoughts? Whenever you want to?” That she didn’t like.
“I can now, but I’ll teach you to shield yourself.” He gave her a tender look and brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “You’re so young, so beautiful. I’m not really sure how this works, but I’ll do everything in my power to please you, sura, in all ways.”
He closed his eyes. An orgasmic tide rushed through her, leaving her shaking and weak as immeasurable pleasure consumed her.
After catching her breath, she stared at him in awe. “You just, you—”
“Brought you to orgasm with a thought. I wasn’t bragging earlier when I said I could do that.” He stared at her with hunger. “Sex is one thing my kind does very well.”
She didn’t know what to say. Still trying to collect her thoughts, she could only watch him with helpless fascination.
“Quite a talent, I know,” he murmured. He pressed a kiss to her mouth and stroked her hair. “It will be all right, Temis. Since I know you don’t want me to read your thoughts, I’ll show you how to shield yourself right away. You already kept me out, even if you didn’t know how you were doing it.”
“Before, when you were in that mood.”
He rolled his eyes. “I wouldn’t call it a mood. I was hurting.” He cupped himself, and she couldn’t look away. “Hurting to have you.”
She licked her lips. “Right.”
“So you’ll learn to shield yourself. Then we’ll focus on the details of our rescue mission. Once we know where to go, we’ll make them safe again.”
She had more questions, but her body hummed with passion. She couldn’t say how, but she knew Gren had never before shared so much of himself with another woman before.
Like a cat, she crept over him. When he tensed, feminine satisfaction filled her. “We have time yet,” she whispered and plunged her tongue in the sensitive cavern of his ear. He shuddered and ground up against her. “I think part of my training should start here.” She slid over him, joining them as one. “To practice how to last longer when you’re inside me. What do you think?”
“Yes, sura,” he groaned. “That’s the perfect place to start.”
* * * *
Two days later Gren received the call he’d been expecting. After disconnecting with Ceril, he turned to Temis. The touch of her warm gaze caressed him, both arousing and comforting. He thought it interesting that the thought of a bonded future no longer bothered him.
“Well?” she asked, clad in another of his overlarge shirts.
He liked her wearing his clothing, a testament to his new possessive nature. Her eyes sparkled with amusement, and he realised he needed to keep a better shield on his thoughts. Normally he didn’t have a problem shutting everyone else out, but with Temis if felt like closing off a part of himself.
She’d picked up the shielding skill with ease, mentally keeping him at a distance without fully separating herself. Despite not being fully at ease with him, a part of her wanted the spiritual contact they shared.
“The auction will proceed as planned, tomorrow at midday on Colony6.”
“Damn. I was hoping Rorn wouldn’t have the connections to go outside our jurisdiction. Now what do we do? Even if we wanted to approach, Colony6’s militia would shoot us and have an interplanetary incident all over the System Broadcast.”
“Sernal’s jurisdiction may end at that line, but mine doesn’t.” He smiled with satisfaction. “I can do whatever the hell I want. And with no peacemakers to interfere.” At her frown, he amended, “With one exception, of course.”
She grumbled under her breath and left the bridge. He understood nothing outside the word “galley” and decided to leave her to her musings.
As he dialled Lurin’s private number to forward the news to Sernal, Gren wondered if and when the time would come to share the truth of his heritage with Temis.
It wasn’t as if he didn’t trust her, but their relationship was so new. And added to that were his responsibilities to his people. He still had no idea how to make his guardianship of a mythic and nearly extinct race mesh with his new relationship.
He couldn’t imagine any of the elders being pleased he’d taken a mate. Then again, as deeply as he felt for Temis, he still felt guilty he’d found her. At his core he knew he wasn’t worthy. His weakness in taking her anyway, regardless of his duties and stained past, only reinforced the notion he had no business being with a soul so strong and pure.
“Lurin here. What’s new?”
Lurin’s voice shook him from dark thoughts. They made pleasant conversation while he mentally projected the information Sernal needed to know.
“Oh man, what a mess. Anything else I should pass to Lead Sernal, the biggest legal pain in the ass in the system? By Flor’s dagger, the man’s been calling us at all hours wanting to know where you are and what you’re doing.” Lurin paused when Gren projected amusement. “Laugh it up, friend. But you’re going to have a lot of explaining to do when this is over. I hear you not only captured a peacemaker, but Sernal seems to think you’ve enthralled her.”
“Sernal’s an idiot. I didn’t enthrall her.” A recollection of her abduction from the ship flashed through his mind. “Ah, maybe I lured her off the ship. That was as far as her subjugation progressed. She’s here now, helping me of her own free will.”
A moment of silence passed. “So you finally mated, hmm?”
Gren grimaced. Trust Lurin to see through his bullshit. “Is this really any of y
our business?”
“Hell no. But I told you your time would come. I can’t wait to tell Mara.”
Feminine satisfaction bled through the conversation. “So what’s she like, Gren?” Mara joined the silent communication. “I hear she’s a peacemaker from Zeyr who’s absolutely gorgeous.”
“Who told you that?” Irritation filled him. Of course she was beautiful, but who had described her as ‘absolutely gorgeous’? Sernal or his idiot brother Rafe?
Lurin whistled. “Wow, jealous already. Didn’t I tell you—?”
“Yeah, yeah. You told me the whole of it,” he directed to Lurin. “Now pass my message to Sernal and stop wasting my time. I’ve got a mission to prepare for.”
“And a woman to love,” Mara added. “Best of luck, Gren. And tell Temis we’re dying to meet her.”
He disconnected and left to find Temis. She sat in the galley eating a plate of seasoned gnom, a delicacy loved on Zeyr.
“I can’t believe you have this on board,” she said with enthusiasm, the food having apparently rid her of her earlier hostility. “This is my favourite dish.”
He grabbed a plate of fruit and sat next to her. “I thought that might be the case. Many years ago when I trained on Zeyr, I learned much about the inhabitants’ customs.”
“Just when did you train there? Did you know Master Zephu?”
He shook his head. “I trained there a long time ago.” Smiling, he decided to tease her. “It was long before you were born, Temis.”
Her eyes widened. “Just how old are you?”
“That’s my secret.” He felt her probe his mind and gently pushed her back. “Good try, sura, but until you’ve earned the right to know, I’m not telling you my age.”
“Earned the right to know?” she asked, clearly affronted.
She was so easy to rile, and so much fun to watch.
“You leave so many holes in your history and your present. You’re a walking mystery. And you stir so many questions!” She looked like she wanted to throttle him, and he wanted her under him again. “Will you at least answer me this?”
