The Demon Master's Wife (Fantasy, Space Opera, Science Fiction Romance) (FORCED TO SERVE)

by McDonald, Donna

  “He didn’t recognize me, Ania. Zade only knew who I was because he was drawn to me. That was his word for it. It was like talking to Zade when I first knew him two years ago. He was aloof and distant, not really engaged in life, just somehow above it all,” Gwen said.

  “Enlightened beings seem detached, but in reality the opposite is true,” Ania said gently. “I am sorry he did not remember you.”

  “Well his body remembered me,” Gwen said, grateful now for the connection she had to him and what she had endured. “His body knew I spoke the truth. It was the only reason he trusted me at all.”

  “Sleep again,” Ania said. “Remember to look for a native of the planet next time.”

  Gwen nodded and lay back on the pillows.

  “Boca is coming soon. I am going to go grab some sleep myself now,” Ania said.

  “Are you going to the captain’s quarters?” Gwen asked. “I heard you fighting with Synar earlier.”

  Ania sighed. “Sorry we disturbed you after all you’ve been through.”

  “It’s like hearing your parents fight. You have to listen. It’s not my place to tell you what to do with your life, but you have to know Synar is crazy about you. You are the only female for him and that has to count for something,” Gwen said sadly. “He’s just being a stupid guy—sorry, I mean an immature male of his species.”

  “I think I like the ‘stupid guy’ reference better,” Ania said, laughing softly. “That insult has a better sound to it.”

  “Yeah, but Synar is your personal ‘stupid guy,’” Gwen said. “I bet if you two made a real commitment to each other, he’d get smart about you real quick.”

  “And on what evidence are you basing your theory?” Ania asked, laughing more.

  Gwen turned her head and looked fully at the strong female standing guard over her when she was at her most vulnerable. She knew if she asked Ania to stay, she wouldn’t leave her side. Both Ania and Synar were faithful to a fault, but they held each other to a standard of perfect behavior that no living creature could ever meet.

  “Synar will always make decisions based on male logic, which we both know only takes everyone so far before innocent creatures start dying and peaceful beings head off to war. My money is on you and the way you cut through the surface stuff to drill down to the soul of a being. Look what you’ve done for Malachi and me already. You’re going to make Synar be the best male he can be when he’s interacting with you, and that’s really why he’s with you. Synar wants the same thing. He wants you to change him even though he resists. That’s your bigger picture,” Gwen said. “Just like Dorian Zade is part of my bigger picture I guess. Dorian reminds me that no creature can survive without help, no matter how tough they think they are. I wish now I hadn’t moved out of his room. Before him I thought males served one purpose only. Dorian is the only male I’ve ever really needed.”

  “I thank you for your sharing your life lessons with me. I was going back to Synar already, but wisdom is always welcome,” Ania said. “Che nol sara wel fen. Locare es starra.”

  “I hope that wasn’t one of those Pleiadian curses you like to throw around when you get upset,” Gwen said, trying to tease the suddenly serious female who seemed too wise to be real.

  “The words were a sincere request to the creators to help you find the greatest desire of your heart,” Ania said softly.

  “There’s only one thing I desire right now,” Gwen said quietly.

  “I know, but it may take us some time to connect to Dorian again. In the meantime, you must rest and heal,” Ania encouraged.

  “I need to sleep and try to dream about him again, Ania. I’m going to find out where Zade is next time. I swear it,” Gwen said firmly, closing her eyes.

  “I have no doubts about what you can do,” Ania said, praying quietly and stepping away as Gwen drifted off again.

  Until Dorian’s location was determined, there was nothing more she could do for the tortured female or her missing mate. Tomorrow she would talk to Malachi again and see what more might be done.

  Chapter 33

  When Boca relieved her watch over Gwen, it was early and most of the crew was still sleeping. Ania knew sleep would elude her with her mind so jumbled with concern, plus she didn’t know which room to sleep in anyway, which was just one of many things still unresolved between her and Synar.

  Malachi had finally settled his new body in an empty room to rest, but he had to remain within the body while it slept to keep it alive. He said it was going to be boring for those hours his Norblade host required for a sleep cycle, but he didn’t mind the sacrifice since he got to be alert most of the time. Plus it was not so different from his original arrangements in most host bodies.

  The truth was that without Malachi’s energy inside her, Ania felt really alone—and yes, lonely—but she hadn’t shared that with anyone yet. It was such an opposite view after resenting the demon’s possession initially. She was too chagrined to mention it, and who would understand? Probably only Malachi, she thought.

  She pushed open the door to the training room and walked inside. On the mat was Synar, moving through exercises. He froze when he saw her.

  “I thought you’d be sleeping,” Ania said.

  Synar resumed his movements, slowing them to talk. “Can’t. I’m running on stimulants right now. There is no one to take command of the bridge until Gwen is better. I’m on a short break, but I have to get back soon.”

  “You need to work on trusting your junior officers more, Synar. It could be days or weeks until we find where they’ve taken Dorian,” Ania said. “If you don’t trust them to step up in times like this, you should hire a spare lieutenant.”

  Synar laughed. “Well, I hadn’t needed more officers until we brought you and Malachi onboard.”

  “So Malachi and I are to blame for Dorian getting abducted as well as all your other misfortunes, Captain Synar?” Ania asked dryly, shaking her head.

  “No, of course not,” Synar said, ending his routine and walking to her. “Though Malachi’s effect is questionable, I would say you have brought me back to life. The rest of the chaos is just destiny taking its course now that you’re finally here. I figured everything out about the same time I put Malachi in Conor’s body, but I’ve been too upset to admit it.”

  “What have you figured out?” Ania demanded.

  “I’ve been avoiding commitment to you. Just like Dorian’s been avoiding commitment to Gwen. And Gwen’s been avoiding growing into her full potential. Hell, even Chiang has to deal with the fact he’s meant to be a healer and not an engineer. For all I know, every member of this crew is in denial of their true selves in one form or another.”

  “So what exactly are you saying, Synar?” Ania demanded.

  “Do you want the synopsis or the long version?” he asked with smile.

  “Entertain me,” she said in return.

  “Since you’ve been back in my life full time, I’ve realized that all creatures are forced to serve the creators’ plans for them,” Synar said. “It seems that if you follow your destined path, things work out and you find the pleasures of life as well as the pain. If you don’t follow your destined path, you encounter one problem after another until you do follow the path. Sometimes the path comes to you no matter how far you’ve run trying to escape it. Really none of us have much of a choice in living out our destinies.”

  “Lovely sentiment about personal responsibility, Synar,” Ania said, dejected by his analysis. “Very poetic and depressing.”

  “You’re tired and not hearing me well. Let me try again. Being your mate is the path I’m meant to follow. You are my destiny, Ania Looren,” Synar said, tapping her cheek with his fingers. “I thought you were supposed to be enlightened.”

  “No, that was the female you mated,” Ania said sadly. “She’s gone for good now. At the moment I’m not even missing her. Her reticence would not serve me well in the life I find myself living now where I have to help rescue people a
nd deal with evil every day.”

  Synar shook his head and stepped in to put his arms around her. “Do you genuinely think the wise, enlightened female I mated is really gone?” he asked.

  “Feels that way right now,” Ania said, burrowing into Synar’s arms and sighing with the pleasure of being held by him again. “You know—I think if you just keep holding me, I can sleep right here.”

  “I have a better idea. How about I tuck you in for some real rest?” Synar asked, reaching down to scoop her up into his arms. “I believe you’ve gained a bit of weight. Have I mentioned how much I like your new body?”

  “No, you haven’t,” Ania said, putting her head on his shoulder. “Where are we going?”

  “I’m taking you to whatever room you want to go to and lying with you until you sleep,” Synar said.

  “Don’t you care which room I choose?” Ania asked, baiting him with a snide tone just to see what he would say.

  “No,” Synar said gently, laughing against her body. “It’s my ship. I can go wherever I want to go on it. I warned you that I would always find you when I wanted you.”

  Ania laughed at his arrogance where she was concerned. She was not going to make his life easier. It was beyond her ability to do so, but she would try to be affectionate and supportive when she could. Undoubtedly, there would arguments as well.

  “You might as well take me to the captain’s quarters if you’re just going to invade my privacy at every turn anyway. It at least has a large bed that’s barely been used. I like to stretch out when I sleep,” she said, trying to keep from sounding as pleased about it as she was.

  “Fine,” Synar said, trying not to laugh at Ania’s little sighs of pleasure, which were revealing her true feelings.

  Ania Looren lived so openly, his intuition wasn’t even needed to read her most of the time, but he thought it best to keep that little secret to himself. He needed all the leverage with his mate that he could get.

  “What’s going to happen when we get to your room?” Ania asked, playing along now that she knew what he intended.

  “Only what we want to happen. I know you didn’t take a stimulant because you never do, even though you stayed up comforting Gwen all night. So we’ll just do what we can to help you sleep well,” Synar said with a smile.

  “We don’t have time for bonding. I’d be asleep before you got me undressed,” Ania informed him.

  “Understandable. I’ll come back when you wake up,” Synar said softly.

  “If I agree to stay in your room, you’re not going to keep telling everyone we’re mates, are you?” Ania asked, pushing open the door to his quarters after he’d leaned her against it to key in the command to open it.

  Carrying her inside, Synar bumped the door closed behind him as he ordered the lights up on half. They needed to banish the ghosts of what they had done from the place because he wasn’t giving up his bed or his mate ever again.

  With that intent in his mind, he carried Ania to the bed—their bed. Then laying her down on it, he crawled in with her.

  “I suppose I could refrain from calling you my mate if it bothers you so much,” Synar said. “When you get heavy with our child though, I’ll probably slip and start doing it again. You’ll just have to remind me of our unmated status when I do.”

  “Don’t make me think of potential children right now,” Ania said on a groan. “Malachi doesn’t know everything, and I have too many other concerns. How can you joke about that?”

  “I’m not thinking about children right now either, just the process of making them,” Synar said, listening happily to her laughter at his joke. “I swear I’m only thinking of what I wish to do with you.”

  “What do you wish to do with me?” Ania asked.

  “Pleasure you,” Synar said. “Make you happy to be in my bed. Try to convince you that I really want you in my life despite the situations that keep threatening to pull us apart again, including my hesitation to do what is right for us.”

  “I know I have lived much longer and have a wider perspective. It is probably not fair of me to expect that you will always follow my thoughts with a full understanding,” Ania admitted.

  “Let’s us search for more common points of understanding between us then,” he whispered.

  Synar pulled Ania’s body down the bed and under his as he rose over her. He lay down on her, pressing himself along the lines of her curvy body, feeling like the luckiest male that ever lived that this female kept forgiving him.

  “I meant my vows to you, Ania Looren. All that I am and will ever be is for you,” Synar said, kissing along her neck.

  “You are the only male I’ve ever been willing to let into my life,” Ania said quietly. “And now I am addicted to kissing you. If that makes us mates, so be it Liam Synar. All that I am and will ever be, I give into your power as well.”

  Synar touched his forehead to hers, wishing his heart was light enough to laugh with her. “I will risk this moment of intimacy to confess my errors once more. You were right about Conor and about using his body. It would have been harder to have to destroy it than it has been to see Malachi walking around in it. You are also right to use all Malachi’s abilities to find Dorian and Sarinnea. I am sorry I was not able to say so before.”

  “Being right never kept me from regretting that I caused you pain by pushing you into decisions before you could see the logic of them,” Ania whispered. “I am sorry for hurting you. I mean that.”

  “So we are both at odds with following our destinies. If you wish to make amends to me, I could give you a task of repentance as my mate,” Synar suggested.

  “Very well. Name your boon,” Ania said, her resigned sigh echoing in the room. “It will be my turn next.”

  Synar rose up on his knees over her and started undoing her shirt. When the fasteners were removed, he shredded the hygiene straps across her chest, and closed both hands around her chest glands with a moan of pleasure that rocked both of them.

  Ania arched into his touch. “That feels amazing. What is my task?” she asked, the question clogging her throat as she felt Synar send a relaxation wave into her using just his hands.

  “Your task is to fiercely fight your nature and do not resist giving me your pleasure back today,” he said, kissing his way towards his hands.

  “Done,” Ania cried, moaning as Synar’s mouth closed over what his fingers had stroked to life. She hadn’t even known she could find such pleasure from what he was doing.

  “Swear you are my mate again and make me believe it beyond doubt,” Synar demanded, shifting his mouth to the other side of her.

  “I am so many things that I find it hard to label myself. I am the creators’ servant, one of Malachi’s hosts, and a Khalsa who defends those who cannot defend themselves,” Ania chanted the list, feeling Synar’s vibrations entering her chest, fueled by what his mouth was doing. “Gwen called me the demon master’s wife. It has a harsh sound.”

  “Wife—that’s an Earth term,” Synar said, not wanting to think about the other part of Gwen’s description. “That’s not what you swore to me before. Use the right term.”

  “The right term? Is this a lesson in semantics? You should be grateful I have enough wisdom to see the truth regardless of your actions or words,” Ania said, her voice stern despite her laughter.

  “Is this not supposed to be my boon? I thought you had forgiven me,” Synar said, trailing kisses along her jaw line. “I merely want to hear the words you said to me when we joined our lives. You are my mate, Ania Looren. I want to hear you say that you are mine.”

  “Very well, Liam Synar. Before the creators of all I swear again that I am your mate. Now prove your devotion—pleasure me so I can get some sleep,” Ania said, ending the demand on a laugh. “It works better than taking a sedative.”

  “Agreed. Return your pleasure to me immediately,” Synar commanded, matching his mouth to hers.

  The vibration inside him joyfully find its way into his mate as
their tongues stroked each other. As soon as it left him, Synar was instantly rocked by the force of Ania’s release when she obeyed him completely, climaxing hard beneath him in the process of returning a response. His whole body shook with the strength of her gift. Her desire for him seemed to be growing in intensity every time they shared a bonding experience. A future with her was suddenly full of more promise than he’d ever hoped to find.

  Synar said a quick prayer of thanks as he held her tightly until the last echo had faded.

  “What we share gets more amazing every time,” Ania whispered, sweetly kissing his mouth in gratitude as he pulled gently away.

  “Yes. It does,” he whispered, wrapping Ania close while she drifted off into an exhausted sleep.

  He watched Ania resting peacefully in his arms, glad that they had reached an accord that allowed the intimacy of such moments between them. She had said he made her feel safe. Well, she made him feel like he was doing what he was meant to do. Their relationship was the one thing finally starting to be right in his life.

  Now he wanted Dorian there to share it with them.

  Despite Ania’s lecture about relying on junior members of his crew, Synar was never going to be able to do that until Dorian was safely onboard again. Soon he would head back to the bridge to check on the search and see what else he might do to aid it.

  Looking at Ania’s peaceful face in sleep, he thought about what Dorian had said about the centuries being long without a willing female to warm your bed. His thoughts were on finding his friend, but his spirit was also full of gratitude for what he had already found.

  For a few more moments, Synar held Ania close and let himself enjoy knowing that his mate was finally with him where she belonged.

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