Bane never paused and followed the failed kick with two steps forward, arms swinging his weapon in a back and forth arc before him. V’hor dodged the blows and blocked each attempt, body shifting sinuously. Bane cursed and shifted his grip on the weapon to free a hand which he jabbed to V’hor’s face. The serpine leaned back, almost bending his body in half then snapped back up and tagged Bane twice on the shoulder with his stick while grinning madly.
Bane tossed the stick aside to launch himself at the leaner figure of his opponent. V’hor’s back hit the floor with a loud thud as the two men grappled and V’hor’s stick rolled across the floor with a clatter. Bane gained the upper hand and pinned the serpine on his back against the blue mats.
V’hor reared back and trilled. The sound made the hair at Arak’s nape curl and his cat paced inside, hissing in fear. Lighthearted sparring became something else. The mood in the room shifted and the temperature dropped several degrees. Arak straightened. Both had to have sensed his presence and knew he watched but neither spared him a glance.
V’hor punched Bane repeatedly in the face and the larger man fell to the side, freeing V’hor. Instead of ending it, the serpine crawled atop Bane in a quick roll of his limbs. V’hor’s hand lashed out, grabbing Bane’s throat in a vice-like grip. V’hor swayed and even from where he stood, Arak saw the diamond pupils narrow and glaze over as he leaned close to Bane’s face.
“Match,” Bane said clearly, arms spread wide.
V’hor hissed, muscles tense.
“He’s done, Vee,” Arak called out, entering the room further and crossing to them in case he had to pull V’hor away. If Vee entered a tranced state Bane would be fucked.
Both men froze. Harsh, raspy breaths escaped Vee’s mouth. Finally, his shoulders slumped as he heaved to his feet and offered a hand to Bane. Vee shook his head as if clearing his thoughts and mumbled. “Sorry.”
“That’s what you’ve been saying,” Bane snarled, rising to his feet without help. “When pushed you zone. Get it together before Rydak and Torkel notice you’re losing control.”
This was news to Arak. He studied his fellow Jutak closely. Vee dug his fingers into his hair at the admonishment. The blond fuzz was cropped close to his head. His oddly-shaped green eyes didn’t look any different when he shifted his gaze in Arak’s direction.
“Thank you, Arak.” Vee walked toward a side bench along the wall and wiped at the sweat gathered on his chest with a white towel.
“You good?” Arak asked Bane, who had his hands braced on his hips as he continued to glower at Vee.
“Yes,” Bane snapped without facing him.
Arak approached carefully, not liking the crackling energy in the room. Neither looked interested in sharing. Both men belonged on Team Three and kept to themselves unless Torkel required a team swap. Arak eyed Bane. The Ceraton could be extremely ruthless to others if he lost a match. His brutality was part of what made him such a valuable Jutak warrior. Each man on Team Three possessed deadly skills and Rydak paid particularly close attention to who he assigned on training rosters to prevent fatal accidents among them.
In fact, Vee wasn’t anywhere on the wall mounted schedule for this week, which didn’t explain why the two were here sparring. When Arak reached Bane’s side, he had to look up to the taller man in order to speak in a low voice not wanting Vee to hear. “What’s going on?”
Bane refused to answer for a moment then shook his head, dispelling whatever thoughts darkened his midnight colored eyes. He glanced at Arak. “Nothing. Yet.”
His glare dared Arak to question him further. A low grumble rose from Arak’s chest at the challenge but he tamped down the feelings of ire and his cat’s need to swipe at his friend. “Faruk says Torkel wants us to take the two Earth women to a place in the city he’s secured for them. Will you be available?”
Bane shrugged and leaned down to grab a discarded, black uniform shirt from the gleaming tiled floor, which he slid his arms in and left unbuttoned. “First thing in the morning works and I’ll meet you out front.”
Arak nodded and turned to leave.
“Don’t mention this, Argoran.”
Arak spun on his heels and met the glare in Bane’s black gaze. White lines spread from the pupils. Another might have backed down from the brawny Ceraton but Arak had earned his spot on the teams and wasn’t afraid to give back measure for measure. “Is there something to mention?”
Bane hesitated and Arak pushed further. “Vee leaves on a solo mission shortly. Does Torkel need a heads up?”
Their job did not allow for slip ups nor for any of them to be off their game. If Vee’s head wasn’t in a good place, then he didn’t need to go undercover where he’d have no back up if things went ass up.
Bane exhaled and clenched meaty fists at his side. “Nothing to worry over. I’d report him myself if I thought this was an issue.”
Arak hoped this was the truth. A Jutak warrior had to remain sharp. Mistakes for them meant life or death.
Chapter 8
Sylvie had relaxed after Faye explained that Torkel never provided her with underclothes when she first arrived to Enotia. Apparently, the formidable leader had said the right thing to fluster her because Faye blushed each time Torkel glanced her way and winked. After their meal, Torkel informed Sylvie two of his men would accompany her and Joni to an apartment located further in the city until they decided if they wanted to stay on Enotia or return to Earth.
The next morning found Sylvie sitting next to Joni as they rode in the back of a hover car. She’d slept peacefully for the second night in a row and ignored the twinge of disappointment when she’d awakened and no cat stretched out on her floor. Obviously Arak had only wanted to assure himself of their well being the first night. Why would he need to repeat the exercise?
Looking for a distraction from her disturbing thoughts, Sylvie ran her hands over the seat. The plush gray interior had her sinking into the cushions while Arak drove and another Jutak who’d introduced himself as Bane sat in the front with him. Bane’s appearance startled her. Or maybe it was his demeanor. The soldier gave off an intense vibe that made her want to curl in a corner far, far away from him. Every time she looked up, his black eyes held her in place and sent her heart tripping over its beat.
Compared to Arak, Sylvie considered Bane a giant. The perception was enhanced by the brawny arm propped on the edge of the window of the hover car. He wore a black uniform similar to Arak’s but on his large frame the official shirt and pants looked as if they strained to contain bulging muscles while Arak’s physique leaned toward tightly ripped. Adding to Sylvie’s discomfort, Bane’s blond hair refused to stir in the mild breeze drifting through the window and the one glance from his black eyes dared Sylvie to comment.
Her nerves jumped from excitement to fear and back again. Freedom as much as she desired it came with an overwhelming sense of unbalance after being caged without the ability to so much as choose when or what you ate.
Beside her, Joni’s legs bounced in time to her bobbing head as she gazed out of the window. They were traveling through the capitol city, everything passing in a blur. If the rest of the planet was anything like what she’d seen after viewing the vid logs, Enotia was indeed a beautiful place. The architecture alone had Sylvie staring. Tall buildings in white stone topped by conical roofs dotted the landscape. Plentiful trees with twisting branches full of bright colored buds lined the streets.
“Penny for your thoughts.”
Sylvie grinned. “Earth doesn’t coin pennies any more.”
Joni rubbed a hand over her cloth covered thigh. New clothing courtesy of Faye. “I keep telling myself this is real but a part of me is afraid to believe.”
Sylvie understood the thought because she felt the same way. “It might take us a while to adjust. I’m afraid I’ll wake up and we’ll be back in that horrible room.”
Truthfully it was a big fear. What if the Marenians wanted them back? How important were she and Joni in th
e grand scheme of things? How much money had they cost the slavers?
The hover car slowed and came to a complete stop. A glance out the window revealed a four story steel and glass building on a perfectly ordinary street, though the trees were plentiful. The greenery towered taller and thicker than what one would find on Earth. Crisp leaves in gold and purple made up the foliage with thick black branches acting as framework. Oddly enough the trunk of the tree had thin veins of brown enmeshed in the black wood.
Enotian men and women strolled along a bronze colored walkway and a few younger folks glided by on skids which reminded her of a motorized version of ancient skateboards found on Earth. All very ordinary and yet far from it, since the early morning sky of Enotia had a lavender haze and its citizens were eerie in their mirror image blond hair and light-colored eyes.
“Creepy, right?” Joni whispered.
Sylvie snorted as she stepped from the hover craft. “Only in the fact that I fit in while you stand out.”
Joni glanced around and stiffened at the increased attention. Whether it was the bright red hair or the two men coming around to escort them into the building, Sylvie couldn’t say.
Bane stood slightly apart from them and his deep voice rumbled when he spoke. “We need to get inside quickly. Standing around with Jutaks will make them more curious.”
Arak came up on the side of her and cupped Sylvie’s elbow. Instead of the warm seductive expression he usually wore, his features were cast in stone and his blue eyes glared at any who stared too long. Bane didn’t have the chance to touch Joni because she sidled next to Sylvie’s other side and they made an odd quartet entering the lavish apartment. And lavish was an understatement.
Sylvie tried not to gawk at the beautiful interior. Uniformed staff smiled at every patron entering or departing. They stood ramrod straight behind a long sleek metal counter. Dark blue dresses for the women and dark blue high collared suits for the men. When Sylvie made eye contact, she received a nod and a widening of the complimentary smile. One smile per visitor coming right up. She held back a giggle at the inane thought.
Automatic doors opened and closed for patrons coming in and out. The black tiled floor gleamed as sunlight shot beams of light through the front wall made entirely of glass.
“It’s one way glass,” Arak commented when her steps slowed. “You can see out but no one can see in.”
His words calmed the worry Sylvie hadn’t noticed niggling at the back of her mind until he spoke. She tugged on her arm for him to release it. His fingers tightened for an instant as their gazes met. Blue orbs smoldered and her skin tingled where his hand stroked the tender skin of her inner arm before he let go. Sylvie could have drowned in his blue depths except Joni cleared her throat. Sylvie jerked away and flushed. They’d come to a complete stop in the lobby.
Bane’s lips lifted in what she assumed to be a grin. The sight frightened her enough to cringe. Arak growled at his teammate and Bane’s black eyes glittered with humor.
Joni eased up beside her. “You’re playing with fire.
Sylvie’s heart stuttered. “Me?”
“We’re drawing attention,” Bane said and hustled them forward.
Her face burned brighter as they followed Bane toward an electronic stairway located at the center of the lobby with Arak closing in the rear.
The glide stopped on each floor to let people off. No one pushed or jostled surprising Sylvie. Enotians apparently lived by their good manners. They continued on until they reached the fourteenth floor where their apartment was located. A nudge from Arak moved Sylvie forward. The hallway split to the left and right with small digital placards on the wall detailing apartment numbers followed by a discrete blinking, red arrow beneath. Arak headed toward the right, keeping a proprietary hand at Sylvie’s lower back.
Her lips parted to protest but when she glanced up, his blue eyes stared down at her with greed. Greed and hunger he made no effort to hide. Sylvie couldn’t deny she probably watched him with the same level of intensity. Both men wore identical black uniforms minus weapons but it was Arak her eyes refused to leave. His dark hair was clipped short and he had a way of tipping his head to the side when he spoke to her or waited for her to answer a question. The blue of his eyes had the honest ability to rob her of speech. Like now.
“I need your hand, Sylvia.”
Sylvie blinked. “What?”
They all stared and Arak had his hand extended toward her, palms up. “The door lock is based on a scan print of your hand.”
“Oh.” Heat flooded her cheeks as she held her hand aloft and he pressed it to the door.
A beep sounded. Arak released her with an almost absent caress and keyed in shapes on the pad below. The latch clicked. He pushed the door open and glanced at her. “It’s now set to open for you only.”
With his arm stretched out to hold the door wide for her, Arak’s uniform shirt went taut over his muscular chest. Sylvie swallowed as her gaze traveled over his flat stomach and stopped on the bulge at the apex of his thighs. The black cloth pulsed and her lower region tingled in response.
“You’re a few doors down,” Bane interrupted, guiding Joni down the hall.
Sylvie pulled her gaze from Arak’s crotch. When Bane stopped at the third door down, Sylvie released a relieved breath. Joni checked over her shoulder at Sylvie to confirm and she nodded. Neither wanted to be far from one another yet.
“Come on.” Arak entered the fully furnished space, leaving Sylvie no choice but to follow.
As soon as she crossed the threshold, the door closed, sealing them in together. Sylvie jumped but Arak crowded her and cupped her face in the rough cradle of his hand. Her breath hitched and her heart immediately began a discordant beat. “Arak?”
“I smell your fear,” he murmured, lids half lowered to blue slits. “Don’t be afraid of me, Sylvia Forrester.”
“Sylvie,” she countered, shivering as his hand trailed over her cheekbone. His thumb brushed over the curve before sinking into her hair.
“Sylvie,” he rasped, massaging her scalp. Soft, tender strokes.
She should move. Pull away. But his gentle touch held her immobile with nothing more than the power of his caress. When his head lowered toward her, Sylvie closed her eyes. The first touch of his lips was anticlimactic. He pulled back and Sylvie’s eyes flickered open, his face close enough that each breath wisped over her mouth.
“Alright?”
Her head moved up and down of its own accord, which Arak must have taken as a sign to continue. When his lips met hers this time, they weren’t soft. Or gentle. His mouth slid across hers, tongue demanding entry. Her lips parted on a gasp and his tongue delved inside, stroking against hers. Then again in a taunting motion that teased. Sylvie tightened her hands on the shirt tucked at his waist and moaned, her hips tilting up against the hard length pressed into her mid-section.
One of his hands glided up her torso and the other sunk deeper into her loose hair, using her neck to pin her in place while his mouth moved over hers in obvious possession. Then he growled. The animal sound had her freezing in an instant.
***
“Don’t be afraid. Please,” he breathed again against her neck.
“I’m not,” Sylvie gasped.
Arak pulled back slightly and studied her expression. Determination glared back from her narrowed gaze. The corner of his mouth ticked up. “Right. You’re not afraid of me but you’re afraid of this.” He stroked his hand up the curve of her spine, feeling the fine tremors. “The way I make you feel.”
She regarded him without flinching, the hidden core of strength in her lulling him toward her. What grew between them is what frightened Sylvie.
Sylvie pushed at him, attempting to break away while she fought to catch her breath. Arak released her instantly, his hands cupping her shoulders to hold her steady.
After assuring himself that she was fine, Arak tapped her chin and repeated his earlier question. “Alright?”
&nbs
p; She licked her lips, the tiny gesture hardening him to the point of pain. “I’m fine.”
Arak fought for control. The urge to claim her shoved at his senses but Sylvie’s fear lingered on the air and Arak took a second step back, hoping distance would help. He resisted the need to smooth out the crease at her brow, to run his fingers over the plump lips she worried her teeth over.
“If you need anything use the communicator. The same numbers are programmed in it to reach Faye and Torkel’s quarters, Jaron if you require assistance and mine. You can call me any time.”
“Thank you.”
“Call me anytime, Sylvie,” he repeated, knowing she’d ignore it as she did her best to ignore him and the sizzling attraction between them.
Chapter 9
Sylvie leaned against the counter as Faye whizzed around the small kitchen. She fiddled with the food unit and returned with a plate then set the alleged dessert in front of Sylvie.
Her brown eyes danced. “Try it.”
Sylvie picked up her fork and gazed at the doughy, crust circles. “Am I going to regret this?”
Faye’s light chuckle rang out. “No. It’s an Enotian treat. The guys love it and I’ve been making it for Torkel since I discovered it.”
Sylvie poked at the sand-colored disc. “Looks like cookies.” She raised a brow at Faye. “Or flat cupcakes.”
Faye slapped a hand over her mouth and snickered. “Stop! I’m serious. Enotian parents make it for their children but apparently not for adults.” Her eyes turned teasing. “Arak steals them whenever he visits.”
Sylvie aimed her fork for Faye’s fingers pressed on the counter but the woman moved out of reach. “Dirty pool.”
Arak's Love: A World Beyond Book 2 Page 8
