A King's Revenge: Warlords Series Book 2

by Michelle Howard

  “Can I buy you another drink?”

  The question distracted her enough to turn back. When she faced him whatever emotion he’d been experiencing was gone and replaced with a flirty grin and an expression not attempting to hide his interest.

  “This one is fine.” She relaxed for the first time in hours and extended her hand across the table. “I’m Lea by the way.”

  He studied her hovering hand long enough for the moment to be awkward. Had she offended him? Perhaps his customs were different despite his humanoid appearance.

  “Lea?” The flick of his light brow made her name a question.

  Shrugging her shoulders, Lea nodded. “Nothing exotic I’m afraid.” Though there were still some who mangled even that.

  Finally he grasped her fingers lightly almost as if afraid he’d injure her. Lea found his gentleness endearing.

  “You may call me…” Her handsome stranger paused and that sadness she’d witnessed earlier flickered in the purple depths before fading. “Tarik. My friends call me Tarik,” he announced.

  Lea couldn’t help her quick grin and took a sip of her drink. The evening was taking a decided turn for the better. “Friends already? Well thank you for that.”

  His eyes brightened then those delicious lips curled upward and he joined her in the humor of two strangers in a bar at a space station being friends.

  “Friends indeed since we are the only two about.”

  “What?” Lea jerked in her seat and turned around to view the now quiet area. He was right. Aside from one member of the wait staff and the bartender who was wiping down a counter, they were the only ones left. “Huh. Guess you’re right.”

  Tarik signaled the waiter and ordered. “Gorian beef, mellion rice, a side custard and a flaming sword.”

  As soon as the youth raced off to take care of his food, Lea laughed.

  Tarik balanced an elbow on the table and leaned forward creating an intimacy that unnerved her for a moment. Shaking away the weird vibe, Lea explained her humor. “That’s a lot of food this late.”

  His smile softened the handsome angles of his features and his odd purple eyes were enough to tug on any girl’s fantasies and Lea wasn’t indifferent.

  “I missed dinner.”

  “The flaming sword will have you missing breakfast too.”

  Her gorgeous dinner partner threw back his head and laughed. The rich sound filtered through Lea’s ears leaving a tingling sensation at the nape of her neck. With his head back, throat exposed, the collar of his shirt parted and she had a brief peek at the top of his bare chest before he straightened.

  His eyes still twinkled when he settled. “It’s what you’re drinking if I’m not mistaken. Are you saying I can’t handle it?”

  Heat burned Lea’s cheeks but she managed to hold his stare. “I’ve let ice melt in mine.” And honestly she’d been drinking the same drink for a while. Flaming swords had a large quantity of alcohol but whenever Lea had the chance she ordered the drink because of the burn in the pit of her stomach and the fuzzy feeling it left behind.

  “Hmmm.” He paused when the waiter returned with his steaming plate and a red drink in a tall glass with fruit floating in the middle. A replica sword pierced the largest chunk of fruit and a small flame stemmed from the handle of the sword.

  Tarik lips pursed together as he blew on the sword and Lea clenched her thighs together. Dark lashes dusted his lids when he closed his eyes. She cleared her throat and shifted in her seat. His eyes popped open after the flame went out and he reached for the drink to take a huge swallow.

  When he sat the glass back on the table, his lips parted to release a small trail of smoke. Stars and hotness. Lea shivered. She’d only seen a few men perform that trick successfully. Kord was one of them and refused to teach Lea.

  “I have a little wager.”

  Lea tried to focus and clear her foggy thoughts. He wanted to talk when she could barely keep the drool from her mouth. “A wager?” Her voice came out husky. Lea stiffened her shoulders and snapped out of lust. “You want to wager.”

  He smiled and took another drink, minus the smoke this time. “Let’s see which of us can drink the most flaming swords.”

  Lea’s eyes widened though she knew he couldn’t see due to the dark visor she wore. She could handle drinking. Her best count on the red fiery beverage was four on a stupid dare a year ago.

  That didn’t mean she should immediately agree though. If she stumbled back to her room and overslept her departure with Kord in the morning, he’d have her head. But Tarik was the first man to catch her eye since her accident.

  The streaks in his hair were beautiful enough to make any woman drown in envy herself included and while his eyes were an unusual shade of lavender there was nothing feminine about them. The clothing he wore hinted at his wealth. His white shirt was of obvious quality. The expensive fabric flowed over broad shoulders and draped a chest made muscular by more than sitting around.

  Tarik used the seven inch metal sticks provided to eat. Another stab of envy. Lea preferred good old eating utensils that didn’t require skill or dexterity. As he cleaned his plate and finished the last sip of his drink, she made her decision.

  “You’re on.”

  He smiled slowly and her eyes were drawn to his full lips. What would they feel like against hers? Did he take his time or would he battle through? Both options appealed to her.

  “Great.” Tarik raised his hand without turning his eyes from hers and the waiter arrived at their table instantly. “Bring us two more flaming swords.”

  Lea rested back in her seat trying to control her increased breathing. This was crazy. She was crazy but excitement built for the drinking challenge. Sitting in a bar with a handsome stranger who clearly found her attractive appealed to Lea.

  “What kind of wager are we making?” She asked.

  He stretched his legs under the table and their legs bumped again. Sizzling heat exploded in her core. Lea yanked her feet back severing the contact. Tarik smirked but waited until the waiter sat the drinks and left before speaking. “Let’s make it interesting. I hope I don’t offend when I suggest a small token. A kiss.”

  Lea swallowed thickly. She’d kiss him and didn’t need a wager for it. Fiery heat scored her cheeks on the heels of the thought. Still she forced herself to meet his gaze. “Is the kiss the prize or forfeit?”

  Tarik’s amused snort rewarded her. “We’ll call it both unless you have another suggestion.”

  Absolutely not. With the way it stood, one of them would be kissing the other before the night was over and in her mind that made neither of them the loser.

  Chapter 10

  Tarik couldn’t believe his good fortune. His hearts thudded in double time and he barely refrained from reaching across the table and stroking the slim fingers she worried on the edge of the nicked wood. She reminded him so much of his wife that it was hard to look her in the face.

  Pert lips curved in the corner in a constant grin. She claimed to be bad company but he’d been more relaxed in her presence than anyone elses for months. If he thought the dead could rise Tarik would have sworn on the holy Goddess that ‘Lea’ was his Maliya. Granted the red gold waves he adored were missing but the spiky short cut suited this woman’s face. Up close there were minor differences he could now detect sitting across from her.

  Her cheeks were sharp not full, a slim neck smoothed down to rounded shoulders simply dressed in a one piece navy jumper that was common wear in the space station. There was a patch or logo of some sort on the upper right sleeve but he couldn’t read it and didn’t want to scare her off by staring.

  Other differences stood out to him. Lea had a slender figure from what he could see. Maliya had been lushly curved and proud of her body. Tarik had often excused himself from meetings to make love to her or sneak off to the gardens he’d commissioned in her honor to steal a kiss. Always she had a ready smile for him. A loving caress.

  Tarik sighed. He wanted
to remove the dark visor this woman wore. One defining characteristic, one physical aspect would have shut down his foolish wishes. Maliya’s unique eyes were easily identifiable and she too wore eye covering to minimize their impact. No other in his lifetime possessed orbs of glowing white with no color in the pupil or iris to separate from the sclera.

  Maliya would laugh and shush him whenever someone’s comment drew attention to them. Her eyes were part of her. A genetic anomaly presented every few generations according to her. Tarik never had the pleasure of meeting Maliya’s parents. Both died before they’d met but she’d told him during one of their late night talks as they rested in bed together

  “Are we drinking or waiting?”

  Her tinkling laugh shook away his thoughts of the past. Tarik reached for his drink noticing she already held hers. “To peace among the stars.” After all he was here to meet with the Alliance and other leaders to keep their part of the galaxy in order.

  “To peace,” she agreed, enchanting him again with her bright outlook.

  Tarik blew out the flame on the sword and tossed back the drink. Surprise almost had him choking when she mirrored his actions and slammed her glass on the table with a heavy sigh. The little witch. She didn’t look the least disturbed by the burning drink. Noticing his stare, she arched a brow and he gave in to the rich humor of the moment.

  “Well met, Lea.” He signaled the waiter for another having the oddest feeling that he was about to be bested at his own game. Then again, the kiss was prize enough despite the outcome.

  The smoking drinks arrived in seconds. This time she didn’t wait for him. She emptied the glass and gave him a challenging smile. “You better catch up.”

  His groin tightened and Tarik caught up.

  By the fourth drink, Tarik knew he was done. Lea matched him drink for drink and they were both smiling at one another refusing to give in. She raised her hand to get the waiter when he hesitated. There was drunk and there was out cold. He wanted her awake for what he had in mind.

  Tarik lightly clasped her wrist stopping her mid-motion. “I forfeit. You are by far the superior in this game of mine.”

  Her nose crinkled and Tarik adored the expression.

  “Should we kiss?”

  She didn’t slur her words or anything as obvious but an appealing accent was creeping into her words. A familiar accent that had him hardening beneath his pants. The slight drawl of her words reminded him of Maliya when she was aroused. He’d battled an erection from the moment Lea lowered the zipper on the front of her jumper to cool off. The action revealed hints of plump cleavage which he imagined filling his hands. Her cheeks pinkened each time their gazes clashed.

  “Not here. We should go somewhere private to kiss.” Without worry that they’d be seen or interrupted. Tarik climbed to his feet slowly. The world didn’t spin and the floor held steady. He relaxed. It had been years since he drank so recklessly in public. His enchanting witch got to her feet with only a small wobble. She had to be a witch using her powers of magic to ensorcel him.

  “My rooms are on the next level.”

  Tarik controlled his breathing but his manhood jumped. “Excellent.”

  He followed her to the lift keeping a safe distance between them. Not wanting to frighten her, he leaned against the wall opposite her as the lift rose. The numbers ticked on the digital display and dinged when they reached her floor. Tarik waved her through the door and had the pleasure of observing her round bottom twitch while she walked.

  Like plump melons her rear moved beneath the clinging lines of her jumper. So thoroughly engrossed with the erotic vision, Tarik walked right into her back when she stopped.

  She glanced over her shoulders and the corners of her mouth tipped up. “Too many flaming swords? Does that make me the official winner?”

  Tarik huffed and entered the room behind her. The door slid closed behind them. Her room was simple and far smaller than the space he’d been assigned. Sometimes Tarik forgot the benefits of being King. He accepted his place and the benefits that came as the royal head of the Desani people.

  Lea’s room barely had space for both of them to stand. As it was, their shoulders brushed as she kicked a pair of boots to the side. He spotted a crumpled shirt on the floor amidst the tangled sheet that half hung from the unmade bed.

  She followed his gaze and muttered. “Sorry.”

  Her embarrassment at the state of her room was cute. Tarik nodded, his eyes greedily searching for any hints of her personal life. There was no sign of the man she’d been with earlier. Was he her…lover?

  “Your friend doesn’t stay with you?” He held his breath awaiting her answer, hands clenched at his side.

  Her brows lowered beneath the frames. “Kord? He’s my partner and more than likely sleeping since we have leave tomorrow.”

  His hearts stuttered at her words. She was leaving. Soon. He needed to be here another day, two at the most.

  She fiddled with the zipper of the jumper and Tarik took a step closer. His hand closed over hers and eased the zipper all the way down to her waist. Inch by inch of her skin was bared to his sight. Beautiful soft skin he ached to touch.

  Want and desire clashed. Tarik couldn’t resist any more. One taste. That’s all he needed to still this awful craving.

  “If I’m the loser than claim your prize.”

  ***

  Lea placed her hands on the broad shoulders leaning toward her. At the bar, she’d been eager to touch him. Tarik’s masculine physique called to her and she prepared to answer. His proud carriage matched the way he held his head high. The humor they shared downstairs relaxed her. Of course downing four flaming swords hadn’t been her smartest decision ever.

  She blinked her eyes behind the visor and pressed closer. The moment her bare chest came in contact with his shirt, she shivered.

  “Cold?” His words whispered over her temple.

  Lea could only manage to shake her head. Tarik’s hand cupped her chin tilting her face up. His stroking fingers glanced over her visor and tugged. She jerked back, her hands flying to her face. “No. I…I keep them on. It’s necessary.”

  Kord warned her to keep her eyes hidden at all times. They were too odd to be ignored and he feared she was in danger but never defined what type of danger whenever she pushed.

  He frowned down at her and Lea feared she’d ruined the moment. “Alright. We can leave them.”

  Her breath eased. He lowered his head and his mouth slid along hers like the softest of silks. Relaxing further her hands clenched onto his shirt holding him tight to her. The slick glide of his tongue parted her lips. Her mouth softened beneath his.

  Tarik turned his head to the side, the angle letting him increase the pressure of his lips against hers. Lea strained wanting to be closer. Her inner walls throbbed, the muscles flexing. She moaned when he sucked her bottom lip and pulled away.

  His hands slid from her face down her shoulders, glided over her torso to settle at her waist. With a firm grip, he jerked her lower half forward pressing his hard arousal between the cusps of her thighs. Lea gasped. “Tarik.”

  “Yes.” His mouth returned to hers with brutal force.

  Desire slammed into her and Lea twisted on her toes to return the passion. The kiss seared her insides. His groan sent her senses soaring. Their tongues stroked and sucked, each touch pushing her higher and higher. Her lower region pulsed and her damp panties would soon be soaked.

  Their feet shuffled on the floor and Lea realized they were heading toward her bed. She briefly thought of stopping him but his roaming hands slid to her butt and squeezed. Logic disappeared on a moan. She allowed him to lower her to the mattress as her hands trailed through his hair luxuriating in the strands that fell about his face.

  He was just as busy and tugged the top half of her jumper to her waist. His mouth trailed down her neck with brief nips then continued achingly slow until he reached her breasts. One hand glided over the planes of her flat belly to her ch
est, pausing to brush a stiff nipple. Lea squeezed her eyes tight as she arched up into the tender touch. Soft lips nuzzled her full globe before wetness engulfed the bud.

  The moist caress sent another shaft of heat through her loins. Lea’s legs tangled with his, pulling him until every inch of their bodies touched. When he followed the licks of his tongue with a strong suction, Lea almost leaped from the bed. Without pause, his other hand pressed down on her shoulder to hold her down while he continued the sweet torture.

  Her core spasmed. She was beyond wet. “Tarik. Tarik.” Lea tossed her head back and forth on the pillow. The thick wedge of his manhood pulsed along her thigh. Widening her legs she encouraged him to take her by thrusting against his firm length.

  “Sweet,” he murmured, releasing her nipple. “You’re so sweet.”

  Then to her relief Tarik continued downward taking her clothing with him in his grasp. Lea lifted her hips, helping. The balled cloth ended on the floor and he shoved his pants to his thighs. With a sharp pull, she managed to rip his shirt and left the flaps fluttering on his sides, half off his shoulders.

  Tarik paused to look up. His gaze dropped to the torn material then back to her. Lea bit her lip. Maybe she’d gone too far but her body continued to rock and pulse. His growl preceded his dive below as he buried his face between her legs.

  Lea screamed, head thrown back as his mouth sucked hard on the swollen bud between her folds then alternated with quick licks and occasional nips.

  Her hips undulated as the pleasure coiled within. Fast. Faster than she expected. Twisting the sheets in her hands, Lea did everything to stall the inevitable.

  Chapter 11

  Tarik cursed as her body crested, barely holding on to his control. He continued to stroke his finger in her plump folds slowing only when her choked cries fell off. He shifted his weight and aligned the head of his erection with her soaked opening. Her trembling legs wrapped around his waist. Fluttering hands stroked his damp hair from his forehead.