A King's Revenge: Warlords Series Book 2

by Michelle Howard

  Tarik looked up only to meet the reflection of his image in the dark visor she wore. He wished he could rip them from her face. See the passion shining from her eyes as he brought her to release again and again but feared such an action would destroy the fragile trust growing between them.

  He nudged against her, sliding the tip within her. Fluid leaked making his next foray a smoother stroke. Her release had softened her passage for his entrance but she was tight. Tight enough he needed to pause giving her time to relax.

  “Don’t stop.”

  Tarik rocked until he was seated deep. Her muscles continued to clamp and release on his heated flesh. Each ripple pushed him toward the edge.

  Goddess.

  Tarik fought the urge to climax.

  Lea stroked his hair, her hands constantly busy.

  Tremors shook his shoulders. “You’re beautiful.” Alive. So alive.

  Vibrant pink seared her cheeks and spread down her shoulders. He leaned away to see how far the color went. Nipples of the palest pink tipped her lush breasts. The color reminded him of a flower his father had imported for his mother. Morning Dawn. Her nipples were the color of morning dawn when pink edged along the sky and chased away the shades of violet and blue before fading away.

  Lea dug her heels into his back, her smile full of mischief. “You’re beautiful, too.”

  Tarik released the breath lodged in his chest. His hips surged forward, rewarding him with her cry as her neck arched thrusting her full breasts up. He increased his pace wanting to go deeper. Harder.

  Lea’s hands gripped his hair, her hold tightening on his scalp. Tarik rocked faster. He was so full he could burst.

  Months, years had gone by without a woman in his bed. No one since Maliya had stirred his desire. Until now. The memory of how good it felt to sink into a woman’s depth plagued him even as the reality of her wet walls hugged his driving length. Release loomed.

  “I want to come within you. I’m protected.” He was careful. Stayed up to date on his immunizations including his monthly birth control shot.

  Her lips parted. “I want that, too. Come in me, Tarik. Fill me up.”

  “Goddess,” Tarik groaned, dropping his head to the pillow beside her head. He gripped the sheets at the side of her shoulders and reared back with a long stroke that tore his control away. Sucked into a vortex out of his grasp, Tarik gave himself up to the maelstrom. Hips driving forward, he plunged in and out of her core until his every breath came on a choked cry. Lightning arced up his spine and his release blasted forth until he collapsed.

  Tarik wrapped an arm around Lea’s waist pulling her close. She entwined her legs with his and placed her hands on his chest. He ran his hands up and down her back loving the feel of the warm soft woman beneath his fingers.

  ***

  She slept peacefully. No moving, no tossing. Just an elbow tucked beneath her neck, knees slightly bent and an occasional snuffle. Tarik smiled and leaned over to pull the covers up to her shoulders. The action gave him a clear view of her face and the visor that managed to stay on through their vigorous activities in the small bed.

  Temptation tugged at his conscious. He wanted to remove the dark glasses and nudge her awake. Tarik needed to see her eyes. Yet part of him didn’t. Sex with Lea had been unimaginable. Fantastic and so good he craved a second turn. With his wife their sex had been the same. Both of them enjoying one another to the point no other could replace them.

  Now he lay in bed with a woman who gave him the same level of pleasure as the woman he’d loved. Different but no less pleasurable.

  But seeing her eyes could change all of that because despite all the similarities, he had to admit the odds of this being Maliya were slim to none. If by some miracle she was his wife why hadn’t she recognized him? Come back to him?

  Which left Tarik with the unavoidable truth. His wife was gone and his actions tonight proved that he had at last completed the final cycle in the grieving process by accepting what he’d always known. Maliya, his Queen was never coming back.

  Tears burned his eyelids but Tarik forced them back. Swallowing thickly, he eased from the bed and dressed quietly. He owed her a wealth of thanks for the evening they’d shared. When he had his boots on and no other excuse to linger, Tarik leaned over the bed and brushed his thumb over the pulse that beat steady and even. She shifted knocking the cover loose and bared the curve of her shoulder again.

  His length thickened. The room smelled of sex and the musk of two people who’d played hot and heavy between the sheets. Tarik considered sliding back into the bed with her but time had gotten away from him. Mati would be frantic if he didn’t return soon.

  Straightening, Tarik pulled himself away and made sure the door auto-locked behind him as he left. In the hall, he hesitated, one hand braced on the door frame the other clenched at his side. A muscle in his jaw ticked. Leaving her seemed like a big mistake but he needed to shower and had more Alliance meetings to attend in the morning.

  Tomorrow. He’d talk with her tomorrow. Maybe find out when her ship was heading out and extend an invitation to Desani.

  This wasn’t the end.

  ***

  Tarik tried to focus on the meeting. He listened to Senior Commander Green’s voice drone on. Breakfast and beverages came and went as the group of delegates hammered out the remaining issues on the table.

  Juda faced Tarik and interrupted the squabble between General Ara and the man sitting next to him. “King Tarik perhaps you’d like to share with us the details regarding your new relationship with Kaban.”

  Tarik leaned back in his seat ignoring how her comment brought attention to the both of them. “The Overlord and I reached an agreement.”

  The ridges down the middle of her tanned forehead twitched and her full lips curved upward. Marogs loved to cause mischief and Tarik braced himself for Juda’s next words.

  “Then the barbarians choose to no longer war against Desani?”

  “Kabanians aren’t barbarians. They’re dedicated warriors with a strong code of honor. Vaan Galip is not a man I’d want to cross.”

  Moro stretched two hands on the table and placed the other two behind his head. “King Tarik has the right of it. Galip is not a man to trifle with. That berserker rage they go through when fighting can wipe through an army of hundreds.”

  General Ara snorted and shifted his bulk. “A blaster will match swords any day.”

  Moro moved one arm to raise a finger at General Ara in a universal signal to flip off. “Overlord Galip and his top Warlords are blessed with some insect armor that withstands everything. I guess you could shoot them all in the head but they believe dying in battle is glorified so not sure that would stop them.”

  “Enough of that.” Juda interrupted, tossing her red hair over her shoulder. “I speak of the treaty. Is it solid between Desani and Kaban?”

  Tarik nodded. “It’s solid and his mate has pledged that the other Raasa compounds will be in agreement.”

  General Ara slammed a melon sized fist on the table. “You have the Raasa in an alliance as well? I know a scientist on Tregite who’d pay good credits to harvest the venom from them.”

  Stiffening, Tarik sat up straight in his seat and made sure Ara could read the deadly intent in his gaze. “The Kaban Overlord can call forth thousands of warriors to his defense even after Thenl decimated their numbers. You can play with the Raasa if you want but if Vaan Galip ever hears such talk, he will slaughter you and any men you send to Taka.” To make sure the General understood him, Tarik fingered the sword on his hip. “And the Desani will help him.”

  Jovan reached out and placed a hand on Tarik’s forearm. “Easy, son.”

  Tarik ignored the warning and continued to stare at General Ara until the Tregite sniffed and turned away. “It was just a statement.”

  Moro laughed. “A stupid statement from a stupid Tregite.”

  Genera Ara roared and jumped to his feet.

  Senior Commander Green s
tepped in front of Moro who snickered and backed away. “Enough. Let’s get back to the trade talks. All in favor of mining the goald rocks from Marog to use on Talaro for an energy source raise your hand.”

  Twelve hands went up.

  “Jamison do you agree to pay the sum defined in article 11 to the Marog for the goald?”

  Senate Leader Jamison nodded. “We’ll use Talaron vessels only though. Our ships are designed with the proper storage containers needed in order to keep the goald from decomposing before it reaches our home.”

  Green turned to Juda. “Is this fine with you?”

  Juda’s red head tipped to the side causing the large goald hoops in her ears to clink. “We are in agreement.”

  “Good,” Green’s shoulders eased. “I suggest a small break. We resume after the mid-day meal.”

  General Ara stormed from the room knocking a table to the floor on his way out. Moro, the fool, continued to laugh.

  Tarik checked his comm unit for the time. He hurried through the door barely noting Hensel and Mati following behind. His plan had been to see Lea before she departed the space station. The offer to visit Desani would be open ended.

  For once the long corridor leading to the first available transport shaft remained empty. He was far from in the mood to fight curious onlookers. When they stepped in, the empty car almost had him sighing in relief. Mati and Hensel came in behind him.

  “Where to?” Hensel’s fingers hovered over the buttons.

  “Departure bay.”

  He received a raised brow but Hensel selected the appropriate floor.

  The entire ride down, Tarik tapped his finger on the back wall of the transport shaft. He prayed he wouldn’t be too late.

  “Sire, why the urgency?” Mati’s brows knit in puzzlement.

  “I need to see someone prior to returning to the talks.”

  Mati shared a pleased look with Hensel. “Very well, Sire.”

  The doors slid open.

  Organized chaos assaulted Tarik’s ears. Launch sequences relayed overhead. Seeing ships leave one after another increased Tarik’s panic. He had no idea where to look first.

  Then he spotted her red hair. His hearts jumped.

  Chapter 12

  Lea rolled over and stretched full out in the narrow bed. Her body ached and throbbed in places unused to the vigorous exercise from the night before. Her mouth stretched into a broad grin as she allowed herself to remember each touch and stroke of his broad hands. Tingles rippled down her spine.

  Lingering remnants of sensation.

  She wondered if he’d be interested in round two. Although technically they’d had two and three last night. With a grin, Lea sat up ignoring the slipping bed sheets. The empty room put a pall on the happiness zinging through her system. She turned left then right looking for the handsome stranger who’d held her in his arms through the night.

  Gone.

  His clothes, boots and the man himself were gone. Her stomach clenched. Perhaps he wasn’t one for the morning after etiquette. She climbed from the bed and grabbed a clean jumper even as she gave herself a gut check. It shouldn’t matter that he hadn’t stuck around until she woke. They’d had a good time. Given one another satisfaction and if Lea was honest he’d helped her stave off the loneliness that often crept up on her during the night.

  She heaved a sigh and kicked at the crumpled shirt in her way. Programming the thermo settings, Lea stepped into the shower and heated water instantly misted out. Since she and Kord were leaving today there would be no time to dwell on thoughts of Tarik.

  Lea dressed with plenty of time to spare. Kord buzzed her comm as she slid her laser in the holster around her thigh. The weight of the weapon gave her a familiar sense of security. “Hi, Kord.”

  “You’re late,” he snapped.

  Lea frowned, hitting the door release as she left the room. Kord never snapped. “I’m only a few minutes behind.”

  She hiked her duffle further up on her shoulder and hustled to the transport lift. “Are you down in the bay?”

  “Yes. We’re cleared for take off.”

  Kord always handled the pre-flight check and with their recent repair delays, he was extra cautious. Lea didn’t mind since she preferred to fly. Piloting their shuttle thrilled her. Each jaunt into a different port flooded her with excitement and anticipation.

  Lea attributed her exuberance to her failed career in the military. The gap in her memory may have made her ineligible to return but it didn’t take away the joy she got from flying or the rush.

  She braced her weight and hit the button for the shuttle bay. The predictable drop had her gasping and then it slid to a smooth halt and the door opened. Ships landing and launching flooded the recycled air in this area with the smell of fuel and engine noise. Thrusters revved and whined while the ramp down the center of the large space lit up with red lights to signal another ship for clearance.

  The door at the end of the tunnel opened and a military cruiser launched through the outer portal. Ship after ship in queue preceded forward, the outer bay doors hissing each time it opened and closed.

  Lea scanned the crowd of rushing people. Kord stood taller than the others. He headed in her direction when they made eye contact. Dressed in a navy jumper similar to hers and a stunner strapped to his hip, her friend drew curious stares. Over six feet in height and with a build that only hinted at the muscles she’d seen, Kord could have any woman he wanted but Lea wasn’t sure if there was someone special in his life. They spent a lot of time together yet neither of them brought anyone around the other.

  Kord sidestepped armed guards, his strides lengthening the closer he got to her. Security remained on high alert due to the Alliance gathering. Lea waited until he reached her.

  He grasped her upper arm guiding her through the area. Lea frowned. “When are we slotted?”

  “Two more launches then us.”

  Their shuttle came into view. Her heart swelled with pride. The middle class shuttle wasn’t much to look at in comparison to some of the other vehicles around them but the offline FX had been a thing of beauty in its day. When it was designed engineers still cared about the beauty and symmetry of every ship that was crafted. Unlike today’s cumbersome behemoths with their armored casing and limited maneuverability.

  The sleek silver finish of the FX shone brightly beneath the overhead lights. Black matte stripes trimmed the side wings to match the black underbelly. Two mounted canons were welded on the front extended runners. Lea loved the FX. What it lacked in heavy artillery it made up for in speed.

  Kord released her when they stood near the hatch, the doors already opening due to the remote access on Kord’s comm. Lea stopped before entering. “What’s the rush?”

  His lips pressed together but he stopped pushing her along with the touches to her back and arm. “No rush.”

  Turning her back on the door, she crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot. First having Tarik do a runner on her this morning and now Kord acting more mysterious than usual. “Something’s up with you.”

  “As always you attribute more to my actions than is necessary.”

  The familiar smirk and dismissive words should have reassured her. They didn’t. They sounded forced. Lea stared trying to put her finger on what bothered her the most about his behavior. He’d been acting strange since-

  “Lea!”

  Her head turned in the direction of the transport lift. Tarik and two men dressed in black ankle length robes edges in gold exited. She ignored the men with him despite the confused stares they aimed her way and focused on Tarik. He alone held her attention.

  Gone was the flirty stranger she’d met in a bar. Gone was the sensuous lover she’d spent the night with. In his place stood a ruler of men. A thin circlet of gold did its best to hold back the gold streaked brown hair. In lieu of the simple white shirt and black pants he’d worn the night before, this Tarik dressed as if it was his right to lead.

  The bla
ck cape was flung carelessly over one shoulder, a large gold clasp holding it in place to reveal the v-neck black tunic beneath that reached his knees. Around his waist rested thick gold braided rope with the long ends dangling at his side and a sword on his hip. The slide slits of his tunic showed teasing glimpses of black pants tucked into the top of black leather boots with the upper flaps folded down. Gold chains wrapped around each ankle of the boots and clinked with every step he took in her direction.

  Overhead the controller announced the next launch. Guards bowed as Tarik passed them. Heart pounding, Lea realized that she should have made the connection sooner. Tarik arrived while the United Alliance was in session. She’d seen him leaving a meeting with several members of the Alliance. Although she didn’t stay up to date on galactic policy she had to be a fool not to have recognized what he was if not who.

  Being here during this time and with this group meant he wasn’t an ordinary stranger in a bar. He was important. Important enough to warrant the attention of every person in the bay. Heads swiveled in their direction.

  Kord stepped in front of her blocking Tarik from her view when he reached them.

  “Stand aside.” Tarik’s low voice growled the order expecting to be obeyed.

  Lea shivered and peered around Kord’s side.

  “Go away King of Desani.”

  Tarik was a King? How could Kord possibly know the King on a planet they’d never gone to even when she hinted at going to her home world for a visit?

  ***

  Tarik sensed her confusion. Aggression filled the air from her friend. The man was pissed. Since he’d never met him before, Tarik couldn’t place the reason for the anger. He tried to get a closer look at Lea but the man shifted to block his view.

  She wore her visor and Tarik wished he’d gone with his instincts and removed them while she slept. He had a sudden desire to see her eyes. Prove that his thoughts, his hopes, were foolish. Tarik considered his actions. The sheer impossibility of what he imagined. Hensel and Mati on the other hand stared in shock leaving him no choice but to follow through.