by Gail Koger
Quinn laughed. “He gave me a good beat-down and merged his mind with mine. That’s when I realized Zarek has more power in his little finger than I do in my entire body.”
“Yikes. One of those come-to-Jesus moments.”
“It was. I agreed to be a good Coletti warrior, and Zarek agreed to let me live.”
“Wise decision.”
“It was.” Quinn massaged the tight muscles in my neck.
With a sigh, I closed my eyes and let the peaceful sound of the wildlife lull me to sleep.
In the dim recesses of my mind, I heard Detja say, “They look exhausted, and when is the last time they bathed?”
“Look at her! She’s practically skin and bones. Didn’t you feed them?” Mami’s voice was full of indignation.
Papa interjected, “According to their schedule, they had to clean thirty tunnels a day. An impossible task.”
“Thirty!” Detja exclaimed. “Let me check.”
I linked with Quinn. “If we ignore them, think they’ll go away?”
“No.”
“We know you’re awake,” Papa commented.
With a sigh, I opened my eyes and met Mami’s horrified gaze. “What are you doing here?” Drekk. That came out wrong.
“We’re here for your bonding ceremony.”
Quinn and I said in unison, “What bonding ceremony?”
“The one being held tomorrow. On your birthday,” Papa answered.
I was beyond horrified. “Why didn’t someone say anything?”
“I left instructions,” Detja said haughtily.
“The only instructions we received were about shit cleanup,” Quinn responded and helped me to my feet.
Zarek teleported in. His cold gaze surveyed us from head to toe. “Aruid said you let naugers into the tunnels.”
“Let!” My voice was a screech.
Quinn grabbed my hands before I could summon a fireball. “We did not let naugers into the tunnels, but I think Aruid did. Xenia held them off until an energy barrier could be raised. If she hadn’t, the naugers would have made it into the city.”
With her best ice queen demeanor, Detja turned on Zarek. “Did you assign them thirty tunnels to clean?”
Zarek frowned. “They were to clean three a day, which would give them enough time to prepare for the bonding ceremony.”
“Do they look ready for the bonding ceremony? Not only has Xenia lost a considerable amount of weight, she’s covered in dung. We’ll never get them cleaned up in time,” Mami’s voice was shrill with outrage.
Papa added, “They do stink.”
“Papa!”
“When is the last time you ate?” A faint glow lit my father’s eyes.
“I don’t know.”
“She hasn’t eaten any solid food in a week. My blood has kept her going,” Quinn answered.
“This is how the Coletti treat their females?” My father was transforming into his berserker mode.
“Wait, Papa! It’s not Quinn’s fault. After fourteen hours of cleaning out those stinky cages, I was too exhausted to eat.”
His mouth a merciless line, Zarek vanished. A minute later, he reappeared and dumped Aruid in front of us.
“They are lying, my lord. The hybrid is responsible for the naugers getting into the city, not me,” Aruid whined.
“I challenge you to combat,” Quinn snarled.
Aruid wrinkled his nose in disgust, “I will not fight a filthy hybrid.”
From the expression on Zarek’s face, that was the wrong thing to say. I summoned a fireball and let it float above my right hand. “I’ll fight you. Actually, it’s more like I’ll turn you into a pile of ash.”
Wulf, in full body armor, teleported in. “My lord?”
Zarek pointed to Aruid. “Give him to the naugers.”
With a shriek, Aruid fled.
An immense power rippled the air as Zarek stopped Aruid’s flight. The suicidal ass toppled to the floor. His terrified gaze fixed on the Overlord.
I whispered psychically to Quinn. “He can’t move, can he?”
“No.”
Wulf picked Aruid up and teleported.
Detja clapped her hands. “The bonding ceremony will be held tomorrow, and we have a lot to accomplish.”
“A challenge worthy of you,” Zarek commented.
I laughed. “A challenge? We smell like dead Tanezumi.”
“I have the perfect solution for that,” Detja answered. “Follow me.”
“I would follow you into the ninth level of hell to have sex with Quinn.”
Chapter Nineteen
Detja was a miracle worker. By the morning, I had been transformed from a dung-covered tunnel rat into a lady. I smelled like flowers, my skin glowed, and my hair had been fashioned into an elaborate updo. The best part? Breakfast was pepperoni pizza, beer, and chocolate. And even better, Mami hadn’t fainted once. She drank her English tea and happily told me about her meeting with Elof.
Detja ate her weight in pizza and seemed to enjoy Mami’s stories.
Zarek stormed in with a wailing Clio in his arms. “She ate all but one of the Tar flowers, and she set the tapestries on fire. Those tapestries have been in my family for ten generations.”
Drekk! I had heard about the infamous hanging tapestries. Some depicted bloody battle scenes, while other had graphic pictures of women being fucked by warriors.
Mami quickly took Clio from the Overlord. “My apologies, my lord. Adan was supposed to watch her while we prepared for the ceremony.”
“Was he?” Poof. The Overlord vanished.
I shoved another chocolate in my mouth. “You don’t think he’ll kill Adan, do you?”
“Zarek will try, but Adan is very good at eluding him, and the bonding ceremony begins in an hour.”
“Me sorry. Me sorry.” Clio sobbed.
Mami patted her back soothingly. “How would you like to be the flower princess at Xenia’s bonding ceremony?”
“Me like.” Clio transformed into her princess form complete with sparkly dress and a tiara.
Mami waltzed Clio around the room singing, “You are so pretty. Such a pretty sparkly dress. Such a pretty toothy smile. Such pretty little tentacles.”
Detja and I exchanged horrified looks.
I grabbed my mother. “Mami, stop!”
“Why?” My mother was genuinely puzzled.
“The ceremony.” Detja snatched Clio. “While you help Xenia get dressed, Clio and I will retrieve the remaining flower.”
“Great idea, but, Clio, you have to stay in your princess form until the ceremony is completed,” I said.
“Then me be dragon?”
“No dragons,” Detja said firmly. “You can only be a princess.”
Clio’s lower lip quivered. “’Kay.”
“You have twenty minutes to get dressed,” Detja warned and teleported away.
Mom took my hand in hers. “You’re sure you want to spend the rest of your life with that Coletti?”
“I love him, Mami.”
“You would give up relic hunting for him?”
“Quinn was going to be a relic hunter before the Tai-Kok invaded his planet. He’s eager to pursue his dream again.”
Mami threw up her hands in disgust. “Fine. Make the mistake of your life. Your father will kill him if he mistreats you.”
“Quinn loves me, and you know that.” I walked into the bedroom and quickly dressed. My bonding ceremonial tunic and leggings were black with a bronze design intertwined throughout the silky material. Completing my awesome outfit were ankle boots with tiny jeweled daggers. I looked in the full-length mirror and smiled. I was almost beautiful.
“You are beautiful,” Quinn said.
I spun around. Quinn was wearing a black dress tunic that showcased his massive shoulders and thighs. He had bronze chains woven into his warrior braids. “You clean up nice.”
“I think I’m
going to be sick,” Mami snapped and stomped out of the room.
“Still hates me, huh?”
“She’ll come around,” I reassured him.
Quinn pulled me close. “Ready to get hitched?”
“I am.”
There was a fleeting instant of blackness, and we were standing at the back of the ceremonial chamber. The front rows were full of family. My father, Uncle Saul, Kaylee, Quinn’s sister and her mate Talree, along with Yakira, Quinn’s cousin, and Wulf. The big scary guy was Voss, the Battle Commander, and his mate, Zoey, was another cousin. Jaylan and Bree were there too. I think Detja said Bree was Quinn’s cousin, and big surprise, she was also Zarek’s granddaughter. I wasn’t sure where my mother was.
The ceiling resembled a night sky blazing with stars. Thousands of candles dotted the walls, illuminating the charred tapestries.
Zarek suddenly stood on the raised dais at the front of the chamber. He wore an etched gold headband that denoted his rank of Overlord. Golden strands were woven into his gray warrior’s braids. His black dress tunic displayed the physique of a much younger male.
Detja teleported in with Clio holding a single Tar flower in a gold pot. “Walk to where Zarek is and stop.”
Clio pranced down the aisle, tearing leaves off the plant and throwing them every which way.
Trying not to laugh, Quinn and I followed behind her. We stopped in front of the platform. On a small ornate table was an onyx ownership band. Excitement swirled through me. Once it was placed around my neck, we could have sex. Lots and lots of sex.
“Females are a precious gift. They are our life lines, our soul mates. Without them, we are nothing.” Zarek spoke with authority, his gaze focused on Detja.
She stepped up on the dais. “We share all that we are with our mates. This bond unites us for all time.”
“Today we are gathered here to join this warrior with his chosen mate.” Zarek picked up the ownership band and held it out to Quinn.
He took it and turned to me. “Your love is my anchor. Your trust my strength. You make my life complete. I will give you all my love until eternity ends.” Quinn fastened it around my neck. The warm metal band adjusted to fit my neck perfectly. “We are now one.”
I smiled up at Quinn. “I accept this band as a symbol of our love. It has no beginning and no ending. I am yours for all eternity.”
The chamber erupted in cheers.
Quinn scooped me up. “Time for our honeymoon.” He teleported us away.
Chapter Twenty
We popped into a room that belonged in a brothel. A huge four-poster bed with red silk sheets dominated the chamber. The walls were covered with naughty tapestries.
“We are honeymooning in a pleasure house?” Color me surprised.
Quinn grinned. “This is the Coletti version of a bridal suite.”
“Really?” I studied the tapestries and pointed to one where the warrior was entering the female from behind. “Can we try that one?”
“Hell, yeah.” He dumped me on the bed and began stripping.
I crossed my arms and glared at him. “Forget something?”
Quinn eyed me warily. “I forgot something?”
“Chocolate, flowers, and a little romance.”
“Chocolate!” Quinn gave himself a head smack and vanished.
I fell back on the bed. I knew we had spent the last three weeks in dank, stinky passageways, but c’mon, I no longer looked like a tunnel rat. A female wanted to be seduced, not pounced on.
My gaze roamed over the tapestries. I’d be willing to give several of the positions a try. I bolted upright when the wall hanging moved. That wasn’t a tapestry. It was Adan. “What in the nine hells are you doing here?”
The air shimmered, and Adan in his young wizard form stood there. “Hiding from the Overlord.”
“Like I believe that? Get out!”
“I promise I won’t watch,” Adan said.
“Out!”
He morphed into Quinn. “Fine. Let Zarek kill me.”
A fireball formed on my right hand. “Change forms, or Zarek will be the least of your problems.”
Adan transformed into my father and bolted from the room.
“Come back here!” I charged after him.
Adan disappeared down a connecting passageway.
I increased my speed, shot around a corner, and bounced off a massive chest. Zarek grabbed me before I could fall.
“Sorry, I didn’t see you.” I scanned the area. Where had that little brat gone?
Zarek patted my shoulder awkwardly. “Bridal nerves are to be expected. The first time a female sees a Coletti warrior’s phallus, it can be frightening. The size and the, ah, joy toys can be unnerving. I know Quinn will be gentle with you, and you will find the experience most satisfying.”
I gaped up at him. Holy Goddess, he was giving me “the talk.” Nodding like everything suddenly made sense, I responded, “Satisfying. Right. I feel so foolish. I’ll just go back to the bridal suite.”
“Excellent.” Zarek teleported away.
I sagged against the wall and giggled hysterically. Bridal nerves? As if.
A door slid open and Detja stepped out. “What are you doing out here?”
The last thing I needed was more advice on my love life. “Looking for chocolate. I wanted to dribble it all over Quinn and then lick it off.”
Detja laughed. “I have just the thing.” She stepped back into the room and returned with a bottle. “For the ultimate orgasm, drip the sauce on his slit and tongue it off. Slowly. Then give it a nibble.”
“On his slit, right.” I took the bottle and hurried back to the bridal suite. Quinn had a slit? I had never been interested in what a Coletti warrior looked like nude, until now.
Mami stood outside the door. “I knew you would come to your senses.”
I held up the bottle of chocolate. “I’m not leaving Quinn. I went to get chocolate. I’m going to pour it all over him and lick it off.”
Instead of being scandalized, Mami cocked her head to one side. “I should try that on Lysis.”
I knew my parents had sex, but ugh, I didn’t want the details. I tightened my grip on the bottle. “Go find your own.”
I went inside the bridal suite and locked the door. With my luck, Papa would show up next. I put the bottle on a table, and a laugh escaped me. The expression on Zarek’s face had been priceless. A touch of embarrassment mixed with concern and unease. Good thing he hadn’t read my mind.
Quinn appeared, holding a box of chocolate and a handful of wilting flowers. “For you, darlin’.”
I took them. “You have outdone yourself, lovey.”
“Roses are red, violets are blue. You are the moon, the stars, and the sun to me.”
I stared at Quinn in disbelief. “Was that poetry?”
“You said you wanted romance.”
“I did. Forget the poetry. Just kiss me.”
His lips captured mine in a blatantly possessive kiss.
Something thrashed against the front of his pants.
I jumped on the bed. “What was that?”
“The drive to complete the mating bond is very strong in Coletti males.”
“Is it?” I watched his crotch warily. It was as if the drekking thing was trying to escape.
Quinn rubbed a hand over his face. “I’m dying here, darlin’, and my control is a bit iffy.”
I kneeled and petted it cautiously. “Is this your joy arrow?”
“Yes.” Quinn’s voice had dropped an octave.
“Can I see it?”
“Hell, yes.” Quinn toed off his boots and shed his clothing.
My gaze roved over his muscular chest which was covered with a thatch of dark hair, down his washboard stomach, and froze. There was a slit on his pelvis! It opened and out slid his penis. It was snakelike with a fringe of tentacles around the top.
I pointed to the tentacles. “Joy t
oys?
“I guarantee you they will rock your world.”
“Uh-huh.” I reached down and wrapped a hand around his joy arrow. It was velvety to touch, but I could feel a steel-like hardness under the skin. The tentacles slid sinuously against my arm. Up. Down. Up. Down.
Heat coiled in my belly. It was like the tentacles were stroking my clit. I sucked in a shuddering breath. The sensation was unbelievably hot.
“You’ve got too many clothes on,” Quinn growled.
I released him and got off the bed. “I can fix that.” Doing a bump and grind routine, I slowly disrobed. I tossed my tunic at Quinn.
With a hungry look in his eyes, Quinn caught it. “Who taught you that?”
“My mother.”
“You’re fucking kidding me?”
“How do you think she’s kept my father so happy.” With a quick snap of my wrists, my pants fell off.
“You’re not wearing any underwear.” Quinn’s voice was guttural.
“I’m not.” I shimmed my hips and shook my breasts.
Quinn pounced. The next thing I knew, my back hit the bed and his mouth was devouring mine. His calloused hands stroked my breasts, sending pleasure cascading over me.
“Mine. You’re finally mine.”
Tentacles undulated against my pussy, electrifying every nerve ending. I sucked in a shuddering breath. Quinn was a fever in my blood. I burned for him. He was everywhere, touching my mind, my body. I heard my shallow, ragged gasps as I squirmed beneath him, wanting more. Desire blistered my senses. I couldn’t think. I could only feel. I ached for his possession. “I want you inside me. Now!”
Quinn’s penis shot home. The shock of his powerful invasion made me cry out. I felt my inner walls stretching to accommodate him. “Too much. You’re too much.”
“Easy, darlin’. It gets better.” His kiss was hot, heady, and intoxicating. The vibrating joy toys pulsated up my channel, sending ecstasy cascading through me.
Oh Goddess, that was incredible. I grabbed his taut ass. “More. More.”
Quinn thrust into me, harder, deeper. I met him kiss for kiss, touch for touch. I writhed as a firestorm of sheer bliss swept through me. I felt the mating bond snap in as a brain-jelling climax hit. I screamed as the world broke apart.
Struggling to catch my breath, I floated in a sea of oh-so-good for a moment. That was awesome.
