by Sahara Kelly
She couldn’t speak, her mind a muddled mass of pain and nausea. The subdue code. She had to give him the subdue code.
What was it? She couldn’t remember.
“You die now, bitch!” he snarled. His hands reached for her throat and she knew in seconds he’d crush her windpipe.
His smile was pure evil as he wrapped his fingers around her. Tears sprang to her eyes as she thought of dying, of the things she’d wanted to do with her life and hadn’t.
Suddenly the hands around her throat disappeared. Vad was gone and she inhaled gulps of fresh air, her hands reaching for her neck to massage the pain.
Mia gasped, still too dizzy to do anything but lie there in wait for the next K’Mor to descend upon her. A blur of activity occurred in front of her and she forced herself to focus.
Finally, her vision cleared enough to see Ric and Vad engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Their bodies were nearly matched in size.
Ric’s muscles bulged underneath his shirt as he struggled with Vad. Vad merely smiled at his adversary, a sick, twisted grin that made his mouth look lopsided.
Where were Ric’s weapons? He had physically pulled Vad off her, that much she remembered. Why hadn’t he used the tolk or pikor on him?
Vad managed to get behind Ric and grabbed him around the throat, his huge arm cutting Ric’s breath off. With an elbow to the midsection, Ric broke free and turned, his fist connecting with Vad’s nose. Seemingly impervious to the assault, Vad laughed at him, blood streaming down his face.
With a low growl, Vad pushed Ric against the nearby wall. He crashed against the heavy steel of the barred window and slid to the floor, stunned. Vad stood there for a few seconds, then approached Ric, picking up a stone artifact from the table and lifting it over his head. Mia knew in seconds he’d smash the heavy object on top of Ric. Surely it would kill him.
She needed to do something to stop Vad. The code! She had to remember the code. She struggled, reaching into her hazy memory, watching in horror as Vad drew closer to a nearly unconscious Ric. Closing her eyes, she murmured a prayer for some clarity and then it hit her.
“The valley of the shadow of death,” she croaked, her voice hoarse.
Vad stopped instantly, dropped the stone and stood immobile.
It worked! Mia slid onto the floor, crawling on her hands and knees past Vad until she reached Ric. Blood poured down his neck and she reached behind, searching for the source. She found a deep laceration near the base of his skull. She searched the room and found a shirt lying on a chair. She bundled it up and pressed it against Ric’s head to stem the bleeding.
Tears pooled in her eyes as the full impact of their situation hit. She’d nearly lost him. “Ric, wake up,” she urged, whispering to him in the voice she used for hypnosis. “Listen to me. We have to get out of here now.”
How they’d managed such a ruckus without being discovered was beyond her to understand. All she knew was they needed to escape, and immediately.
She breathed a sigh of relief when his eyes opened.
He shook his head and winced. “What hit me?”
“The window.”
He looked beyond her to Vad, who stood docile and unmoving. “Remembered the code, did you?” he said, smiling.
Mia nodded, relief flooding through her at the knowledge he seemed all right. He stood, easily lifting her into his arms. She reached around his neck, craving his strength like never before.
“What about Vad?”
“I don’t care. I’m taking you out of here. I’ll come back for him.”
“Where is everyone?”
“I created a dam of sorts. They won’t be getting through any time soon.”
“But—“
“Shh,” Ric whispered, kissing the top of her head. “Your work is done, J’Mun. Rest now.”
She laid her head on his chest and let the darkness take her.
Chapter Eleven
Ric hovered over a sleeping Mia, pressing his palm to her forehead again.
No fever. The medic examined her after Ric brought her back to his home. She’d suffered a slight head injury, but no serious damage. Ric breathed a sigh of relief while wanting to wrap his fingers around Vad’s throat and squeeze the life from him.
He hadn’t even used the tolk or plikor on Vad. If he had, their battle would have ended sooner. After he’d dammed up the entrance to the hallway, he’d heard Mia and had run to the room. His blood boiled when he saw what Vad was doing to her, and all he could think of was getting the warrior’s hands off Mia.
His emotions took hold of him and all his years of training had vanished in an instant. What he should have done was kill the bastard for daring to harm the woman he loved.
But he hadn’t. Vad was destined to return to Earth, and that’s where he’d go, to hopefully rot out his days in one of their prisons.
Mia, once she was well, would be accompanying Vad, as would Ric as guardian of the prisoner.
And then what? The thought of never seeing Mia again created an emptiness inside him that he’d never experienced before. They’d shared much in the past several days and he’d grown accustomed to her sense of humor, her unusual looks and her obstinate nature.
How was he going to live without her? And more importantly, did he want to?
She moaned and stretched, the coverlet shifting to reveal one small, upthrust breast. His cocks stirred, remembering the feel and taste of the tiny bud in his mouth.
Tamping down his desire to lick the small, pink crest, he said, “Mia, wake up.”
Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled. “Where are we?”
“Back in Jolsu, at my home.”
“Where’s Vad?”
“In our holding cells awaiting transport to Earth.”
“How’d you get him back here?”
“I took you to the vehicle, then went back to retrieve Vad and my weapons.”
“What happened to your weapons? I remember watching you struggle with Vad, and you didn’t use them on him.”
“They were taken from me during a fight with several warriors,” he lied, not ready to admit that his feelings for her had affected his judgment.
She shifted to sit up, then winced. “I feel like a hovercraft ran over me.”
“You suffered head injuries when Vad struck you.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Bastard fucker.”
“Indeed. You should get some rest now.”
She yawned and shook her head. “I’ve rested enough. Besides, we have things to talk about.”
Ric waited for the expected tirade, wondering when she’d remember how he lied to her about the hypnosis. “Go ahead. Say whatever you will.”
Her gaze shifted to her lap, and then she looked up at him, her eyes luminous pools of turquoise that never failed to take his breath away. He’d miss her, but knew his lies had cost him the chance to have Mia in his life.
Then she surprised him and said, “I’m sorry about the hypnosis.”
That he did not expect. “I’m sorry I lied about being hypnotized. I wasn’t going to, but then you asked me to touch you and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to feel your skin.”
Her already pink cheeks darkened. “I wanted to touch you, too. I know I shouldn’t have. I do have ethics, you know. It’s just where you were concerned…”
Her lashes drifted against her cheeks and he tipped her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Where I was concerned?”
“I couldn’t resist. I just had to know what it was like to make love to you.”
His chest swelled with the knowledge that maybe there was some hope for them. “That is why I allowed the deceit to continue. But I shouldn’t have lied to you. I should have been man enough to tell you I wanted you and let you decide if you wanted me.”
She sat up, the coverlet dropping to her waist and revealing breasts he now thought perfect, despite the fact they were nothing like the M’Loran women he used to fancy.
“Clearly, I did want you.
”
He sat on the bed, his hip pressing against hers. “Then at least we had the opportunity to discover each other that way.” He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. She opened her mouth and he slid his tongue inside, taking in her sighs of pleasure.
“When do we leave for Earth?” she asked, her fingers trailing up his arms and over his shoulders.
He shivered at the scrape of her nails against his skin, his shafts fully erect and throbbing with the need to be inside her. “As soon as you’re able to travel. You look a bit weak to me right now, though,” he said, pressing her into the mattress.
She grinned at him. “I feel a little weak. I think I need a little more bed rest.”
“Oh, you’ll get the bed all right, J’Mun,” he said, cupping her breasts and flicking the nipples with his thumbs. “But you’ll get no rest.”
Mia arched her back, filling Ric’s palms with her aching breasts. Her pussy dampened with desire for him, desperately needing him to fill her. She pulled at his shirt and he yanked it over his head. Quickly discarding his pants, he slid onto the bed with her, dragging her against him. His cocks brushed against her mound and she spread her legs, lifting one over his hip. When he nestled closer and rubbed her clit with the head of his main cock, she whimpered.
“I want you, J’Mun,” he murmured, licking her neck.
“Fuck me, Ric,” she commanded, desperate for his touch. She needed to feel connected to him, knowing this would be the last time she’d be close to him, the last time he’d touch her. This moment would have to last a lifetime in her memories.
He parted her folds and positioned his shaft against her, teasing her with gentle strokes against her aching nub. Her body responded as always, by moistening and readying for him.
“I’m wet, Ric. I need you inside me.”
Smiling down at her, he shook his head. “Not yet.”
Frustrated, she grabbed his arms, digging her nails into his muscled flesh. He laughed, nipping at her throat. She whimpered when he bit into her shoulder, shuddering with his thrilling possession of her.
That’s what was so different about him—his complete mastery over her body and her mind. She’d never been so attuned to a man before. Sex had been perfunctory…somewhat enjoyable but not earth shattering. Making love with Ric was like a galaxy explosion, and she knew then that she was connected with him, that he’d always be a part of her.
“Now, Ric,” she begged, too impatient to wait any longer.
He grasped her chin and forced her gaze to meet his. His eyes were dark pools of desire, mesmerizing her with their depths. With one quick thrust he plunged inside her, stretching her sensitive flesh until she cried out in ecstasy.
He moved gently, his secondary shaft sliding against her sensitized clit.
“Ric?”
“Yes.”
“What are you going to do with your second cock?”
“What do you want me to do with it?” he asked, nipping at her lower lip.
Breathless with anticipation, she already knew. “I want to try something. Something I’ve never done before.”
He stilled, his gaze meeting hers. “What is it?”
“I want it in my ass, Ric. I want you to possess me completely.”
He frowned and caressed her cheek. “Are you certain?”
His tenderness swelled her heart to near bursting. “Yes.”
A soft smile curved his lips and he took her mouth in a heart-stopping kiss. Then, a vibration ruffled the thatch of down between her legs as his secondary penis shifted positions.
“I’ll make this pleasurable for you, J’Mun.” He licked his fingers and probed between the cheeks of her buttocks, searching and finding the puckered entrance. He slid his fingers over her without entering, enticing her sensitive nerve endings. All the while he slid his cock gently in and out of her pussy.
She relaxed against him, too caught up in the feel of his huge sex inside her to even notice when he slid his moistened fingers past the tight entrance to her anus. He gently eased inside, then paused, waiting for her body to accommodate to the intrusion. She moved against him, the intimacy of his touch spurring her own, making her shiver with the quest for completion.
When he moved his finger in and out of her, she cried out with the pleasure.
“Now, Ric,” she urged.
“I will be gentle. If you feel pain, tell me, and I will withdraw.”
She nodded, mindless of anything but his huge cock thrusting slowly enough to drive her mad. With careful movements he slid the tip of his secondary shaft against her ass, probing gently until he eased it past her defenses.
Mia felt no pain, only sparks of unbelievable pleasure.
Ric began to move inside her, both cocks rhythmically stroking her. She was filled completely, possessed by this man she’d come to love so deeply.
She dug her nails into his back. “Harder, Ric. Faster.”
He complied, quickening his pace and capturing her mouth in a heated kiss, his tongue mimicking the movements of his cocks. He reached between them, searching through the down of her sex until he found the distended bud. With gentle strokes, he thrummed her clit. She whimpered, bucking back against the cocks buried deep inside her.
Mia was one with him, in every way. Completely joined. Tears streamed freely down her cheeks as she let herself experience the ecstasy of her love for Ric.
The simultaneous stroking catapulted her over the edge. Her climax washed over her like a thunderous wave, the contractions squeezing Ric’s cocks inside her.
He tensed and grabbed her close against him as both cocks came inside her, filling her. He thrust one last time, then stilled. His heart pounding as hard and fast as hers, Ric kissed the top of her head and cradled her against him.
Now, in the quiet aftermath of their lovemaking, she wanted to tell him she loved him. She wanted to ask him to be a part of her life. But she knew she could never be the type of woman he wanted to be with. What they had together was sex and that wasn’t enough to sustain them.
So, where was the gutsy Mia Logan? The one who feared nothing, the one who took risks to get what she wanted? Had she buried that person under her job, hiding away where it was safe?
What was the worst thing that could happen? He’d laugh at her and tell her she wasn’t near enough woman for him? That she was fine for sex, but the fun and games were over now and it was time she went back to Earth?
She took a deep breath and said, “Ric, I wanted to ask you—“
“Stay with me, J’Mun,” he whispered before she could finish her sentence.
She stilled, uncertain if she understood. “What did you say?”
He lifted up on his arm and gazed into her face, his eyes filled with an emotion she dared not hope was love. “Stay with me here on M’Lora. We’ll take Vad back to Earth and then you can come back here with me.”
She swallowed, her throat gone dry. “You want me to come back with you?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re infuriating, obstinate, you try my patience and drive me crazy.”
“I see. Good reasons.”
He laughed. “And because I love you, Mia. I want you to stay here with me, if you’re willing. Be my mate.”
Stunned, she couldn’t form words to respond. A newly discovered joy filled her heart. She didn’t have to make that leap because he’d just done it for her. Now it was her turn. “I love you too, Ric. I just didn’t think you wanted me permanently.”
He kissed her deeply. “Of course I want you. Granted, you’re too skinny, but we’re working on that. With your appetite here, we’ll have you looking like a M’Loran woman in no time at all. Although there’s no hope for your tits,” he teased.
She laughed and threw her arms around him. This was what she’d craved, what had been missing in her life all these years. Now she’d have everything she wanted. A new life on a new planet with the man who’d mesmerized her with his captivati
ng eyes, fierce intelligence, warrior’s heart and a body to die for.
He kissed her, then pulled back, his dark eyes void of humor. “Our children will be mutants. It won’t be easy.”
She reached for him, caressing his bottom lip with her shaky fingertips. “Not mutants, Ric. Multicultural. And they’ll be beautiful.”
“Like their mother.”
“Like their father,” she countered.
“You’ve made me feel like I’m part of something again, Mia. Like I could have a family—even happiness. I never thought that possible.”
“Stick with me, M’Loran, and all things are possible.”
He pulled her close and kissed her deeply, bringing to life her passions in a way that she now knew only he could.
She might be the hypnotist, but she’d fallen under Ric’s magical spell. And she planned to stay mesmerized for the rest of her life.
About the author:
Jaci Burton has been a dreamer and lover of romance her entire life. Consumed with stories of passion, love and happily ever afters, she finally pulled her fantasy characters out of her head and put them on paper. Writing allows her to showcase the rainbow of emotions that result from falling in love.
Jaci lives in Oklahoma with her husband (her fiercest writing critic and sexy inspiration), stepdaughter and three wild and crazy dogs. Her sons are grown and live on opposite coasts and don’t bother her nearly as often as she’d like them to. When she isn’t writing stories of passion and romance, she can usually be found at the gym, reading a great book, or working on her computer, trying to figure out how she can pull more than twenty-four hours out of a single day.
Jaci welcomes mail from readers. You can write to her c/o Ellora’s Cave Publishing at P.O. Box 787, Hudson, Ohio 44236-0787.
Also by Jaci Burton:
Passion In Paradise 1: Paradise Awakening
