Darkeen Dynasty 1: Raeder's Woman

by Angelina Evans

  Allouria’s historians and med-techs would have answers to what was happening between him and Aleea. He’d never experienced such explosive sex before. It had to have something to do with the loralegoen. He’d never produced such large amounts before.

  They wouldn’t get any answers until they reached home. Until then, they both could enjoy the effects even if Aleea fought them.

  He almost smiled as he stepped into the deck-to-deck translocator. “Jump deck.” Between one breath and the next, he was across The Summit and five decks and facing his jump crew—Kael, Pantair, Laiera and Tayera.

  Behind them in the aqua-run, Fallyn, the ship’s main healer, also waited. The ruffled fin around her fine-boned face was half-flared and scarlet. Whatever had upset her would have to wait. He wanted the jump done.

  “Let’s make the jump, people.”

  Tayera opened her mouth but quickly closed it again when Laiera, her twin, elbowed her.

  “I want to know about his mate,” Tayera hissed.

  “Later.” Laiera pushed her twin toward her jump seat.

  “Let’s make the jump.” Raeder bit back a smile as he seated himself in the center seat of the five jump seats and pulled the shock webbing around himself. He would deal with the curiosity surrounding Aleea when they got to Allouria. For now she was safe in their chambers and his crew had a job to do.

  He made sure the rest of the jump team was settled in the four chairs around him before initiating the intra-ship communication system.

  “Incom.”

  “Ready.” The sultry feminine voice filtered through the room.

  “All crew members. Ready yourselves and The Summit for jump.” He heard the echo of his voice from the corridor outside the jump deck. “Jump map.” At his order the jump map appeared in the air around himself and the team. The universe swirled around them in holo-image perfection.

  “Current location.” Mouria lit up like a beacon. “Destination, Allouria.” Halfway across the solar system map, another planet glowed blue-green.

  “Incom.” He voice activated the inter-ship communications system again.

  “Ready.”

  “All crew members. Ready for jump.” He settled his hands over the arms of his chair, let his head fall back against the headrest.

  “Engage crystals.”

  At his order, four fist sized crystals levitated from depressions in the floor around him, each aligned with a member of his jump team.

  He built the picture of their current location in his mind. The blue planet below him. The black void of space around the ship.

  He breathed in and let it out slow. He closed his eyes and let his awareness spread, linked to the ship and beyond. He felt the Strider, was part of her. Each member of its crew was a living presence in his mind.

  The ship became his body. He could feel the void of space around it, was aware of the Treshian trader below and to his port side. He extended farther and became aware of the second trader beyond the first and the Mourian cruiser between them. The three Allourian-Striders he’d called for were even farther out. His consciousness touched that of his cousin Traiden and his brothers, Myka and Cynjyn.

  One with his ship, the vision of Mouria alive in his mind, he concentrated on building the vision of Allouria in his mind. When it was clear he began blending the two images, beginning the process of folding space with his mind.

  Like laser beams of gold, their psychic power amplified by crystal, the telekinetic-telepathic power of each member of his jump team aligned with his. He felt the swell of power as five became one.

  Power expanded in him, around him, honing itself. A tool to be used. Pure golden energy.

  Mouria. Allouria. The images merged in his mind. He held the power of five, controlled it. Ready.

  Shrill clanging broke the silence.

  “Unauthorized use of translocator portal system attempted. Deck twelve. Unauthorized use of translocator portal system attempted. Deck twelve.”

  Raeder slammed back into himself. Power evaporated as if it had never been. He stared at the ceiling of the jump deck, disoriented for a breath of time.

  He ripped the shock webbing away from his body and lunged out of the reclining jump seat.

  “Who is it?” he demanded, but already knew. Only one person aboard The Summit would attempt to translocate as a jump was under way. Only one person aboard wouldn’t know they were attempting suicide.

  “Aleea NaDeera.”

  Rage boiled through him at the sound of her name. She would have killed herself. And for what? To get away from him? To get away from the orgasmic sex they shared? Blast her, he was going to kill her himself.

  He strode to the translocator and barked out, “Deck twelve.”

  He stepped through the portal. The jump deck shimmered from view and Aleea shimmered into view.

  She looked up and froze, her right hand poised in front of the holo-control.

  “You were going somewhere?” He leaned against the side of the portal and crossed his arms over his chest. He wanted to hear her explain this. He wanted to see the look on her face when he told her just what could have happened.

  Aleea took a deep breath. Raeder’s face was expressionless, his stance casual. Yet she had no doubt he was angry. No, that wasn’t strong enough. He was furious. His eyes were cold and hard. What did he have to be so angry about? He’d known she was going home the first chance she got.

  “I—”

  “You were going to translocate back to Mouria?” He interrupted.

  “No. I—”

  “Where were you going?” He interrupted again, his voice soft, almost gentle.

  “Home.” There. Even he couldn’t interrupt a one-word answer.

  The muscles in his jaw jumped. “Home. Where, exactly, is home?” His crystalline eyes raked over her. She shivered, fought the urge to cross her arms over her breasts. The red sheath she had put back on suddenly seemed more revealing than if she were naked and she was getting really tired of that sensation.

  “My singlet on Centera.”

  “Your singlet on Centera.” His eyes raked over her again.

  She shivered. If he didn’t stop doing that, she was going to do something drastic, like hit him or run.

  He straightened away from the portal support and stepped toward her.

  She couldn’t help but move back as he advanced toward her. He was going to kill her.

  “You were going to translocate to Centera from The Summit while we were preparing to jump.” He kept walking toward her.

  Her back thumped into the far wall. She started edging to her left, unable to tear her gaze away from his piercing stare. He was stalking her. He was like a predator ready to lunge.

  “Raeder. There’s no need to be upset. I was just going home. This,” she waved her arm to indicate the long corridor lit by recessed glows and the ship as a whole. “This isn’t what I went to Illusions for. I wanted a fantasy. A simple uncomplicated affair with a man who wasn’t real and couldn’t disappoint me. Someone I couldn’t disappoint.”

  “You didn’t disappoint me. My cock is hard right now just from being close to you. I think about pushing through that tiny ring of muscle that guards your channel and I’m ready to come where I stand.

  “And I haven’t disappointed you. You scream for me.” He reached out, caught her left breast and rubbed her nipple with his thumb. His eyes followed the movement as he stroked her turgid flesh. His eyelids lowered, his color darkened and his lips became fuller. “Neither of us has been disappointed.”

  “But—”

  “But what?” His eyes lifted to hers. His hand didn’t leave her breast. He stroked the tip, the motion almost rough. Rage was morphing to desire inside him. He was ready to explode and he was going to take her with him when he did. She’d tried to get away from him, could have killed herself.

  “The fantasy—”

  “Is reality.” There was a sharp edge to his tone. His hand closed over her breast in a tight
grip that was just short of painful. “Reality is that you belong to me.” He stepped closer, his eyes glowing green. “Reality is that you are going to Allouria with me.” He released her breast, lowered his hands to her waist and lifted her against the wall. “Reality is that you could have killed yourself.” He shoved his hips between her thighs forcing her legs around him and pinned her against the wall with his weight. He would make her accept reality.

  “Killed myself? What do you mean? That doesn’t make any sense. People translocate every day.”

  He frowned at her. Could she really not have known? “Do you understand what a jump is?”

  She shrugged and nodded. “A group of psychics bend space. You literally jump from one point to another, eliminating the whole line in between.”

  “It’s a dimensional shift. We go into nothing and emerge into something. If you had translocated while we jumped, you would cease to exist. You would have been lost in the shift if you had succeeded.” Fresh rage washed through him. He had come to close to losing her.

  Aleea’s jaw dropped. “You mean… I would have… I could have…” She shook her head. She would have killed herself and never have known she was in danger. And it wouldn’t have been Raeder’s fault.

  “Hold on to me,” he ordered. He had to know she was alive, to feel it for himself.

  She did as he said, shivering as her arms circled his neck. She needed to be held. That had been too close.

  His eyes were wild, his teeth gritted. He caught the neckline of her sheath in both hands and ripped. Shreds of the thin material fell away held in place only where his body pinned hers to the wall.

  “Never again.” His voice was low, guttural. “If you had succeeded…” He shuddered, dropped his head and devoured her breast.

  She arched. A whimper caught in her throat.

  He nipped and sucked, pulled and licked. “You’re mine.” He growled from around her flesh. “Your home is with me.” He tore the sheath free from where it was caught at her thighs.

  She didn’t see what he did to his pants, didn’t care. His hot flesh scorched her. The head of his cock didn’t nudge or press, it slammed into her, a weapon used with the intent to conquer.

  “Raeder!” She grabbed his shoulders and held on.

  He surged into her. She was alive and she was his.

  The friction of his flesh cleaving hers was electrifying. Her breasts bobbed with each thrust. His flesh slapped against hers. It was instant fire raging through her veins.

  “Come for me, blast you.” His voice rasped. “You’re alive. I want to feel it.” He pounded into her, ground his pelvis against her with each forward thrust. She groaned each time he hit her engorged clit.

  “Come, Aleea. Come for me.” He hammered into her, faster, harder.

  Every muscle in her tightened more until her very being clenched around him. Her back arched. Her mouth opened in a silent scream. Her vagina spasmed in the clutch and release of orgasm. The world was an electric storm and she was its center.

  A low growl erupted from Raeder’s throat as her hot, wet channel milked him, tighter than a fist. He slammed into her again and again. He wanted to stay in her forever. He wanted to fill her with his seed, to brand her as his. He wanted to tie her to his bed where she would be safe and available to him any time he needed to sink into her, taste her, hold her.

  He exploded. Pelvis tight against hers he tried to drive further forward without pulling out. His semen filled her. Hot and thick. And he wanted more. More of her. More of him in her.

  He lowered his forehead to the top of her head and stood unmoving. Her inner muscles quivered around him intermittently as aftershocks raced through her.

  “I thought beds were made for sex. I have to say, though, you make really good use of walls.”

  Her teasing words grated on his frayed nerves. “You would have died.” He wanted her to understand the enormity of what she’d almost done. She hadn’t wanted to die, but she would have killed herself anyway. He couldn’t let it happen again.

  Aleea couldn’t move. Could barely think. “I just did.” How did it keep getting better?

  Raeder caught her hair, forced her face up to his. “Don’t make a joke of this. You would have been dead.”

  She raised her chin even higher, caught his hand in her own and yanked it out of her hair. “I understand that and I’m dealing with it my way. If you don’t like it, tough.” She couldn’t change who she was for him and wouldn’t if she could. He’d already said he wouldn’t have picked her. Well, if he kept her with him, he was going to find out he really wouldn’t have picked her.

  Raeder pulled out of her, making her groan at the drag of his flesh against hers. He caught her by her upper arms to hold her in place when she would have stepped away from him. “Promise me you’ll never do that again.”

  Aleea glared up at him. “Do you think I’m stupid? Of course I won’t do it again.”

  He wanted to shake her. He’d never been so angry with anyone in his life. “Your home is with me. Where I go you go, also. Some singlet on Centera is not where you belong. The Summit, Allouria, anywhere I am is where your home is. You’re never to try and leave me again. Do you understand?” He did shake her.

  She grasped his arms to steady herself. If he shook her again, she was going to throw up on him. That would teach him. “Raeder. I told you I needed to go home. I wasn’t trying to kill myself. Why would I? Dead wouldn’t get me home even if it would get me away from you.”

  He swept her up in his arms and strode down the corridor to his chambers. She was never going to get away from him whether she believed it or not. She was his. Born for him, found for him. Until he was sure she understood where her place was, she was never going to be out of his sight again.

  The door slid open and he strode inside.

  “Incom.” He didn’t wait for a response but kept talking. “Kael, disband the jump team until the first hour of the light cycle. We’ll make the jump then.”

  He set Aleea on her feet, caught her arm when would have walked away.

  Tayera’s voice cut in. “Raeder…”

  “First hour.” Kael’s voice overrode Tayera’s.

  “Incom. Cut communication until otherwise ordered by me.” Raeder ended any chance of interruption.

  “It is done,” the voice of The Summit murmured.

  * * * * *

  Tayera stood unmoving as the others filed off the jump deck through the translocator. Her chest heaved as she fought for breath. It felt like someone had ripped a hole in her chest. He couldn’t do this, bring some slut aboard and expect them all to put her first.

  “Who is she?”

  She jumped at the question, spun to see Fallyn watching her from the aqua-run. The Merwoman fin crest was fully flared and scarlet.

  “I don’t know, but something has to be done about her. She can’t come aboard The Summit and ruin everything. Raeder is ours.”

  Mine, Fallyn thought. Raeder is mine.

  “You’re right, Tayera. Something must be done.”

  Tayera took a step closer to the Merwoman. “You care for Raeder, don’t you, Fallyn?”

  “Yes.” Her voice was a mere whisper of sound.

  Tayera bit back a triumphant smile. She had an ally. “I have an idea, but it will take both of us. We have to be ready when the opportunity arises. You…”

  * * * * *

  Raeder turned on Aleea, furious that she had tried to walk away from him.

  “Where were you going?” he demanded.

  “I can’t just stand here naked.”

  He liked her just as she was, but he needed her to listen and she was more likely to do that clothed.

  Keeping his hold on her arm, he walked with her to the wardrobe and picked out a dress for her. He stepped back, watched as she slid the dress over her head, the material slipping down to hide her full breasts, her nipples red and swollen from his mouth on them.

  Raeder’s lips thinned as she pulled the
hem of the dress over her hips, hiding the sweet juncture of her thighs. He wanted to be between them.

  Taking her arm again he walked back into the bedroom, turned to Aleea and grasped her shoulders. She had to understand why he was doing what he was doing. He needed her and she had to understand why.

  His gaze met hers and held. “Have you heard of the Rilirian Field?”

  Aleea snorted and wrinkled her nose. Why was he bringing up a myth and a legend now? “Who hasn’t?”

  “What do you know?”

  “The same story every child knows. The Rilirian Field is a fantastic force field created by the Darkeen Princes and maintained by their psychic ability. No one can enter Allourian space uninvited. They smack up against the invisible shield that protects Allourian space.”

  She summarized the story she’d heard a thousand times growing up and some of the childhood thrill sparkled though her. She and her friends had played for hours at being the Darkeen King who had created the Alliance and his imperial princess. She had always wanted to be the princess but usually got stuck being a guard. Even that had been exciting because she’d been a part of something so big and wonderful. It didn’t seem real that she was standing here with a Darkeen prince, that he claimed her as his.

  “Incom.” His call brought an immediate response.

  “Ready.”

  “Holo-image. Allouria, crystal cavern. Rilirian Field projection.”

  Aleea’s mouth dropped open as a planet approximately fourteen inches in diameter sprang into existence in front of her. It was like an opal, verdant green and deep blue swirled together on the slowly circling orb. She’d never seen anything so perfect.

  “Allouria.” Something in Raeder’s voice made her look up. His eyes were trained on the planet. His expression gave nothing away but his voice made her want to reach out to him.

  “The crystal cavern is the heart of Mearyn Palace.”

  Allouria disappeared and a palace of ivory marble on a white cliff sprang to life. It looked over a turquoise ocean.

  The palace shot toward her.