“Believe what you will, Hunter. I’ve been doing just fine on my own all week. This isn’t what I came here to talk with you about today, though. I want to know more about Eris and what you know about how the OS came to Earth.”
The challenge Tiaki had been about to issue died in his throat at the mention of Eris. “Now isn’t the time or place for this discussion, Mateo.” He glanced at the group of recruits he’d been training. Niki and Monte were motioning for them to leave, as though they sensed Mateo wouldn’t be put off.
Mateo made a derisive sound in his throat. “Yes, but you also said you didn’t know how she or the OS had gotten here without a rift. Something tells me you didn’t tell us the whole truth. So what are you hiding?”
Tiaki stared at Mateo, his mind racing to connect the dots, trying to see if he had the information Mateo was accusing him of having. He traced back the links, from receiving his orders to close the rift in 2013, the condition of the rift he’d been closing… No! It couldn’t be, could it?
Leo had been sent to arrest Aizik before he’d had the chance to use his transdimensional gate. Had Aizik used it before to aid Eris? To his knowledge, Aizik didn’t have any connection to her, nor she to the Syndicate. What the fuck was going on? And, even more importantly, who the hell was behind all this? Tiaki cursed himself for not paying closer attention to the last report Legatus Cacus had given Leo. He’d never thought it might have something to do with his rift.
Mateo took a step back, as though needing some distance between them. “I can tell by the look on your face you know you didn’t disclose everything to Grant and Pearce.”
Tiaki advanced on Mateo, heedless of the others watching them. “I told them everything I thought was of import. Clearly, I was mistaken. I’ll go and remedy that right now. Let’s go. You will hear this straight from me. I want to make sure there’s no way you can claim I’ve been anything but forthcoming with you and everyone else.” He grabbed the back of Mateo’s neck as he passed and started to drag him toward the door.
Mateo struggled in his grasp. “Get your hands off me! I can walk on my own.”
Tiaki glanced over his shoulder at him. “Forgive me if I don’t believe you want to do anything to help clear me of these accusations. Clearly, you’ve decided I’m guilty of withholding information.” His magic vibrated beneath his skin. The physical contact with Mateo was driving him insane. He fought to keep tight control over his magic. “You haven’t exactly been welcoming. Even after all I’ve done for you since I arrived.”
Mateo stopped struggling in his hold, although Tiaki could still feel the tension thrumming through his body like a living, breathing entity.
Mateo glared at him. “Yes, well, under the circumstances, can you really blame me?”
Anger burned through him. Tiaki couldn’t believe it. After all they’d been through, Mateo was still refusing to acknowledge the connection between them and Kiana. “Fine. You want to know what I think might have happened?” Tiaki closed his eyes for a moment and called to his magic.
“What the hell are you doing, Hunter?” Mateo asked.
Opening his eyes, Tiaki focused his magic, sent a thread through his fingertips, and directed it to seep into Mateo’s mind. It took some effort to contain it enough so he didn’t pry into Mateo’s mind as he sent the memory of his last meeting with the Legatus Cacus and Leo into Mateo, though his magic wanted to share in everything that made up his mate.
Mateo went completely still in his grasp.
Tiaki sucked in a breath when he was bombarded with emotions from Kiana and Mateo’s cybernetic link. Lust infused his mind, partly induced by the memory of them making love to Kiana and Mateo’s proximity. Gods, how he wanted this man. Just as it continued to do with Kiana, his magic whispered, Claim him. The whisper swept through his blood, infusing his entire being with a desire so potent, he could almost taste it.
Tightening the tenuous grasp he had on his magic, Tiaki forced himself to focus on transferring the information he had to Mateo. When he finished, he disengaged his magic from Mateo’s mind and drew it back to his own.
Mateo shoved him away with both hands. “What the fuck did you just do, Hunter?” he roared, his eyes flashing with anger.
Tiaki met his gaze. Desire to reach out and make physical contact again clawed within him, but he forced it down. Now was not the time to press the issue. “I cast a memory synthesis spell to allow you access to the memory I have of receiving my last set of orders. And my thoughts on what might have caused the rift I was sent to close.”
Mateo’s nostrils flared, and his chest heaved with each breath he took.
“It’s the only way I know of to help you understand that I’m telling you everything I know.” He needed to confer with Grant and Pearce about this new development. If Eris had used Aizik’s gate to get the contingent of the Syndicate here, there was no telling if there might be another rift that the Council hadn’t detected yet. Which meant they had bigger things to worry about than Mateo’s anger at him.
“I don’t give a shit if it was the easiest way. Stay the fuck out of my mind!”
Out of the corner of his eye, Tiaki saw sapphire flames engulf Mateo’s hand. It was too late to dodge the energy blast he threw. The blast hit him square in the chest, knocking him back several steps. He gasped in surprise when the blow didn’t lay him flat. Glancing down, he stared, shocked to find it had only burned through his T-shirt instead of leaving a gaping hole in his flesh as it should have.
Tiaki watched as Mateo’s magic hovered over his chest like a glittering blue cluster of stars before flaring with a brilliant radiance and seeping into his skin. Warmth spread through him. His magic rushed forth, eager to entwine with it. It sighed in pleasure and spiraled around the other energy as though it could tell this was its mate. Even as Tiaki sensed this, he felt it calling out. Yearning for more…
Kiana.
Tiaki glanced up and met Mateo’s gaze. Mateo looked as stunned as he felt. Several long moments stretched out between them. Neither knew what to say as a sensual awareness wove itself across the distance separating them.
“What the hell just happened? That’s definitely not how the energy blasts I saw you throwing at Thanos acted.” Monte’s voice broke the invisible thread of tension between them.
Tiaki finally found the strength to look away. He turned to make sure the recruits had left. Thanks to Niki, they were already gone.
Niki approached her husband and grasped his arm. “Monte, let’s go grab something to eat. These training sessions make me ravenous.”
Monte flicked his gaze back and forth between Tiaki and Mateo. “Not until I know what the hell is going on. Something major happened just now. I can feel it. I think we need to know what it is just in case it could happen to one of us when we’re out in the field.”
Tiaki regarded the couple for a moment. Monte looked confused by this turn of events while Niki…didn’t look surprised at all.
Kiana. She must have said something about the soul bond. But how much had she revealed? Did Niki know Mateo was a part of it? He saw sympathy flash in Niki’s eyes before she turned and drew Monte toward the door.
“Come on. I need sustenance and maybe a nap before the luau. I’m sure Tiaki will fill us in later.” She pulled on her husband’s arm. “Don’t forget, the luau starts at sundown, you guys. Oh, and you’ll be dancing,” she called over her shoulder as she pulled the door closed behind them.
The click of the door latch sliding into place rang through the cavernous room, echoing off the high ceiling. Tiaki took a deep breath, his mind trying to process what the magic had done. Even now, he could still feel Mateo’s magic snaking its way through his body, teasing him with the possibility of what could be if only they completed the soul bond.
“Monte is right. That’s not what should have happened. Why did my energy blast not hurt you?”
Tiaki started at the sound of Mateo’s voice. The question sliced through his thoughts. H
e turned to face him. Silence stretched between them, thick and heavy, emphasizing the fact that they were alone. He watched Mateo closely, trying to decipher the emotions he saw flashing through his eyes.
Breaking eye contact with him, Tiaki stalked toward the bench that spanned the length of one wall. “I don’t know.” He pulled off the ruined T-shirt and rummaged through the bag he’d brought with him. Luckily he’d brought another shirt, as he’d been planning to head down to the beach for a swim after. It had been a long time since he’d had to deal with humidity on a daily basis. When traveling through space, one tended to be in a computer-controlled environment on starships most of the time. He sucked in a sharp breath when he felt Mateo’s hand grasp his shoulder and spin him around.
Mateo met his gaze. “Bullshit! You know something about this.”
Tiaki forced himself to breathe as a biting hunger burst to life in his veins. His magic burned out of control to connect with Mateo’s, and he knew it wouldn’t take much to make the feeling explode. With potentially devastating results, given Mateo’s aversion to acknowledging the soul bond. “I really don’t know why the spell didn’t work as it should have. Now if you’ll excuse me…”
“Like hell I will. You’re hiding something. I won’t leave you alone until you tell me.”
Tiaki suppressed a shudder of longing at the continued pressure of the hand touching his naked shoulder. He knew he should move away, but he couldn’t seem to command his muscles to do so. He closed his eyes to conceal the lust he knew must be visible in them. How could they not with the way his magic stirred so restlessly?
Chapter Fifteen
Mateo cursed under his breath. He needed answers. Now! So he could get as far away from the Hunter as possible. What the hell was Tiaki hiding?
Absently he moved his hand up Tiaki’s neck, flexing his fingers. Whether to squeeze or caress, he wasn’t sure. “Tell me. What happened with the magic? Don’t lie and tell me you don’t know either.” The tip of one finger brushed the glittering golden mark just behind Tiaki’s ear. An electric jolt leaped from the spot and tickled his finger before his skin absorbed it.
Tiaki’s eyes flew wide at the contact.
Mateo felt something quicken in his chest as a wildfire of bliss washed over him. He sucked in a sharp breath when he saw Tiaki’s eyes had darkened. Golden ribbons of energy danced in their depths even as the edges took on a burnished look. Before Mateo realized what he was doing, he’d dragged Tiaki closer and captured his mouth. The ravenous desire he was experiencing demanded he taste his mate.
Mateo licked across the seam of Tiaki’s mouth, then plunged his tongue inside when Tiaki didn’t respond quickly enough, needing to brand him.
Tiaki shoved him, trying to break his hold, but they stumbled over each other’s feet and crashed to the floor in a tangle of limbs.
Mateo gasped, breaking contact with Tiaki as the breath was knocked out of him. They rolled several times before he gained the upper hand and straddled Tiaki. Sucking in a couple of ragged breaths, Mateo leaned down and bit Tiaki’s lower lip, savoring the salty tang of his skin.
Tiaki pulled Mateo hard against his chest, his hands working frantically to strip him of his shirt.
Mateo backed off just enough to slip it over his head, then leaned down to capture the other man’s lips again in a punishing kiss. Tiaki moaned against his mouth, sending shivers down his spine.
When Tiaki tried to flip him over, Mateo grabbed his wrists and forced them to either side of his head. They struggled for a moment over who would gain control of the situation. The memory of how he’d restrained Kiana after the conference call flashed in his mind. He pulled back and met Tiaki’s gaze. Calling on his magic, he commanded it to create a bond around each of Tiaki’s wrists and released his hold.
Tiaki breathed hard, his chest rising and falling as though he’d just run a long distance. He struggled to move his hands. “Mateo…”
Mateo seized his mouth before Tiaki could finish what he was going to say. He didn’t want to hear it. Something inside him had broken free when he’d made contact with the tattoo on Tiaki’s neck. It had ignited an animalistic hunger to taste this man. Consequences be damned. Angling his head, Mateo plunged his tongue into Tiaki’s mouth when he gasped.
Suddenly Tiaki was kissing him back, and Mateo couldn’t hold back the possessive growl that escaped him. Tiaki tasted sinful and forbidden.
Mateo stretched his body along Tiaki’s length and inhaled sharply when their cocks made contact. Instantly the thought of tasting something else blazed to life in his mind. It had been so long since he’d experienced this…and it had never been this intense with Remi.
Recalling how it had been with Remi, Mateo felt his heart squeeze tight. He started to push away, but all thought fled his mind when Tiaki bucked beneath him, pressing their cocks more firmly together. Mateo broke the kiss and bit Tiaki’s lower lip with more force than he’d ever used with Kiana. He nipped along Tiaki’s jaw.
When he reached the mark on Tiaki’s neck, he paused to study it. A thin ray of sunlight sliced through the window high on the wall and struck it, making it glitter as Tiaki’s magic pulsed within the ink. In the middle of the tattoo, a medieval sword with the letters RH engraved near the hilt was overlapped with a shield emblazoned with a dragon. Around the edges was a swirling pattern. The whole design radiated a golden light, just like Tiaki’s magic.
Something about the way it reflected the light called to Mateo. Closing his eyes, he drew his tongue over the tattoo with agonizing slowness. Mateo sensed an awakening in his magic at the contact. It sparked, then began a slow burn within his blood. A yearning he was reluctant to define. Pushing away all thought of what the yearning was, he bit Tiaki’s neck and drew a low moan from the man beneath him.
“Mateo, release me, and I’ll tell you what you want to know,” Tiaki ground out through gritted teeth. “I warn you, if you continue with the path you’re currently taking—”
“What? What will you do, Tiaki?” Mateo lifted his head and met Tiaki’s eyes. He leaned closer and flicked his tongue across Tiaki’s lips.
Tiaki extended his neck and grabbed Mateo’s lower lip with his teeth, then released it. “I won’t be held responsible for what you know will transpire between us.”
Mateo rubbed his cock against Tiaki, reveling in the way it hardened. God, it’s been so long! “And what exactly do you think is going to ‘transpire between us,’ Hunter?”
“This.” Tiaki wrenched his wrists free of the bonds holding them. He plunged his hands into Mateo’s hair and rolled over until he was on top. Then he captured Mateo’s mouth and thrust his tongue inside.
Mateo grunted low in his throat and met Tiaki’s tongue with his. Reaching between their bodies, he made quick work of the belt buckle and buttons. He had to feel Tiaki’s dick. Mateo moaned when his fingers finally brushed the heated skin stretched taut over the thick shaft. Bucking against Tiaki, Mateo flipped him over again.
A whoosh of air escaped Tiaki with the swapping of positions.
Before Tiaki could say a word, Mateo began trailing his mouth down Tiaki’s neck and, when he got to his chest, he stopped to suck on each nipple while stroking Tiaki’s cock with one hand. He didn’t protest when Tiaki pressed a hand to his shoulder, guiding his mouth lower.
Biting and licking his way down Tiaki’s stomach, Mateo lost all sense of time and place. The energy surged in his blood, driving him toward the inevitable. When Mateo finally reached his groin, Tiaki went completely still beneath him as though waiting to see if he would really go through with it.
Mateo ran his tongue up along Tiaki’s length, his fist ascending along the hard shaft in the wake of his mouth. He gently squeezed it.
Tiaki moaned and thrust against Mateo’s mouth when Mateo kissed the tip and swirled his tongue over it.
Mateo sucked in a harsh breath when the desire he evoked in Tiaki started flowing through his own senses. His eyes fluttered shut as a tingl
e shot through his core when he felt the phantom presence of a tongue tracing the head of his dick. He moaned and took Tiaki’s shaft into his mouth.
Tiaki grasped Mateo’s head in his hands and pressed up.
Mateo shuddered and groaned around the cock he hungrily devoured. The taste of Tiaki was decadent, like a forbidden fruit Mateo couldn’t get enough of. He could feel his magic simmering in his veins, coiling like a spring with each moan from Tiaki.
Tiaki thrust up, forcing his dick against the back of Mateo’s throat. “Ahh…gods, that feels so good.”
Mateo’s eyes fluttered shut, and he sucked harder. Pleasure unlike anything he’d ever known with Remi rushed through his blood, arousing him to a point of near agony. Mateo reached down and took his own cock in his free hand, but at the feel of Tiaki’s hands on his bare shoulders, he froze. Slowly Mateo raised his eyes to find Tiaki watching him. Warmth radiated from the strong yet slightly rough hands caressing his skin. Mateo wasn’t surprised when his magic reached for Tiaki.
Which meant it could only be one thing seeping into his flesh. Tiaki’s magic.
“Don’t you dare!” Tiaki whispered, his eyes the color of burnished gold. “This time, you’re mine.”
Before Tiaki could force him to release the tight suction of his mouth, Mateo began to stroke and suck until Tiaki arched his back as his orgasm continued to build as though he hadn’t stopped at all. All coherent thought of what Tiaki had meant by his statement fled Mateo’s mind. All that mattered was tasting Tiaki’s cum on his tongue, feeling the heat of it as it hit the back of his throat.
Tiaki’s balls drew up tight against his hands as Mateo fondled the length of his shaft. Mateo felt his own cock growing tight at the knowledge he affected Tiaki so much. Mateo felt the first pulse of Tiaki’s orgasm in his own cock. They built in intensity until Tiaki spurted his hot cum in Mateo’s mouth.
Untamed Hawaiian Heat (Rift Hunters) Page 14
