by Kate Pearce
He leaned close to the screen. “Father. You’ll see this video, I’m guessing in the next few years. If I don’t find you, find my girl. She’ll probably be with a smuggler named Clark Hall, Leila’s former husband. If I can’t pull it off, save my daughter. I’d get Dax to back me up, but I have no idea where he is. So I leave it in your hands. Find her and take her home to Delroi, Father.”
He didn’t bother with a farewell. The vid just went black. Jolie stood there, feeling bereft. Everything had been taken from her. Her parents. Her childhood. Her home world. She yanked out of Stone’s arms and paced away. She couldn’t bear to have anyone near while she processed everything. She did the one thing she hadn’t in years. She started to cry. Crying had never got her anywhere. She’d given up on in ages ago. But she found now that she couldn’t stop the tears from streaking silently down her face. She turned back to face them.
“Is there a chance, do you think? That he’s still alive somewhere on Earth?”
Her grandfather shook his head. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. He would never have stopped looking for you and once the Delroi were on planet he would have come forward and got help.”
She knew that. She did. But damn, she wanted a different outcome. She wanted what she couldn’t have. He hugged her and her tears turned to sobs. She just couldn’t help herself. He held her tight and she pretended it was her father’s arms around her. That wasn’t fair to any of them and she knew it, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. Finally she calmed down and pulled away, embarrassed. She met Ana’s gaze.
“I need a minute. Someplace to wash my face maybe?”
The other woman nodded and held out her hand. “Of course. This way.”
She followed her into a spacious bathroom. Jolie was still surprised to see this kind of thing on a spaceship. The technology was incredible. Still it worked the old fashioned way. She turned the knobs on the sink and leaned over to splash water on her face a couple times. When she straightened she met Ana’s eyes in the mirror.
“Are you all right?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Was your life so bad?” she asked hesitantly.
She wasn’t sure how to answer but she didn’t want to flat out lie. She shrugged. “Some of it was good. No one has a perfect life.”
“We protect our daughters on Delroi,” she said disapprovingly.
“There are men on Earth who do the same. They aren’t all bad.”
She knew plenty of good men. Her father just wasn’t one of them. She was relieved to finally know for sure he wasn’t her father. She was glad to share no DNA with that man.
“Perhaps,” Ana said with a fierce smile. “But you’re ours and our protection is a bit more complete.”
Something about that statement made her angry. She shook her head. “No. If I’m anyone’s it’s Stone’s. He’s mine as much as I’m his. We fit together. I never thought I’d meet someone like him.”
She couldn’t explain why it felt so right and didn’t feel the need to justify her choices to someone she didn’t know, relative or not. Ana met her gaze a long moment then smiled. “So you do have a bit of the Davich temper.”
She hadn’t exhibited much of one before but these aliens were bringing out all kinds of new things in her, weren’t they? She shrugged one shoulder. “I suppose I do. Wouldn’t be such a bad thing, would it?”
“No it wouldn’t. We should rejoin the men,” Ana said dryly. “Knowing your grandfather he’s taken a swipe or two at Stone for daring to claim you.”
Jolie studied her grandmother a moment, trying to decide if that was supposed to amuse her or alarm her. She couldn’t decide so she hurried back into the main room. They were glaring at each other but she figured it was a good sign she saw no blood. She slipped under Stone’s arm easily, naturally. Like she’d been doing it for years.
“Gypsy said Jolie has a block on her mind. On her telepathy,” he said to Ana. “Can you remove it?”
“The der’lan bond would break it.”
“I heard that word before. What is it?”
“The Delroi call their mates der’lan. It means mate of my heart,” Stone said.
She wondered if that was why he called her darlin’. They sounded similar and if the sentiment was the same, why not? She liked it, though she wasn’t ready to fully embrace that bond yet.
“Is there another way?” she asked.
Ana nodded, but she looked reluctant. “I could remove the block, but it’s been there since you were an infant. I imagine your mother put it on you when she thought she was going to die. So you have no shields under it. You need to learn that first.”
Stone looked at Ana, who looked as worried as Jolie was. “Would the mate bond protect her or leave her exposed?”
Ana blew out a breath. “I can’t see how it would. If you were a telepath you could shield her, but you aren’t. You’ll have to learn to do it for yourself, Briar.”
“What do I do?” she asked.
Ana gestured and they moved to the couch. It was damned strange to hear herself called another name. She felt like she was being reinvented. It was too much. She needed time to regroup. Time to process. Time she didn’t have. Somehow Stone knew. He stayed close.
“People build their shields different ways. Most imagine layers of walls wrapping around their power. Sometimes you’ll want to use varying depths of it without leaving yourself completely exposed. Do you understand?”
It seemed logical enough.
“Practice for a couple days before removing the block. That means you need to wait to complete the bond,” Ana said regretfully. Talon made a disapproving sound but didn’t say anything.
“We’d already decided to wait until we know each other better,” Stone reassured her softly.
Ana nodded her approval. After a few minutes of more casual conversation, Jolie pleaded fatigue and they left. She could tell the older couple was disappointed she left so soon and was grateful they didn’t voice it. They could have guilt tripped her into staying longer. She doubted Stone would have allowed it, but they could have tried. When they entered his apartment she exhaled harshly, releasing the anxiety she hadn’t been aware she was holding in. She felt brittle. Like she could break into a million pieces with the slightest shove.
*
Stone didn’t know how to help her through all the revelations being thrown at her so he took her in his arms. He’d never felt so helpless. Not that she’d voiced any complaints. Other than her brief cry with her grandparents she seemed remarkably calm and accepting. He knew that couldn’t last. She let him hold her a few minutes then pulled away and began to pace.
“Talk to me, baby.”
She huffed a laugh. “Where the hell should I start?”
He shrugged. “With whatever is bothering you most.”
She stopped and for a moment she looked stricken. “He killed my parents. Why? Why keep me? For my skills? Remorse? He sure as hell never wanted me.”
“Telepathy would be a valuable commodity to a smuggler. He knew your mother was a telepath, so there was a chance you would be too. Killing them was probably a combination of jealousy and revenge.”
“Yeah. I get that. It makes sense. I just can’t believe he lied to me my whole life. Well, I can and somehow that’s worse. What’s going to happen to him? I have friends in that compound, Stone.”
“Clark has probably been arrested by the Delroi by now. Kidnapping one of our females is an unforgiveable offense.”
She snorted. “That’s worse than murder, huh?”
“Worse than the killing of a warrior, yes. One of their women, no.”
“Strange culture,” she muttered.
He cocked an eyebrow. “You have that backwards, baby. My people and the Delroi are similar in many ways. We’re all very protective of our women and children. Earthling men could learn a thing or two from us.”
She sat on the couch and gave him a wan smile. “You might be right.” She paused. “Tell me mor
e about this mate business.”
He sat next to her and pulled her into his lap. She fit perfectly. “It’s not business,” he teased. “It’s very, very personal.”
He was glad he hadn’t given into instinct early and said the prayer despite her wishes. The thought of his actions leaving her mind exposed to pain sickened him.
“You need to work on those shields,” he said seriously.
She arched an eyebrow. “You said you’d wait a couple of days.”
He clenched his teeth. Even now, knowing the danger, the instinct to bind them together rode him hard. She tensed, obviously sensing something wrong, and he tightened his arms before she could rise.
“Okay. Spill it.”
She sounded resigned. Disappointed maybe. He pressed a kiss against her throat, struggled for a way to explain.
“The urge to create the bond is very strong, baby. The instinct is ingrained. It’s in our DNA. It’s stronger now that I’ve tasted you, been inside you. It’ll keep getting stronger,” he admitted.
And it was damned hard to fight. He’d always heard it would be, but a few hours ago he’d been arrogant enough to think he could control it. The best thing might be to leave her with Blade and Ana until she got the shielding down, but everything in him protested doing so.
His cock was hard and aching. Every time she rubbed her sweet ass over him he had a new fantasy of how he’d take her the next time. Which was going to be pretty fucking soon. Riding him right where they sat was sounding like a damned fine idea. He shifted her so she straddled him and toyed with the edge of her shirt.
“If I understand you right, we’re playing with fire.”
His fingers slid under top, spread over her abdomen. Her breath hitched. When she met his gaze it wasn’t with protest.
“So being mates is basically an irresistible craving for sex,” she said matter-of-factly, but he also heard disappointment. And he hated hearing her equate them to a purely physical relationship. Fuck no. That wasn’t what he wanted from her. With her.
“It’s so much more, baby. Mates are connected heart and soul. Mates are partners as well as lovers.”
He pushed her shirt up over her breasts and unsnapped the clasp on her bra. It wasn’t enough. He needed her completely available to his hands and mouth.
“Take off your top,” he ordered.
She obeyed with a smile that managed to be both sultry and hesitant. He stroked a finger over her bra before peeling it off.
“I like you in satin and lace but not here. Not when we’re alone.”
She looked a little scandalized. He decided he liked that expression. What else would put it on her face? “You’re telling me I can’t wear a bra and panties?”
“You can when we leave the apartment.” He cupped her breasts, loving the way her breath hitched and she blushed. “Here, you’re all mine and I want total access.”
Her nipples hardened against his palms. She liked his dominance, thank the gods. He wasn’t sure he could hold it in check if she didn’t. He wondered how well she would obey him. He took her hands and moved them to the small of back.
“Don’t move them, baby,” he warned. “I’ll have to punish you if you do.”
Her eyes widened, but he saw trepidation not real fear. “How?” she whispered.
He schooled his expression to one of calm, not the excitement, the anticipation he felt. He moved his hands to her ass and tapped one rounded tempting cheek.
“I’d probably turn you over me knee. You aren’t ready for anything else though I can’t wait to see how you handle a flogger. What do you think, baby? Do you think you’d like that?”
He didn’t look at her face while he waited for her answer. He was too busy opening her pants and shifting her to shove them down. It only took seconds to work his fingers through her wet folds. He slicked his thumb over her clit and stared up at her. She trembled, but she followed his earlier instruction and didn’t move her hands. Gods, his woman was scorching. Incredible.
“You honor me with your trust, baby,” he whispered.
And then she pushed that trust into absolute acceptance. She moved her hands to his shoulders. He held her gaze for a couple of seconds. Felt her mind touch his. In invitation. She wanted to know how it would feel. Knew she’d like at least a little pain. He gripped her chin.
“You tell me the minute it’s too much.”
She nodded. “I’ll tell you to stop.”
He scowled. “No, Jolie. Sometimes we say stop or no when we don’t really mean it. Red means stop on your world right?”
“Yes.”
“Red it is then.”
He set his hands on her hips and stood her up, waving his hand at the pants that hung on her thighs.
“Take them off,” he demanded.
He watching carefully as she did. Her skin was flushed, her eyes almost feverish. He could see her juices slipping down the inside of her thighs and her nipples were hard points he wanted to bite. Later they’d figure out if it was the idea of pain or punishment that turned her on so much. When she stood naked, waiting for instructions, he beckoned to her with one finger. She stepped between his thighs and he gripped her hips, flipping her so she lay across his legs.
“Hands on the floor, Jolie.”
He rubbed one hand over her ass and moved the other between her thighs, thrusting two fingers into her pussy. Gasping at the sudden intrusion, she squeezed her legs together. He grinned, glad she couldn’t see his face. He brought his hand down on one cheek.
“Spread, baby. I want your legs nice and wide.” He thrust a third finger inside her when she complied, wringing a groan from her but she didn’t move.
“Good girl,” he murmured. “You’re mine. Your body is mine.”
He moved his fingers inside her. Slow and easy. She moaned.
“Stone,” she complained.
He slapped the other cheek. “You take what I give you when I give it, Jolie. If you want to stop you know what to say.”
She shook head. “No. Please don’t stop.”
Sweet words from his innocent mate. He had to give her what she wanted, didn’t he? The first two taps had been exploratory, to gauge her reaction. The next few were the punishing slaps he’d promised her. And she responded so beautifully. As he turned her ass red with the palm of his hand, her pussy grew wetter and slicker against his thrusting fingers. He felt the small convulsions begin in her channel but he wasn’t ready for her to come yet. Not until he could see her face. He wrapped her hair up in his hand and titled his head so he could watch her face.
“You want to come, darlin’?”
“Yes,” she hissed. “Please, Stone.”
5
His fingers thrust faster and harder. Rough. She came screaming his name and it was perfection. He didn’t wait for her to recover, which was fine with her. She didn’t ever want to come down from this high. He picked her up and maneuvered her onto her knees on the edge of the couch, leaning forward over the back. Then coming up behind her, he thrust into her convulsing pussy and the orgasm started all over again.
Every time she thought it was over he touched her—her nipples, her clit---and the pleasure built all over again. It was the most delicious torture. And she thought she understood when he said being mates wasn’t just about sex. This was so much more. She couldn’t feel this ecstasy with some random stranger or even a long term friend. He touched a place deep inside her she’d never known existed.
He moved faster, hips pistoning so rapidly she couldn’t keep up and had to cling to the back of the couch for support. He brushed her clitoris with his thumb. Circled it then pinched it between two fingers. Pain mingled with bliss and flared through her body. She needed more.
“Stone,” she groaned a complaint when his punishing pace slowed.
“Not yet. I want you as mindless with need as I am,” he grunted.
“I already am.”
It was a promise and a denial in one. She could sense his intent t
o keep her coming over and over until rapture bound her to him. The notion that it could get better scared the hell out of her. He meant to fuck her as long as he could hold out. Until he owned every part of her. He pulled out abruptly and whirled her around. His eyes were dark and angry.
“This is not me fucking you, mate, believe me you’d know the difference.”
“I don’t have the experience to know the difference,” she whispered, blurting out the first thing that came to mind. It might be sharing too much of herself, but she couldn’t help it. She wanted him back inside her. He picked her up, hands urging her to wrap her legs around his waist. He pushed inside her again. Steady. Unhurried. Not at all what she wanted.
“You know the difference,” he growled. “You were just thinking it. If I meant to just fuck you, I’d leave you exhausted from pleasure true. But I want more than that. I want all of you. This is a claiming.”
And oh, she felt claimed. Felt him branding himself on her soul. She sensed he wanted her heart too. She wondered what he would say to hear he was already halfway there? Nothing that life changing should happen so soon, so easily. Before fear could take root he took a few steps to press her back against the wall. Then he moved. So fast she couldn’t keep up. Rough enough to make her heart soar. Replacing her mounting panic with something else entirely.
“Come for me again, baby, and know the difference.”
She couldn’t ignore the harsh order if she tried. Her body responded to his every touch, his every word. This time the bliss was so intense she shook and her vision dimmed. Maybe she just closed her eyes. She was aware of being carried. When she opened them again it was to stare into the eyes of the alien who claimed her so thoroughly. She was on the couch and he came to lay down over her. He was heavy but careful to keep from crushing her. He brushed the hair off her face.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes.” She started to nod then shook her head. “I’m overwhelmed, but I’ll be fine.”
She could feel him against her belly, hard again. She gasped when he rolled his hips. The motion was all it took to reignite her arousal.
