Aria's Ascension (Taken Book 2)

by Stacy Jones

  Shockingly fast, Tirox had her off her feet and held against his chest. He bent to nuzzle her neck and snaked a hand between her legs, circling her clit once, twice, before pushing a thick finger inside her.

  Sliding his mouth up to her ear, he whispered, “Are you certain I cannot coax you back to the nest, my heart? I have not emptied myself quite yet.”

  To prove it, he lowered her so he could slide his newly hard cock between her legs, making sure the second one brushed over her clit. Aria shuddered and moaned.

  Speaking around a gasp, she faltered, “We really should… go… ”

  He nipped her earlobe and rocked her teasingly over his shaft.

  Oh, god. Fuck it. Ten more minutes won't hurt.

  “Make it quick,” she urged on a gasp and wrapped her legs around his waist.

  “Thank the gods,” he mumbled under his breath.

  With one hard thrust, he impaled her, burying his cock to the hilt, then quickly reached between them to affix the smaller one to her swollen bundle of nerves. He turned so she could brace her hands above her head then hooked his arms under her knees and held her there, her legs splayed wide, so they could both see the thick, dark red length of his cock stretching her open.

  His hungry, swirling gaze crawled up her body until he met her eyes. He held her stare with his as he pulled back slowly, letting her feel every ridge on his shaft. When just the head remained inside her, he slammed his hips forward, making her cry out and her breasts bounce.

  Again and again he pounded into her, his thrusts hard, fast, and deliciously rough. She hadn’t thought she’d be able to come again so quickly, but within a handful of minutes and almost no warning, an orgasm struck.

  Aria choked on a scream and threw her head back as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over her.

  “Gods, yes. Clench for me, rwy’n la,” Tirox hissed.

  Forcing her eyes open, wanting to see his pleasure, she watched as he roared behind gritted teeth and his golden eyes flashed white. His rhythm faltered, changing to short, deep thrusts as she felt the first hard jet of his cum inside her. Over and over he pumped her full until she felt it overflow and drip down to make a puddle on the floor.

  When it passed, he pulled her against his chest with a groan and burrowed his face into her hair.

  “Moons above, how I adore you,” he growled breathlessly then pulled back slightly so he could kiss her.

  Aria smiled against his lips and whispered back, “I love you, too, you insatiable barbarian.”

  He jerked back and gave her comically wide eyes. “Me? Ha! You! Enticing me to madness until I have no choice but to mount you again and again. You have wrung me dry, you ravenous female!”

  Aria broke out into a fit of laughter.

  “Let me down, crazy man,” she giggled.

  “Mmmmm… ” He narrowed his eyes contemplatively then let out a defeated sigh and shook his head. “No. No, you are right, as always, my beauty. Perhaps just once more,” he purred, grinning widely as he slid her up and down his still hard cock. “I find I am not wrung dry after all.”

  Shaking her head, she cocked a brow and crossed her arms, but she was chuckling. She was also struggling not to show how good the movement felt, or he’d definitely talk her into another round.

  When she didn’t give in, he gave her a feigned look of dejection, lifted her off his cock, and set her on her feet. The second she touched the ground, her knees tried to buckle, and she had to brace a hand against the wall to keep from falling. She wanted to melt into a puddle on the floor and try to remember what it felt like to not be zinging with lingering orgasms, but if she did, they won, and she was too stubborn for that.

  Before she could turn to continue up the tunnel, she felt the warmth of his cum snake down her thigh. Brow cocked, she tipped her head back and gave him a look.

  “You did that on purpose.”

  He grinned.

  Wobbling slightly, she wove a drunken path back to the river, quickly washed off, then wobbled her way back to the tunnel.

  “Now, let’s go.”

  Tirox growled resignedly, but Kix got an all too recognizable wicked look on his face and took a step in her direction. Eyes widening, she lunged to the side and darted around him then sprinted up the tunnel. She heard him take off after her and put on a burst of speed, choking back her giggles, but she wasn’t fast enough.

  He caught her right before she made it to the main shaft, wrapping his arms around her middle and lifting her off her feet.

  Bringing her back against his chest, he hissed playfully into her ear, “Slippery female. You win this round, but next time you run from me, I am going to mount you when I catch you.”

  Breath hitching, she twisted around and kissed him then whispered against his lips, “Deal.”

  Chapter 31

  After what had to be close to four hours of traipsing through countless tunnels, following what Tirox called false scent trails, they finally found one of the prisoners.

  Aria didn’t know exactly what she was expecting, maybe a hideous being gnawing on bones in some dark cave, but that wasn’t at all what they found.

  The man standing before them was, without doubt, dangerous, and she could tell he would be a formidable opponent just from the way he carried himself, but he was surprisingly… friendly.

  Most importantly, he was awake. She could see the unmistakable shine of awareness in his vibrant, emerald-green eyes.

  Her second impression after realizing he was awake, was that he kind of resembled Skaa.

  Their patterns were different, but they both had velvety looking skin, four arms, a tail, and their features were similar. Where Skaa was white with black markings that reminded her of tree branches, this guy was a slate grey with blocky, black markings that reminded her of… rocks.

  Starting on his hands and feet, they gradually diminished as they rose up his arms and legs, fading into slate grey as they reached his shoulders and hips. The closest thing Aria could think to compare it to was the pattern on a giraffe, but this was far more irregular, jagged. If the stone here had been a different color, she was sure he would all but disappear if he stood against the wall or tucked himself next to a boulder.

  He was also big. Skaa was tall and muscular, but she had a lithe build. This guy was tall and burly and looked like he could turn a rock into a gravel with one squeeze of his big hands.

  Realizing they’d been standing there staring at each other in silence for a couple minutes, Aria cleared her throat. In an attempt to break some of the tension and make this feel less like a standoff, she gave him a friendly, closed lip smile.

  “Hello. My name is Aria. These are my mates, Kix and Tirox,” she introduced, waving to each of her men in turn. “What is your name?”

  Tirox grunted, whether in greeting, disapproval of her giving their names, or approval at her asking his name, she couldn’t quite tell but suspected the latter. He had a strange fixation on names, though she didn’t really understand why.

  Something to ask him about later.

  The guy remained silent, his eyes narrowed as he continued assessing them, but he didn’t make any threatening moves. Frowning, she tried to read his body language to get an idea of what he might be thinking, but he was blank.

  As rude as it was to talk about him like he wasn’t there, she needed to know what he was thinking. If this calm silence of his was a ploy to get them to stay there while someone crept up to attack them from behind, she needed to know.

  Speaking in shorthand, she muttered questioningly, “Beads?”

  “Silent.”

  That was reassuring, but she needed more.

  “Kix?” she whispered from the corner of her mouth.

  “He is… difficult to read,” he answered promptly, knowing what she was asking.

  “Yeah, I got that, too.”

  “Fascinating,” he breathed, cocking his head to the side. She could tell he wasn’t talking to her and figured he must be reacting
to something he’d found in the guy’s head. “His mind is layered, unlike your friend Skaa’s.”

  So, he’d noticed the similarities between them as well.

  “It feels as though he has some kind of natural barrier keeping me from sensing his thoughts.”

  Her eyebrows went up in surprise. Glancing back at the guy speculatively, she mused, “I wonder if that’s why he’s down here. Maybe the suppression didn’t take.”

  “Mmm. His emotions are easier. I sense no hostility from him. He has no fear of us. He is curious, lonely, yet understandably wary. I feel an acute yearning for… hmm, it is not companionship, exactly,” he trailed off, but Aria understood.

  “He wants a tribe. Another similarity between him and Skaa. I think they’re from the same world. Maybe a different race, but definitely the same species.”

  “Tribe?”

  Aria startled slightly at hearing him speak. His voice was deep, gravelly, and perfectly matched his appearance.

  “Yes. I’m looking for people who are aware to help me. We need to stop what’s happening here. The slavery, the fights, the killing, all of it. Would you be interested in joining us?”

  She felt like a missionary, but instead of trying to convert people, she was spreading the word of rebellion and dissent. All they lacked were flyers.

  Do you want freedom? Tired of being a slave? Hate Zhrovni? Join us!

  Aria held her breath while he stared at her, hard, for a long couple of seconds then leaned to the side to look behind them.

  Straightening, he gave her a cynical look. “You lack a horde. You will fail your mission.”

  Pessimist.

  “Which is why we’re looking for people to join us,” she pointed out wryly.

  Another moment of silence. Finally, he nodded once, startling her with how readily he agreed. She’d thought it would be a hell of a lot harder to convince him to fight with them, especially after his stoic greeting.

  “I will join your horde, but that is all. You do not inspire the Knowing. I will not join your shkull. ‘Harem.’”

  Her men went tense beside her, but Aria had to fight to hold in a surprised laugh at his blunt proclamation.

  Oh my god, I cannot wait to introduce him to Skaa. They’re either going to fall madly in love or absolutely hate each other.

  “That’s totally fine,” she assured shakily. “I’m not looking to add anyone else to my… shh-kull. Promise.”

  “Then I vow my strength to your mission.”

  “Good. Awesome. Let’s sit, shall we? I’ve got some questions for you.”

  Chapter 32

  At Sauren’s nod of agreement, Tirox split off to turn on the tiny patch of mushrooms present in the small cave, Kix dimmed himself to a more subdued glow, and they all perched on a circle of rocks near the back wall.

  “Let’s start with your name,” Aria prompted.

  “Sauran, warrior of the Nktari tribe.”

  “It’s good to meet you, Sauran,” she replied sincerely. “Do you know how long you’ve been here?”

  “Many seasons, though I cannot say how many.”

  “How much of that time have you been aware of what’s happening? And how much has been spent down here?”

  He eyed her like he didn’t understand. “I am a warrior. We must be aware at all times lest our distraction endanger the tribe.”

  “Right. Okay. Uhh, how to word this. Do you remember waking up in the… fuck, what did Skaa call it?”

  Tirox cut in, “Do you have memory of waking in the fighting lands above?”

  Understanding dawned on Sauran’s rugged face. “Ah. Yes. I felt like I was drunk on njeri sap. My mind was hazy, full of strange images. Then I heard a sound. It cleared my mind, and I found myself in the Changing Land above with many strange beings. They attacked, so I fought them, but they did not respond to my words. They were drunk as well, but the sound did not sober them as it did me. It drove them to madness. It was… shameful. Many died, senselessly.”

  “There is no honor to be had in killing for others’ amusement,” Tirox rumbled in agreement. “But, you must release yourself of that shame. It is not yours to carry, friend, nor is the burden of those deaths.”

  Aria was only half listening, still trying to decipher what he’d said.

  A sound woke him up. Does he mean… Holy fuck. The octoflies call didn’t work…

  “That’s… incredible!”

  Sauran and Tirox both looked appalled at her excitement so she quickly corrected, “No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean the fighting. That’s horrible. I meant that the octoflies call doesn’t work on you. For us, and everyone else I’ve come across, it enhances our aggression, makes us need to fight anyone near us. But it sounds like it broke the suppression on your mind, which barely took to begin with.”

  Aria paused, thinking through what that might mean. If nothing else, it meant he’d just become the most reliable person there. It also meant he probably knew more about this place than anyone else she was going to find, possibly even the dragon.

  She had the impression he came from a primitive society, so the chances he’d recognize or be able to describe the technology he’d seen was probably slim, but she had Tirox. He and Sauran seemed to understand each other. He might be able to help translate.

  Focusing back on Sauran, she leaned forward and propped her elbows on her knees. “This is going to be a tough question, and I’m sorry to ask, but do you remember being taken? Back on your homeworld?”

  Anger, sadness, and regret flashed across his face in rapid succession, and his bright green eyes darkened, but he nodded.

  Aria waited, but when he didn’t elaborate she bit back a sigh. She hated pushing him to answer obviously painful questions, but she had to know.

  “Will you tell me what you remember?”

  “This will aid you in our mission?”

  “It might, yes.”

  “Very well,” he murmured, solemnly. “It was the end of the Drowning Season… ”

  Four people went missing from his tribe without a trace. He and two other males had been tasked with finding them. In the course of that search, they came across another small party from a different tribe with the same story.

  From what she understood, their people usually only intermingled if they found mates from a different tribe during some kind of quest, but Sauran made the decision to bring those males back to his leader.

  That decision was the beginning of something huge.

  After a lot of back and forth with his leader, it was finally decided that they would send messengers to all the tribes they knew of and see if they, too, had lost people.

  They found that many had. Some only lost one, but others were missing as many as half a dozen. And no one saw them disappear or knew where they went.

  Upon learning that, for the first time in memory, a gathering of all nearby tribes was called.

  Aria was more than a little taken aback at his entire species’ apparent disinclination to explore the world outside of their individual territories unless it was to find someone to breed with. Even then, it didn’t sound like they ventured very far. Hell, for centuries, humans had sought out new, unexplored places just for the sake of saying they were the first ones to find it. But, what did she know? It seemed weird to her, but maybe it wasn’t at all strange for people still early in their development to stay close to the area they knew. It didn’t sound like they really lacked for resources, so maybe they just didn’t have a reason to wander until people started disappearing.

  At the gathering, after finding out how widespread the problem was, Sauran said most of the leaders’ first instincts were to return to their territories and hide, but one disagreed.

  That woman, leader of one of the wetland tribes, argued that they needed to band together and find somewhere in which they could all live, safe from the Rreshek. Ghosts.

  Sauran said it took a hell of a lot of convincing, but she finally got all the leaders to agree. Messenger
s and scouts were sent in every direction, some to spread the word to the various tribes and lead them back to where they were gathered, some searching for a safe place to live, and many more to look for their lost people.

  Sauran was one of the people sent to find a new place to live. And then he, too, was taken.

  He talked about waking up in a box with see through walls, surrounded by other boxes, some holding his people but most full of beings and animals the likes of which he’d never seen. After being trapped there for a while, he woke again in what she thought was some kind of black market slave auction, from his description.

  He remembered seeing a ‘hideous, green being with four eyes and a hard mouth.’

  “Zhrovni,” she muttered.

  The next thing he recalled was waking up in the arena.

  “I was in two such battles, but only fought in the first. I chose to withdraw from the second and headed for the mountains. They were the wrong color, so I knew they were not of Shakti, but they were familiar enough. I thought I might find my people there, the ones that had been taken.” His jaw clenched and his gaze went hard. “The hideous one put me down here before I could finish my search.”

  “Wow,” Aria breathed, at a loss for words. “That’s… damn.”

  She felt like she’d just seen a glimpse of an entirely new world and had a moment of truly understanding how big the universe was.

  The realization that it was full of planets, populated with people with lives as vivid and complex as her own, made her own life feel shockingly inconsequential, but it also left her with the intense desire to see those places for herself, to visit those people, to speak with them, to understand their world, if only a little. Because, as strange as she found some of Sauran’s customs, she understood his motivations and those of his people, identified with them.

  It was a singular feeling to be both astounded by someone’s alienness and, yet, to realize that, on the most fundamental level, you were alike.

  The universe was big, yes, but people were, at their core, the same, regardless of species.