A heartfelt groan emerged. God, with Cimmaron he should never think or assume. She was so strong and independent. “Gone where?”
“She didn’t say. I thought she would have told you since you work together.”
“We’re mates,” Tamaki said bluntly. “I didn’t plan for it. The mating happened by mistake, but I can’t be sorry. It’s easy to love and admire the stubborn female. Damn, what the hell am I going to do?”
“If you love her and want to remain sane, go after her.”
“I don’t understand. The mating bonds are tight. She shouldn’t have been able to leave.”
Lissa handed him a goblet of ruby red cranfruit wine. Tamaki’s hands curled around the warm goblet as he puzzled over Cimmaron’s leaving. Hell, she must really hate him. The thought was sobering. A mate who hated him so much she’d left rather than face him again.
“That’s what I’d heard, but possibly it’s something to do with her Dlog genes?” Lissa sipped from the steaming goblet. “The two of you are a good match. Go after her. Talk to her. Have you told her how you feel about her?”
“No.”
Lissa rolled her eyes. “I thought you were more sensible than most males. You know she wants to fly more than anything. Stopping her flying would be like clipping a Tacon dragon’s wings.”
“Yeah, I know.” Tamaki scowled, a pang of regret lancing through him. He loved Cimmaron, but he’d known all along that this wasn’t what she’d wanted. Now he’d driven her away. “That’s what I wanted to talk to her about.” Tamaki prowled about the room, pausing to pick up a delicate blue urn before setting it back down.
A thump on Lissa’s door stopped him mid-step.
“Carry on,” Lissa said with another eye roll. “Don’t let me stop you. I’ll get the door.” She glided across the room and disappeared into the passage beyond.
The soft murmur of voices reached him as he trod another circuit of Lissa’s room. In the distance, a door thudded and footsteps approached.
“You have a visitor.” Lissa stood aside for someone else to enter the room.
Tamaki froze. “Cimmaron.”
“I’ll leave the two of you alone,” Lissa said, withdrawing and shutting the door before Tamaki had a chance to reply.
He took two steps toward Cimmaron before stopping. Space. She needed time to accept him and their new situation. He opened his mouth to speak then closed it, frightened he’d spook her.
She stood poised just inside the doorway, as if she might bolt. “I tried to leave, to get a job on one of the ships flying out. I wanted to leave, but I couldn’t damn well stop thinking about you.” Her golden eyes flashed with temper, and she stepped closer, jabbing him in the middle of his chest with her forefinger. “What have you done to me? Why can’t I get you out of my head?” Her breasts heaved with indignation beneath her brown tunic. “Why?”
Tamaki’s heartbeat stuttered on seeing her pain, hearing it in her voice. He loved her. Wasn’t that worth something? He hadn’t told her. Telling her might help. Another realization crept into his mind. The pain in his chest had faded the microt she’d stepped into the room. A part of him wanted to smile even though so much rode on how he presented his case to her. Right now it was difficult. All he wanted to do was touch her and physically demonstrate his love and desire. He drew in a sharp breath, knowing he needed to wait, that patience would be worth the effort.
A ripple of nerves closed his throat. Tamaki coughed and swallowed, trying to dislodge the tension. “Cimmaron, I didn’t mean for this to happen.” But he wasn’t sorry either. Not the time to admit his lack of regret.
“But you didn’t stop it.” Tears coated her voice and her golden eyes looked suspiciously damp.
“I’m an innocent victim too. Do you think I planned on this? I could lose my job for breaking the fraternization rule.”
A stricken expression crossed her face. She blinked rapidly. “All I ever wanted to do was fly ships. When I was an underling, I used to watch the dragons glide on the airwaves. I wanted to do the same thing. Fly and explore space.”
His mate’s misery brought another lump to his throat. Aching to comfort her, he stepped closer and drew her tense body into his arms. For an instant, she remained stiff, then a wispy sigh sounded and she relaxed against his chest. She trembled, but it felt so right to have her in his arms.
Perfect.
His hands tightened on her shoulders. Then his body reacted to her proximity. His cock pulled tight. Not now. Wrong time. Wrong place. He pulled up cold images inside his mind, but it was difficult to remain impassive when the warmth of his mate filled his arms.
Yet again, he cleared his throat. “You can still fly, Cimmaron.” Dammit, his plan had to work. He held his breath waiting for her reaction.
She yanked away from him, aware she’d succumbed to the magical power he seemed to hold over her again. And the blasted aches and pains that had assailed her at the spaceport had all disappeared. The only ache she experienced now was a sexual one. Her folds were moist and tender, her body desperate for his possession. She shifted from foot to foot, the brown tunic heavy and burdensome on her sensitive skin.
She summoned up a glare. “How? Tell me how I can fly when I’m trapped on this forsaken planet with you? The captain of the Intrepid has probably filed his AWOL report by now. I’m doomed to stay, chained to your side.” Bitterness coated her voice even though logically she knew Tamaki wasn’t entirely to blame for this situation. She hadn’t exactly resisted him at the end. As he’d pointed out, he was a victim too. She paused, trying to think. Yet no matter which way she turned the situation, she couldn’t see a solution.
Stranded.
Mated.
Trapped.
She sniffed, trying to regain control of her frazzled thoughts. “I tried to leave but I couldn’t. My body shut down. The pain in my chest became so bad I couldn’t stand on my own. Because of you.”
“I know.” Caring laced his words.
Cimmaron snapped her eyes closed on hearing his sympathetic tone. Why couldn’t he yell so she could shout back? A suspicious moistness built behind her closed lids. The truth—he really did know. The funny thing was that if she’d been looking for a mate, she would have loved to find Tamaki. He was a good male. Strong. Handsome. Demanding yet fair. The customers liked him, which was why the club was becoming so successful.
He was a male worthy of love. Cimmaron’s mind repeated the thought and stuttered over the concept. Was that the new emotion closing up her throat and pulsing through her veins? This burning in her heart? The need to throw herself at him and never leave his side? Was this love? A tinge of fear snapped at her. Phrull.
Stranded.
A tear leaked past her closed lids and she scrubbed it away with the back of her hand.
“I’ve transmitted a report to my head office.” Tamaki closed the gap between them and stroked his fingers across her cheek.
Cimmaron shivered and bit her lip to stop a purr of contentment erupting. Kissing would feel so much better. He coughed, and she realized she’d drifted into daydreams again. She couldn’t seem to concentrate on anything but Tamaki.
“Did you hear me?”
“Yeah, a report. But what about the fraternization rules Rico was spewing about?”
“I decided honesty was best. I told them everything. About the sabotage. About our mating.”
Alarm made her heart pump. She cared about Tamaki. He loved his job just as much as she adored flying. “What…what happened?” They couldn’t both lose the things they loved.
“Rico takes over management of the club.”
“They’re firing you! But you built that club up from nothing. Rico said your club is the top earner in this part of the universe.” Cimmaron grabbed his shoulders and shook him vigorously. “You can’t let them do this. You must fight them!”
“And I take over the management of the club on Vegamont.”
“Fight this!” She paused and frowned. “Ve
gamont? Did you say Vegamont?”
“Yep.” A tiny smile played around his lips.
Cimmaron sighed, a pang of acute envy piercing her heart. “You’re so lucky. That’s the home base for Vegamont Shipping. And the training school for pilots is there. I’d give anything to move to Vegamont and undertake advanced pilot training.”
The tiny smile bloomed to a full out grin. “You’re my mate. I thought you’d come with me.”
“With you? You’d really take me with you to Vegamont?” A blip of excitement struck her as she searched his face for truth. His expression displayed not a shred of deception. Tamaki meant it. He really meant it. “You would?”
“Of course I would. You’re my mate. You know those pains you had in the chest?”
Cimmaron nodded, unable to squeeze words past the lump of emotion twisting her gut.
“I had chest pains as well, although they didn’t sound as acute as the ones you experienced.” Tamaki frowned. “Maybe it’s something to do with your Dlog genes.”
“The pills aren’t working as well as they should either. Ever since I…we…had sex.”
“Made love, my mate. Made love.” Tamaki cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. Their lips clung together, their breath mingling as they tasted each other. His hands slipped beneath the hem of her brown tunic and slid upward until he cupped her breasts. His thumbs rubbed back and forward over her nipples, and a series of pleasant shockwaves traveled straight to her clit. She purred, a rumbling sound deep in her throat, and her skin took on the familiar sparkle of arousal.
Slowly, Tamaki pulled back. He stared down at her, his blue eyes full of emotion. “You’re my mate. We haven’t known each other for long, but I love you. Where I go, you go.” His fingers played across her breasts until she shuddered helplessly.
“Lo…love.” Phrull, she couldn’t seem to string her words together. He grasped her nipple and twisted. “Phrull.”
“Yeah, scary, huh?” Tamaki gave her nipple a final tweak before removing his hands from beneath her tunic.
“I…” Cimmaron trailed off and looked him straight in the eye. “I never thought I’d say this to any male, but I feel the same way about you. It sort of crept up on me. I thought it was because of the pills but no other man interested me. Just you.”
Tamaki’s hands tightened on her shoulders, his fingers digging into her flesh. His face held an air of urgency. “Say it. Give me the words.”
“I love you.” Cimmaron felt a moment’s uncertainty until a brilliant smile lit his face.
“I knew it,” he murmured, stroking her face again.
Cimmaron lifted her hand, finally giving into the need to return his touch. “Um, it’s good that we’re going to Vegamont and you have a new job, but what about me? I’m not cut out to be a full-time bartender. I’m at the stage where if one more male hits on me, I’ll run amuck. That won’t create a good first impression, and I can’t be a stay-at-home mate.”
Tamaki laughed, his eyes dancing and twinkling. “We can’t have that. Did I happen to mention I have a friend at Vegamont Shipping? He hires the pilots. I could put a good word in for you. And we can stop off on Bezant to clear your name with Coalition Shipping.”
“I could fly again?” Please don’t let him be teasing. She stared at her mate, hope in her heart. “You’d let me fly? I have friends on Viros, which isn’t far from Vegamont. Lynx and Shiloh mentioned wanting to expand their freight business.”
“You’re my mate, Cimmaron, not a possession. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I want your happiness. Flying makes you happy. If my friend doesn’t have a job, you could work for your friends, or maybe you could do more advanced training. You have options. From what I’ve learned about the mating process, once you stop fighting the bonds, the cramps and chest pains will disappear. We’ll be able to spend some time apart as long as we intend to get back together again.”
“Tamaki!” Happiness blasted through her, and Cimmaron threw herself into his arms and squeezed him tight. She was going to fly again. Captain. She might even manage to gain captain status. She rained kisses on his face and pressed her body to her mate. Tamaki was nothing like her stepfather. That male wouldn’t even consider letting his mate—her mother—follow a non-traditional path.
Tamaki laughed, the sound rich and full of amusement. “I’m glad you approve. We’ll work out a plan later. What say we adjourn this meeting to the bedroom? We could make love without coercion.” He paused to press a lingering kiss on her smiling lips before taking her hand and leading her to the closed door. He opened it and halted to steal another kiss.
Cimmaron led him up the stairs to her room. They stepped inside, closing the door after them for privacy. “Were the servicemen able to fix the green room?”
“Yeah. Rico and I have decided to press charges. I don’t care how rich the kid’s parents are, he needs to take responsibility for his actions.”
“Good.” She unfastened the toggles on his shirt and pushed the fabric aside to display his muscled chest and part of his family tattoo. Her fingers danced across his skin.
Hers. Her mate.
The passion bubbled up inside and her eyes moistened again. Phrull, tears were not a good look for a pilot. Leaning closer, she nibbled and teased a flat nipple to prominence. An unknown emotion flooded her body, her mind. Phrull, she was smiling. Actually smiling. And it was a toothy grin.
Tamaki grinned back as he toed off his boots and removed his boot linings.
Cimmaron shoved the shirt down his arms and the garment fluttered to the floor. She unfastened his trews and pushed them and his undergarments down his legs until he stood in naked splendor in front of her. Unable to resist, she ran a finger the length of his erection, tracing the bulbous head.
Tamaki groaned. “I can’t wait any longer.” He yanked sharply on her tunic, the sound of the ripping fabric loud in the silence of her room. “I’ll buy you a new one.”
“I didn’t like that tunic anyway.”
He dealt swiftly with her boots, trews and undergarments until they were both naked. They fell onto the bed in a tangle of limbs, skin on skin. The start of an erotic assault. One of his hands cupped a breast while he parted her legs with his thigh. A moan fell from her lips when he guided his cock between her legs. A rush of moisture trickled from her pussy, easing his way. With one seamless thrust, he filled her.
“Tamaki,” she whispered, raising her hips to meet his next thrust. That this male would change his life to make her happy… The emotion welled even more, threatening to make her cry. She would fly again, and once she’d completed her journey, she had a home and welcoming arms. A mate. Tamaki filled a gap she’d never realized she had in her life. Her hands wrapped around his shoulders and she clung to him.
He invaded her mouth, exploring the inner surfaces of her mouth, timing his flickering tongue with each deep thrust of his cock. Cimmaron gasped, the heat swirling through her veins. She drew his scent deep into her lungs. Intoxicating. Addictive.
Tamaki lifted his head and brushed a kiss across her pursed lips before withdrawing to the tip of his cock and driving deep again. “God, you feel so good.” He withdrew again and thrust, hitting her clit at just the right angle. A tiny ripple started slow and gathered momentum until the sensation filled her, filled her heart, filled her very soul. And in that moment, it felt as if something clicked into place.
The Dlog mating! A gasp of surprise escaped her along with a sense of wonderment. Now that she’d willingly accepted Tamaki, the Dlog mating chains had cemented them together exactly the way her mother and the Dlog elders had told her.
They were doubly mated. Cimmaron smiled. No longer was she alone, drifting without purpose. No longer stranded or resisting Tamaki, she’d come a full circle.
Cimmaron Zhaan was home.
The End
Thank you so much for reading Stranded & Seduced. Word-of-mouth is crucial for any author to succeed. If you enjoyed this book, please consider l
eaving a review—even a few lines would be a big help.
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And while you’re waiting for answers about Prince Lynx (Seized & Seduced) maybe you’d like to check out an excerpt from one of my contemporary romances, One Night of Misbehavior. Turn the page for a glimpse of this romance, a sneak preview of Seized & Seduced and a list of my other releases.
Happy reading,
Shelley xx
Excerpt – Seized & Seduced
Copyright 2014 Shelley Munro
Read an excerpt from the next book in the House of the Cat series, due out early 2015!
A shrill cry echoed through the arid valley. Unexpected, it set a shudder rippling the length of her body. Jannike Hondros, second-in-command of the Indefatigable, came to an abrupt halt, her stomach twisting anxiously even as she grabbed her blaster out of her hip holster and flicked off the safety.
“Tracker lizards.” At her side, Ry Coppersmith, captain of the space ship, confirmed her fears. He edged his petite mate behind him, but despite her size Camryn O’Sullivan was no pushover.
She neatly sidestepped him, wincing at a repeat head-splitting shriek, closer this time. “What are tracker lizards, and why are they making that infernal noise?”
“Trackers are the best available means of tracking an object or person. They never fail to capture their target. Never. The cries mean they’re on a scent,” Jannike said tersely, eyes scanning the far end of the valley. She’d experienced their tenacity before and hadn’t emerged on the winning side.
“Us.” Ry glanced at Jannike and with the ease of a long friendship they came to a decision without words.
Jannike gave him an imperceptible nod. “We need to split up,” she said abruptly, attention on the horizon. In the distance, maybe four or five clicks, she caught the swirl of approaching dust. “You need to shift, change your scents.”
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