Talson's Test

by Marie Harte

  “Please. I’m burning. I need you.” Her flesh warmed even more as she spoke.

  He couldn’t be sure of anything but her, lost to a hunger so intense he could no longer function. He felt on fire, and he had a hard time seeing through the blaze of need encompassing his entire being.

  5

  Z pulled Adri closer to his body and sighed when her breasts rubbed his chest. He could feel her right through the thin t-shirt he wore, and the pleasure scorched him. “That’s it. Right there, veyu. Perfect,” he purred as he nudged her pussy with his cockhead. Seating himself at the mouth of her sex, he pushed deeper. The hot moisture beckoned him, and then she nipped his neck, the sharp bite of pain undoing his discipline.

  “Do it, damn you.”

  He helplessly obeyed. Surging fast, he shoved through the tight walls of her sex. He couldn’t move any deeper, and joined so close, he could feel every part of her psychei flaring, waking as she met his.

  “Yes. Oh, please.” She arched her neck back, and he zoomed in on her pulse as he began hammering inside her.

  Hard, fast jabs, seeking the pleasure they both needed. The fulfillment to ease her and to begin The Testing.

  Fucking her against the wall felt both dirty and incredibly arousing. Lost in the haze of need and beyond caring about anything, he pounded into her, past her startled cry as she came, through one brutal orgasm that whipped through him with the force of a firestorm and into another.

  His cock took on a life of its own as he fucked Adri, pouring himself into her, physically and psychically. She murmured his name, drugged on their union like him. The fire around them burned brighter, but the heat eased as she clenched around him again, pulling more cum from his rock-hard cock. As if he hadn’t already once filled her, he raged and swelled, swearing as she milked him of the rest of his seed.

  Panting as he started to come down, he gradually grew aware of their place in the alley, and of the scorched wall and ground around them.

  “You done yet?” Val called from a distance away.

  His brother stood with his back to them at the nearby entrance to the alley. Anyone could have walked by and seen them mindlessly fucking, but Val had been standing by to protect him. Them—Z corrected, and looked down into Adri’s eyes once more.

  No longer dark, but lighter and almost purple, the woman’s eyes glowed with deep satisfaction.

  “You’re beautiful.” He spoke no less than the truth. She was femininity personified.

  He pulled back but remained joined to her, still inside her. From this vantage he could see her full breasts, the berry-red nipples beaded and flushed. Her lips looked swollen and slick, and he bent to kiss her again.

  “Dammit,” Val swore. “I can’t block people from nearing forever, Z. And those assholes with the swords are pushing hard against my hold.”

  Z reluctantly disengaged from Adri, wishing he could go right back for another round. Which was crazy. Even Otra needed a short respite after coming that hard. Yet he wanted to fuck her again and again.

  He blinked at her. “Where did your clothes go?” He looked down at himself, still fully dressed. But around them… He swore. “What’s this black soot all over the place?”

  She flushed but didn’t cross her arms over herself or try to hide her body. “Blame yourself. You pulled my fire, you big oaf.”

  “Oaf?” He should have been more irritated with her sudden pique, but he found himself wanting to sooth her. To please her.

  The woman suddenly scowling at him like he was the enemy packed an undeniable wallop. Her hair, those eyes, that figure that curved in all the right places with legs that went on forever. Hell, he wanted to fuck her again so badly he had trouble breathing. Bizarre feelings for a man used to getting any woman he wanted at the crook of a finger.

  “What did you do to me?” She looked around her, then down the alley at Val. “Is this some weird trick?”

  “What the hell, woman? You ran into me, sucked me into your sexual fantasies, and then—”

  “And then you took my fire away! You used it on Jace and Rand, which I can’t fault you for. But then you used it on me. What were you thinking? You torched my clothes, you idiot.” Her anger only made her more attractive.

  He narrowed his eyes. Sexy or not, the woman couldn’t talk to him like that without repercussions. “Wait a second, sweetheart. It’s not my fault you’re hard up for a man. You were the one coming on to me. Those big eyes, those full lips. Hell, those nipples have been hard the entire time I’ve been standing here. It’s like you’re almost begging me to bite them.”

  The need to do so rode him hard, until she punched him in the chest. Not that she’d hurt him, but she’d distracted him before he did something equally stupid. Like fuck her again in the middle of downtown New Hattan in a dirty alley. Christ.

  “Ow.” She cradled her hand against her chest. “How about you quit being an ass for a minute. Give me your shirt, at least. You made a mess in me. I cannot believe I let you do that.”

  He didn’t like the way she made him feel. Caught between wanting to fuck her or spank her, his frustration grew. “Fine.” He handed her a spare tissue from his pocket that she quickly used to clean herself and tossed to the ground, amidst the other trash. Then he pulled off his shirt and put it over her head. She swam in it, but at least she was covered. The hem of the shirt came to her mid thigh, but if she bent over, he’d see everything. He swallowed hard and looked over his shoulder at Val again.

  How the hell could he explain this? Better yet, how could he convince his brother not to tell anyone about this? Ever? “Hey, Val, can you go grab the vehicle and swing by to pick us up? I’ll meet you at the front of this building.” He nodded to the lone door in the building behind him, then wanted to smack himself. Val hadn’t seen anything because he had the good sense to keep his eyes fixed on danger around them. Threats from outside the alley, especially from the ‘San Fal assholes.

  Z mentally sent him a picture of what he intended.

  “Okay.” Val sighed, then sent back with his mind, “I’m so fucking hard it’s taking all I can not to come while people pass us by looking mighty curious. The ‘San Fal dicks are still on fire and stuck in a closet on the other side of the street. But as soon as I release my telekinetic hold, they’re gonna bust free. And brother, catching a glimpse of you fucking that gorgeous woman is something I don’t think I can forget. In an alley? What were you thinking? And bro, you were on fire.”

  Val hurried away from the alley. Z yanked Adri into his arms, conscious of her bare feet, and shoved through a huge door in the building next to them. He ignored her sputtering and cries to be let go. To Val, he answered, “I’m not sure of anything right now. I think I’m caught in The Testing. She said I pulled her fire. All I know is that I was in heaven a few minutes ago, and it’s feeling like I’m going to get there again. Real soon. We need to get somewhere private, like yesterday.”

  “Yeah, that or get arrested. I see lights coming down the street. Hold up in the building until you see the hovercraft, all right?”

  Z sent him a mental affirmation.

  “Hey, big man.” Adri tried to squirm free, to no avail. “Where are we going?”

  He grinned down at her, surprised to find himself amused. “Big man. I like that.”

  She rolled her eyes, but he could see her fighting a smile.

  “Has it struck you as odd that we just fucked like crazy in the alley, and I want another go around? You?”

  “Yes,” she hissed, and he suddenly noticed her cheeks had turned a bright red. “And I wish I didn’t know why. But in case you haven’t paid attention to the hoots and hollering around us, this building is full of nosy people.”

  He blinked and glanced around him, seeing several people standing around in the hallway, surrounded by thumping music and a large keg. What appeared to be a residential building in the midst of a house party. More than one interested male stared at Adri in wide-eyed wonder. “Shit.”


  “Yeah, genius, you said that before.”

  He moved faster through the hallway. “In all my dreams, you never had a smart mouth. You set crap on fire, set me on fire, but you never mouthed off.”

  “Too bad this isn’t a dream.”

  “No kidding.” He spotted a tough-looking dude covered in tats, saw the obvious interest in the guy’s leer, and growled at him. The guy must have seen the real threat in Z’s eyes, because he backed from his open door and back into his place, fast. “Hell, we need to move your pretty ass before I have to fight more guys wanting a piece of you.”

  She said something he couldn’t quite make out.

  “Hurry up. I’m here.” Val’s mental prodding relieved him.

  “Finally. He’s here.”

  “No kidding. I heard him.”

  “You heard Val?” He tapped his forehead. “In here?”

  “I’m Otra. Of course I heard him.”

  Interesting, and something else they’d need to look into once they found a safe place to recuperate. Though telepathic by nature, most Otra needed an invitation to share in non-familiar pathways. That Adri had so easily jumped into his communication with Val bothered him.

  “If we’re lucky, we can avoid the police, the ‘San Fal after you, and the humans gaping at your fine ass. But I’m telling you right now, if I don’t get you out of my arms soon, I’m going to fuck you again right here, in the middle of the damn party.”

  Her eyes darkened. “Right. So what are you waiting for? Move faster.”

  They exited the front door into Val’s waiting vehicle.

  One dilemma solved, at least. Except once Z joined her in the car and Val raced away, back toward their hotel, the confines of the vehicle made everything more…intimate.

  Adri clamped her jaw shut, too aware of the half-naked giant next to her. Oh God, he was so incredibly handsome. All muscle. Shiny, silver eyes, a square jaw. And that cock… Huge and thick, he’d fit inside her as if made for her. Her mouth watered, and she had the horrified notion she might have entered Selection not for a mate, but to beget children.

  Talk about an end to any possibility of freedom. Someday she wanted a male and young, but not anytime soon.

  “Adri, I swear, if you keep doing that I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

  Even his low, gravelly voice aroused her. She coughed to clear her throat. “Doing what?”

  He leaned closer. “You’re looking at my cock and licking your lips. Baby, I can put two and two together like the next guy. You keep asking for it, you’re going to get it.”

  His erection, prominent through his trousers, promised definite enjoyment, if she chose to go for it. Which she might if she couldn’t stop thinking with her libido. Just more proof she’d entered Selection. Damn it.

  She deliberately turned away from him and watched the city pass by as they sped…somewhere. “Where are we going?”

  “To our hotel,” the man from the front, Val, responded.

  “Who are you two?”

  “A nice question to be asking now.” Z shifted in the seat next to her, and it took all her control not to turn back to him, peel his pants apart, and take him to the back of her throat. “I told you before. I’m Z. That’s my younger brother, Val, driving us.”

  Val turned completely around, having obviously set the autopilot. His gaze lingered over her body, caressing her without touching. “Hello, gorgeous. So you’re the one he’s been dreaming about, hmm?”

  “What exactly does that mean?” And should she confess she’d had a few dreams of her own?

  “I wish I knew what it meant,” Z muttered. “From what I know, you’re important to me.”

  “But we’ve never met.” Not in real life, before today.

  “My father called it the tranzwal. You’re my…” He paused.

  “Your what?” He’d called her veyu before, which meant “beloved.” But from what she’d observed, men often spoke love words when impassioned. Great Suns, but she’d just met this man. How could she burn for his body? More importantly, he wasn’t ‘San Fal. So how had he contained her fire?

  “You’re going to be important in my life, okay?” He didn’t sound happy about the fact. “In fact, I think you’re probably going to introduce me to my iriu.”

  “Yeah? I’d say you two already met,” Val said drily and turned back around. “Dumbass.”

  “Shut up, Val.” Z ran a hand through his thick hair. “Hell. I’m not ready for The Testing.”

  “Oh no. No way.” Adri moved as far to the door, away from Z, as she could. “You’re in The Testing?” That in addition to her Selection would add up to no good. “I don’t want a mate. Not yet. I just escaped Werfal 5 a few months ago. I’m finally free and liking my life. I don’t need you to complicate it.”

  6

  Z frowned, his light gray eyes growing even lighter. Adri felt his psychei warm hers, as if the threads of their beings had formed a bond growing stronger with each passing minute. “Yeah, well, back at ya, sexy. I didn’t ask for The Testing, but now that it’s here, you’re a part of it. Just go along and we’ll get through this. I’m sure you’re not the one.”

  “Oh?” And why couldn’t she be his mate? Wasn’t she smart enough? Pretty enough? Good enough? She blinked. Smart enough? Hell no, because an intelligent woman wouldn’t be annoyed he didn’t want her, she’d be thrilled. The fact she wanted to claim him as more than a great lay worried the hell out of her. Her Selection plus his Testing could only mean a bad end—a permanent mating plus children.

  “Val’s my eda.” His second, the male necessary to find Z’s mate. And she’d been dreaming about him too. “Just let him feel you out, we’ll rule out our future together and go our separate ways.” Yet he sounded unsure. She wondered if he knew more than he’d said. “Then you can find your mate, and I’ll muddle along avoiding mine.”

  She snorted. “Not every female wants a male.”

  In the rearview mirror, Val’s grin widened. “You like females?”

  She flushed when Z looked more than interested as well. “No. I just don’t want to settle down any time soon. I spent the past decades trapped beyond civilization in the outer colonies. I don’t need anything but time and space to be my own woman. When I’m ready, I’ll find my iriu and make a family.”

  Val shook his head. “You’ve been in New Hattan too long. That’s human thinking.” He turned to look at them. His eyes narrowed on his brother before shifting back to her. “When the universe speaks, Otra listen. Once you enter Selection, you’ll have to heed your psychei. You won’t be able to stop.” Just what she was afraid of.

  Val continued. “And Z, much as you don’t want to admit it, buddy, you’ve been dreaming about her for far too long for this to be a coincidence. What? You think we just randomly ran into her?”

  Z’s mouth thinned. “And saved her ass from those two goons.” He glared down at her. “What the hell was that about, anyway?”

  She sighed. Might as well tell them. Not like they’d want anything to do with her father, only the biggest criminal in the colonies. “I wanted to come to Earth, but Father wouldn’t let me. He’s been on my case to find a mate and carry on the family tradition. The ‘San Fal females are strongest when it comes to handling fire. And he wants a new generation to carry on the family pride.” She made a face.

  Z mirrored her disgust. “Yeah, well, I’m the oldest. My mother and father are constantly on my ass to procreate. And then my baby brother got married. Not Val, the youngest of us.”

  “How many are you?”

  “Four. I’m the oldest. Roarke is the youngest, the one who just got married. Then there’s Val and Romy. Plenty of other Talsons to have kids for the parents. You’d think the pressure would be off me, but now my mother is all over me to step up. Like we have to go in order now that Roarke’s taken care of.” He snorted.

  She nodded, empathizing. For a moment, they shared a common space, dwelling deep within each other
’s minds. Comfort and ease made her feel almost loved… “Get out of my head!” She nearly fell on the floor in her haste to get some distance.

  He blinked and shook his head hard. “Damn it. You get out of my head. I don’t need this now. I’m too young for permanence. And stop laughing, Val. This isn’t funny.”

  Val continued to chuckle. “It really is. You have the hottest chick I’ve ever seen, barely dressed beside you. You just did her, in public, twice. And yeah, I felt the psychic back blast of your orgasms, you asshole. Do you really think you’re going to sit there and pretend she’s not yours? Maybe you are the dumbest one in the family.”

  Adri felt Z’s anger, and to her shock, his rage sparked her lust anew. Not an answering anger, but a need to soothe the savage Otra brewing for a fight. And she knew of no better way than pleasure.

  “Oh man. I don’t want to do this.” Yet she did. The closer she drew to him, on her knees as she crawled between his legs, the more open his mind became.

  Val groaned. “Come on, you two. Not again. I almost came in my pants last time.”

  A glance behind her showed Val turned back around and slumped down in his seat, the top of his head barely visible to her.

  Z’s lids shuttered his eyes, and his gaze lingered on her mouth. “Not a good idea, Adri.” Yet he encouraged her by running his fingers through her hair and cupping her cheek. His thumb caressed her lips. “You are so fucking sexy. I can’t stop imagining coming all over those lips. I want to watch you suck me dry.”

  Val cursed him.

  She blew out a breath. She couldn’t deny her Selection any longer. Not when she experienced such overwhelming desire to claim Z as her own. He’d taken her fire. Shit. She knew what that meant. But did he? “I know what you want. You think it, and I see it in my head. It’s like we’ve done this before.”

  “In my dreams we have,” he confessed.

  “Hell. I-I can’t help it.” She slowly unfastened his pants and pulled apart the enclosure holding the fly together. His gaze felt like a physical touch, so intent it made her burn.