“Then Geep needs to learn to vocalize, grow opposable thumbs, and order breakfast himself,” he stated firmly.
“Damon—” Susa turned to face him, her arms over his shoulders, her fingers tangling in his damp strands. “I love you. Don’t be cross, please. We have the rest of our lives to make love. But to do so, you need to keep me strong and healthy, that means food. We were stopping to eat anyway.”
“Angel, I see you, I want you.” He pulled her closer and nuzzled her ear. “The urges are deep and unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.”
“It’s the same for me. It’s the mate-bond.” Susa hugged him. “We’ll find a rhythm which will allow us to meet all our basic needs and still have a life outside of the bedroom—or wherever. By the way, I enjoyed our shower.” She winked.
“So did I, love.” He kissed her lightly; afraid if he took her mouth the way he wanted, he’d end up making love to her on the bathroom floor. Geep or no Geep.
Damon turned her around and patted her sweetly rounded bottom. “Put on a robe. Order food. Lots of everything. For Geep also.”
Susa aimed a smile at him over her shoulder. “You’ll be such a great father.” She walked out of the bathroom with Geep leading the way now that food would soon be in the offing.
Then what she said hit him. “I’m not that damn Ragbag’s father! Plus, I’m fairly sure he’s older than both of us combined.”
Her laughter made him happy. She made him happy.
Later, the same day
Damon sat in the waiting area of the spa. The background music had gotten on his nerves a standard half hour ago, and he’d memorized the entire menu of spa treatments a quarter of a standard hour ago. He picked up the glass of complimentary wine and took a sip. At least the wine was tolerable.
His mood, however, was pissed. He’d much rather be locked in their suite, learning all the ways he could pleasure Susa. But as they were eating breakfast—or in Geep’s case, inhaling it—Susa’s com-unit chimed with a reminder notification that she’d booked a half-day of spa treatments several days ago. That had been back before he’d known how good making love to her felt and discovered how potent the Prime mate-bond was.
Susa had offered to cancel. But he could tell how much she’d looked forward to being pampered. If she’d cancelled, she might never get another appointment because there were long waiting lists. His woman deserved a treat.
So, here he was—a not-so-patient gemat waiting for his woman, because he refused to trust the spa personnel to protect her from being kidnapped from under their noses. The suspicious, stalking threesome were still on board the ship. Their motives had yet to be determined as dangerous or merely a nuisance.
Where was his head? He could check for messages from Wulf while he sat on his ass, losing IQ points to the mind-numbing music. He pulled out his com-unit and checked his messages.
A file sat in the coded account he and Wulf had set up. It had been delivered sometime during the shower sex earlier this morning. He skimmed Wulf’s accompanying message, frowned, then went back and read it more slowly.
“Fuck.” His loud curse startled the spa receptionist who was heading his way with a bottle of wine in her hand. He smiled apologetically. “Sorry, bad news. No more wine for me.” The information in the file dictated that he would need to keep a clear head.
The woman nodded and backed away, as if she were afraid he might attack her like a wild beast.
Damon opened the attachments Wulf had sent—the Galactic Alliance dossiers on the two men and the woman stalking him and Susa. The three were rim pirates, members of one of the largest RimPz groups. There were active warrants on all three.
Wulf’s message indicated he’d contacted Mori about the three criminals and asked the captain to detain and secure them. An Alliance Military enforcement cruiser would meet the cruise ship at its next scheduled stop—a space dock where the Dreamcaster would have an overnight stop. Alliance law enforcement would take the three into custody.
Damon approved Wulf’s actions and orders, but wouldn’t be happy until he saw the three were locked up in Mori’s brig. Even now, his gut urged him to barge into the spa treatment area and make sure Susa was okay.
Damon. I’m fine. Safe.
What was that? Susa’s voice, but not. He looked around the waiting area. She was nowhere in sight. How had he heard her? And how had she known what he was thinking?
Her laughter tickled his senses. His cock jerked and went erect as it always did when she was near. She’d read his mind and replied in his head.
Yes, we can mind-talk. We’ve grown not only more empathic, but telepathic like battle-mates. Please stop worrying. The RimPz woman isn’t here. And no men are allowed in the women’s spa.
Damon realized she must’ve been reading him the whole time he read Wulf’s communique. He’d heard of the Prime battle-mate connection; Bria and Iolyn had one. While it was good that he could keep track of Susa, it also meant she could do the same. How would he ever surprise her?
You can block me. You have a very strong mental shield. Right now, your mental wall is cracked open, and that’s why I knew what you were reading and thinking. A sense of mischief tickled his empathic sense. Look in your mind’s eye. Here’s what I’m doing now.
Damon closed his eyes. He found an image of Susa naked, up to her neck in bubbling water, her hair in a cloth turban. He smiled. If you were in danger, no stinking rules would keep me from you.
I know. Love you. I’ll be out in less than ten standard minutes. Then we can go to Mori and see if he has secured our stalkers.
In their suite
Thirty standard minutes later, Damon paced the living area and listened over his com-unit as Wulf reamed someone a new asshole over the current fuck-up. Susa sat on the sofa with Geep cuddled against her, watching him. Seven hells of Jupiter, she was scared, but covering it as only she could.
The fuck-up?
The three pirates had taken one of the ship’s escape pods. The Dreamcaster’s short-range sensors showed the pod had been pulled into the hold of a much larger starship. The trackers on the pod had gone dead a short time later, and the starship had no identifying markings and what turned out to be a fake transponder number. The Dreamcaster, not being a military ship, had no way of tracking the anonymous starship outside the range of their limited sensors.
Damon was running hot—ready to kill, but had no convenient victims nearby.
At least Wulf had an unfortunate subordinate to yell at.
Only Susa’s restraining hand had kept Damon from tearing out the throat of Mori’s head of security for not immediately calling in the closest Alliance Military ship to pursue the stolen escape pod. The idiot had treated it as a lark by some pranksters wanting a joyride until the cruise ship’s sensors showed the other ship picking up the pod.
The three had gotten clean away. Someone had contacted the pirates and told them their cover had been breached. That someone had to be in the Alliance Military headquarters, thus Wulf’s righteous anger.
“Damon—” Wulf said over the link.
Damon cut off whatever the Prime warrior wanted to say. “Wulf, find the fucker who passed that information to the pirates. I want ten minutes in a room with the asshole.”
“We’re already on it. I want him as much as you do.” Wulf’s tone was harsh with rage. “I don’t have to tell you to keep your eyes open. This probably won’t be the last of this particular RimPz group you’ll see.”
“I know. My gut’s screaming at me. I’m familiar with this particular group. Borac and I had multiple run-ins with them several years ago. They kept trying to breach our jump gate security.” Damon chuckled grimly. “Our safety measures tore one of their ships apart. Check that asshat Goldai’s financials,” he suggested as he paced and continuously checked in with Susa’s emotions. “See if he’s transferred any credits to this RimPz group. You could arrest him under a suspicion of soliciting a kidnapping, right?”
“It
would be sketchy, but I think there’s enough circumstantial evidence that if we found links in his financials to both the Dornian kidnappers you killed and this RimPz group, we could make a case to take to the Alliance Judicial Counsel.”
“Good. Because I’m damned sure you’ll find those financial links.” Ending his pacing, Damon sat by Susa whose chaotic emotions worried him. He pulled her against him and massaged the knotted muscles at the nape of her neck. “Thanks, Wulf.”
“No thanks necessary. I hate like fuck this is happening to her. Take good care of our Susa.”
“She’s mine now.” Damon looked down at the woman who filled his every sense and made life worth living.
She kissed his chin and mouthed, “Yours. Only yours.”
“If you notice any other suspicious characters, contact me at once,” said Wulf.
“Count on it. Susa and I will remain on the cruise ship during the remaining space dock layovers. That’ll limit the chances of her being kidnapped.”
“Good. I’ve informed Captain Mori that he’s required to forward images of all new passengers boarding at the layovers for the remainder of your time on board,” Wulf said. “I expect you’ll have similar security precautions on your station.”
“We will. I just updated Borac on the current situation. He’s going to run the images of all passengers and freighter crews passing through our station against the Alliance Law Enforcement’s criminal and outstanding warrants database instead of just our own bad-actors’ database.”
“With both your backgrounds, I expected you and Borac would be on top of the situation,” Wulf said. “And, Damon, if you feel the need to shoot, shoot to kill. Wulf out.”
“That’s my plan. Damon, out.”
Susa rested her head on his shoulder.
“You doing okay, Angel?” Damon kissed the top of her head.
“As long as you’re with me, I’m fine.”
Truth, but not completely. She had some good mental walls also.
“I plan on being around for a long, long time.” He tipped her face to his. “Something’s bothering you—tell me.”
“When you were speaking to Borac earlier, it reminded me—we never decided who would break the news to my cousin about our relationship.”
Was that all she was worried about? Easy enough to solve.
“I will.” Cuddling her closer, he spoke close to her ear and then nuzzled the pretty little lobe. “I’ll take him aside right after I get you settled into our living quarters.”
“Won’t he think it’s strange that I’ll be moving in with you and not him and Cissy as planned?”
“Yeah, which is why, that private place he and I will hold our discussion will be the station’s gym. I might have to let him pound on me a bit for taking advantage of his sweet cousin.”
Susa gasped and turned into him, bracing her hands on his chest. “No, please. No fighting. I’ll tell him about us in his quarters, then come to yours.”
“Our quarters—and not going to happen. This is my responsibility. You’re mine. I need to make that clear from the moment we step onto the jump station’s passenger dock. It’ll also make him feel better to hit me a few times. He’ll have defended your honor.”
“But what if he hurts you?” Susa stroked his face, worry darkening her eyes to the color of the Gliesian honey his mother would put on his pancakes when he was a little boy. He loved that honey—he loved Susa more.
“He won’t.” Damon pulled her over his lap, her knees straddling his thighs, and began removing her tunic top. “He can’t. I’ve put that big Prime warrior on his ass nine times out of ten. Irony is, he taught me how to do it. You need to worry more about him.”
“He’s not my mate. Speaking of mating,” she said, “are you going to make love to me again?” She inserted a hand between their torsos and rubbed it over the very needy bulge in his pants. “Please?”
“That was my plan, love. Lift your arms.” When she complied, Damon pulled the tunic over her head, tossed it aside, then removed the sheer, lacy bra he’d chosen for her from one of the cruise ship’s many shops.
As much as he appreciated the sight of her in that bra, he liked her much better without it. He fondled her full breasts, one in the palm of each hand, and gently massaged her nipples with his thumbs. Her eyes dilated and her tiny mewls of pleasure made his cock twitch. She was so damn responsive. She was already wet; he could smell her pussy cream.
“I have this driving need to taste you—all over.” He licked then teethed the spot where her neck met her shoulder. He growled his approval when she angled her head to give him better access. “You smell like something sweet and fruity.” He tasted and licked down her throat, along her clavicle, then down to her breast where he suckled the tightly budded nipple. “Just like a dessert.”
“It’s the bath salts from the spa. They were made from some exotic fruit.” Susa laughed and held his head against her breast. “Please, taste me some more. Then can it be my turn?”
“I won’t taste like some exotic fruit,” he muttered against the nipple he teethed.
“I like the taste of Damon just fine,” she whispered against his ear before she traced the rim and lobe with her tongue.
Fuck, he was one lucky man.
Chapter 24
Two weeks later, Jump Station Charybdis
After they’d gone through decontamination, Damon ushered Susa down the ramp. Geep was tucked safely away in Susa’s tote bag. He didn’t know who was more excited about arriving at the jump station. The geeping and mrrfing coming from the bag indicated it was probably Geep.
As soon as they stepped off the ramp onto the dock, Geep scrambled out of Susa’s bag, bounced to the deck, and scurried away in a whirl of dusty-colored fur. The little furball was soon lost among the deep shadows edging the wide-open area of the passenger dock.
Geep? Where are you going? Susa asked on the common telepathic link shared with Damon.
Mrrf. Smell my kind. Find me a mate. Make babies.
“Doesn’t mess around, does he?” Damon chuckled as he tipped up Susa’s face for a brief kiss.
“No, but then neither did we.”
Geep. Here’s how to find our quarters later. Damon sent Geep a mental map of where the private quarters were in relation to the docks. Knowing the little furball, he’d show up when he was hungry.
Will bring my mate when I find her.
That’s fine. Damon admired the little furball’s positive attitude and wouldn’t bet against him. The Ragbags on his docks wouldn’t know what hit them. Geep seemed to be a more advanced version of the species and would most likely rule the docks.
Keeping his hand on Susa’s lower back, Damon searched for Borac.
“Do you see him yet?” she asked, her voice strained.
Susa had been a mass of nerves all day. This morning, his normally upbeat Angel had burst into tears and cried so hard Damon almost joined her. There were down sides to sharing emotions with one’s mate, and he hadn’t yet perfected the technique of how to control the amount of information and feelings to let in or keep out.
After a lot of soothing, another bout of love-making, and some serious cuddling and petting, she’d confessed to being scared of meeting her cousin. Her plaintive “what if he doesn’t like me?” had shredded Damon’s heart.
No matter how much he’d assured her that Borac—and Cissy—would adore her, she wasn’t convinced. She was sure the fact she’d chosen to be a sex surrogate instead of living a celibate life would reflect badly on her.
Damon wasn’t sure where all her self-doubt was suddenly coming from. During the entire time they’d been together, Susa had been very up front and rational about her past choices.
So, he’d promised if Borac didn’t love her, he’d kick the Prime warrior’s ass. At least the threat had made her giggle.
But here she was—all nerves again. Her shoulders were stiff, and her hands fisted at her side as if she were walking to her execution rath
er than meeting a long-lost relative.
“Breathe, Angel,” he whispered against her ear. “Borac is to our right by the entrance to the main level atrium.”
“He’s frowning.” Susa turned into Damon’s side and clutched at his shirt. “I sense he’s angry.”
“Angel, he’s glaring at my hands on your body. He’s pissed at me. Not you.” Damon gave her nose a light kiss. “Cissy, on the other hand, is grinning. See? She just elbowed the moron. Come on, we’re blocking the ramp.”
Susa pulled away from his touch, but immediately reached for his hand. He hadn’t liked her pulling away, but he understood. As long as she remained within touching distance, Damon was fine with the switch to hand-holding.
He lifted their joined hands to his lips and nibbled on her knuckles. “Stop worrying. It will be fine. Remember? I said he’d need to beat on me a bit.”
“I don’t want that.” His mate’s voice wobbled.
Damn, she was tearing up again. He had to do something.
“Borac, stop glaring. You’re upsetting Susa.” Damon’s bellow had everyone in the general vicinity looking at them.
Borac and Cissy hurried to meet them in the middle of the passenger dock concourse.
“Damon, stop touching my cousin. I trusted you, apayebo,” Borac roared right back.
Cissy hissed, “Stop this. You’re embarrassing your cousin.” The little Terran smiled. “Welcome to Jump Station Charybdis, Susa. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you face-to-face for so long.”
Borac stared at Susa for several long seconds until Damon was ready to kick his friend in the balls. “Aren’t you going to greet your cousin?”
“Shut up, Damon.” Borac pulled his cousin into his arms for a hug. “Welcome, Susa.”
She inhaled sharply. Her pain was physical. Damon felt it across their bond like a thousand knife cuts.
Borac’s touch was hurting her. Damon snarled. His friend was asking for a beat-down, and Damon was just the man to give it to him. He had no problem with Borac being mad at him. In fact, he’d expected it. But for his partner to allow that anger to escape on the very public docks in front of Susa and inadvertently hurt her? Not permissible.
Prime Target Page 30
