Primal Hunger Dawn Montgomery Azros del Mar hates the Sheon. Having suffered brutal abuse at their hands, he is left physically scarred and angry. An escape that nearly cost him his life results in a crash landing on a remote planet. There, surrounded by danger, he finds a woman who fires his blood, triggering a mating hunger so intense it sends him to the edge of sanity. Kendra is a warrior in hiding. The last thing she needs is a hot-bodied, feral Valorian upsetting her mission…no matter how sexy or tempting the broad-shouldered tiger-mix may be. But when her body begins to show signs of feral heat, she realizes the one man who can soothe the hunger could easily destroy everything she’s worked for. With war on the horizon, they must fight to stay alive. And together.
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Primal Hunger ISBN 9781419938320 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Primal Hunger Copyright © 2012 Dawn Montgomery Edited by Grace Bradley Cover design by Irene Adler Photography: Romancenovelcovers.com Electronic book publication February 2012 The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously. The publisher and author(s) acknowledge the trademark status and trademark ownership of all trademarks, service marks and word marks mentioned in this book. The publisher does not have any control over, and does not assume any responsibility for, author or third-party Web sites or their content.
PRIMAL HUNGER Dawn Montgomery
Dedication To Kim Knox, Lexxie Couper and Lacey Savage for inspiring me to write a novel. To my family and husband (SuperChef)…I couldn’t do it without your support.
Dawn Montgomery
My name is Destiny Lion. According to my worthless father, with that kind of name I was destined for fighting or stripping. Turns out he was right on both counts. I don’t hold it against him. This is Destiny’s Palace, my Kingdom of Kink, and I fight for what’s mine. My humble establishment lies in the nexus of three asteroid mining routes. The five-dome facility meets the needs of those who can afford our prices. What’s your pleasure, stranger? Goods, services? Sex? Ladies, gents, or all others? Don’t let the weapon-toting security personnel worry you. They’re here to protect those who partake of our services. My skies aren’t always friendly. Rest assured, your comfort and protection are our top priorities. I take pride in our establishment. We are the best, and quite possibly the only, game in town. How did my people come to stay at station Destiny? Well…each story holds a special place in my heart. Stay a while and I might just share a few with you. I don’t shock easily, but every now and then I get one helluva story to tell. For instance, who knew near-death experiences could send a Valorian Prime into a mating frenzy with my chief of security? It’s a great story. You should ask them about it. The start of the fifteen-year Sheon Wars began as most great stories do…with forbidden lust. After all, isn’t that the best kind?
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Chapter One The proximity klaxon pierced Kendra’s dreamless sleep, jerking her awake. In a heartbeat she had her weapon drawn from beneath her pillow and aimed at the stillclosed door. Her pulse leapt with adrenaline and she could see a tremor in her extended arm. With a frown she checked her chrono and groaned. Two hours and nine minutes earlier she’d fallen into her cushy bed after pulling a killer double shift. Bare feet touched the cold floor and helped to wake her up further. “David,” she called to the security system’s ever-watchful camera. The AI reduced the alarm volume and Kendra set the pistol on the mattress to her left, keeping it aimed toward the door at all times. “Status report?” “Unidentified craft on impact path with the Miora Flats.” The AI’s sexy baritone voice held agitation. Someone was playing with his emotion programming again. Kendra scrubbed hands over her tired face and moved quickly, donning a fresh uniform. Information flooded from the AI to her mind via wireless transmission. Kendra thanked her benefactor’s generosity for hack-proofing her room in order to minimize the distasteful sensation of direct information jack. She stomped into her boots and jerked the laces tight. Her knives would have to stay behind if they were going to the flats. That thought tightened her gut with apprehension. “Get me numbers, David.” “At once.” Trajectory, elevation, approximate impact coordinates and location statistics shimmered through her mind. She pulled her long red hair in a tight braid, flipping the end over her shoulder to hang heavy down her back. With a twist in her gut, she realized just how close the impact was to the caves she’d once called home. Kendra stood and shoved her pistol in the holster, snapping the grip restraint in place. The harness nestled snug against her thigh with a tug and lock of the straps. She strode across the room, the weight of her weapon a steady comfort. With impatience, she palmed the door open and reached the end of the hall by the time a few others straggled from their rooms in sleep-rumpled clothes. Kendra reached the security room, satisfied to see her alpha team suiting up for an outside stroll through the treacherous flats. “Remember your basics, people. Slimes attack carbonite steel and any carbon life forms. Our suits will cover our own life signs, but all blades stay behind.” A groan or two followed, but she knew her people would never endanger the safety of Destiny’s Palace, out of self-preservation if nothing else. There was no way off the rock in the event of catastrophe. She dragged on her HAZMAT gear, grabbed the rescue pack, and re-secured her weapon to her thigh. The helmet slid into place and locked securely. 7
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She pulled the weatherproof map from the pack and rolled it out on the table. Her team held down the corners. The low-tech usage would make most security units in the universe sneer, but when the closest tech maintenance facility lies at the other end of an asteroid minefield, it becomes far more cost-effective to limit tech usage. “According to David, the wreckage hit in this area.” “We’ll go in three teams. Mase and Reeva, you’re with me.” The two gave quick nods. “Tango team will be in charge of transportation.” Her wheelman gave a grunt. He had his team already lined up. Kendra nodded to her aircrew. “Sierra team will make the angel sweep. Fuel is running low, so don’t overdo the flying.” Mark, the newest addition to the flight crew, rolled his eyes. He was a pain in the ass, but one of the best flyers she’d ever seen. “We don’t have the people to spare for a full-ground sweep, so my team will be in this area.” She pointed to an area a considerable distance from the safe zone. A low rumble of disapproval came from her navigator, Mase. His dark-blue skin flushed violet with agitation. “There isn’t nearly enough time to get in and out of the area before the slimes come out.” Kendra nodded. “True. We’ll have to hoof it to the caves.” The caves referred to a plateau nestled in the middle of the Miora Flats. Years of windstorms and floods during terraforming had whittled cave-like formations in the rock face. They couldn’t afford to lose a skiff to the treacherous ground, so would lose precious time on foot. “That’s suicide.” Mase was pushing the bounds of insubordination. “No. It’s practical. Look, it won’t be comfortable, but the slimes can’t survive long on the nutrient-deficient stone.” She ran her finger along the eastern ridge. “There’s a path cutting through vegetation, here.” She held up a hand to stop Mase from interrupting. “Before you ask, the cave recesses are protected from the worst of the summer storms. Fresh water is abundant deeper underground. Almost every animal out there is edible. We can survive for quite some time.” “How can you possibly know that?” Kendra rolled up the map. “The caves used to be my home.” She ignored the surprised looks on her team’s faces. “A long time ago.” A lifetime ago. The door opened and Kendra turned, unsurprised to see Destiny. Upon meeting her boss, everyone took the beauty lightly. Born into the hell of slavery, a sole survivor of a long-dead royal family, Destiny had carved her path with grit, blood and every tool in her arsenal, including her body. Most tradesmen and mining representatives walked into her office assuming she was all body, and no brain. It wasn’t a mistake they made a second time. She was more than a madam on a rock in the middle of nowhere. More than a first founder of station Destiny. Many men had tried to chip through the steel walls that surrounded her heart. All left disappointed. Stunning though she was, Destiny was all business. Kendra suffered a stab of fond jealousy. Even in a crisis there was never a perfect black hair out of place. Despite looking cool and refreshed, Destiny’s expressive
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dark eyes flashed with irritation. “This is the third impact in as many weeks. The mining factions had better not be at war again.” Kendra shrugged. “It could be another mining standoff.” The last pod held one survivor, but he was in no condition to speak. “Or it could be something else brewing.” “I don’t like it. We’re short-manned. Can you make do without backup?” Kendra ran the logistical implications in her mind. “We may need a medical team on standby.” “Done.” Destiny gave a sharp nod. “Leave the wreckage if it’s too far gone.” She didn’t have to tell Kendra to kill any hostiles. Not all strewn wreckage held survivors. Kendra nodded and pressurized her suit. “How long until dawn?” “Four hours, ten minutes and thirteen seconds.” David’s reply rang clear in her ears through the suit. “There is a weather pattern developing over the area. A summer windstorm.” She looked at her boss, and only true friend. “Piece of cake. We’ll be back before you know it.” She gave the sign to move out, and hoped for an uneventful jaunt so she could pass out for another cycle.
***** Prince Azros drew in a slow breath. His lungs burned from smoke and fate knew what else. The stench of blood and scorched metal left an acrid tang on the back of his tongue. He released the safety harness and dropped to what was left of the deck. His eyes watered from the combination of heat and smoke. He put a torn sleeve to his mouth and nose to block the worst of it. A waft of cool air came toward him and with his free arm forward, he blindly stumbled toward it. His gloved hand reached something and he squinted. The chassis had been ripped open. Shock and nausea warred with the need to get out of the still-burning escape pod. It was a miracle he survived the crash. With a pang he thought of the others, praying to the fates for a way to set them free. He pushed through the gaping hole. Wheezing coughs shook his chest. The raw taste of rotting vegetation and stagnant water permeated through the coughs. Breathable, precious air sucked into his abused lungs. He dragged off his gloves and let them drop to the ground. Azros moved from the burn path to a crop of vegetation. A piercing side pain broke through the adrenaline rush and he pressed a palm against the exposed skin. His fingers touched something warm and sticky. Blood. A sudden cold shiver ran down his spine and he clenched his teeth. A red haze formed over his sight. Not again. Sweat pearled on his forehead and his pulse hammered. He swiped his face against his forearm. The episodes were growing worse. On his home planet, his people would have rejoiced at this…his coming of age. The second rise of a Valorian Prime. Lousy fucking timing. There would be no home to go 9
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back to, and no woman who would understand his needs, the bond. Nothing left but slavery for his people. He had to get word to home. His vision cleared after a moment. A smoke-roughened chuckle ended in gut-wrenching coughs. Through the haze of his escape only one thought had pushed him to endure…the Sheon heir would never take a Valorian mate. He had escaped a forced mating, but now he was suffering from an early rise. The burning need to possess would grow until he became mad with it, and fates help anyone who tried to stop him. Lucky for his people, his Sheon captor hadn’t known the significance of his tiger striping to the Valorian race. Only a fool would have let the blood prince out of her sight. “We have a survivor!” a strong female voice carried to his ears. He clenched his jaw and the corded muscles along his body responded with instant feline awareness. A woman to possess. He grew hard and ready, inhaling the surrounding scents. Smoke and fire had dampened his senses. Mine. Take. Want. “Don’t come any closer,” he bellowed, hoping the female would stay back. For both their sakes. “He’s hurt. Look at his side.” She ignored his warning, climbing down an embankment to him. “We are rescuers. Your ship showed up on our sensors.” The voice held a snap of command. He glared at the approaching female. Two others followed. The smallest one was curved and purposeful in her stride. Confident. Obviously female, and a bit too short for his taste. The one who spoke stepped in front of the little one and caressed the grip of a holstered weapon. He inhaled again, trying to make out the others’ intentions. Two females. A male. He growled low in his throat. The third part of the group lagging behind was male. “Whoa there, tiger. We’re not here to hurt you.” The smaller female looked up at her companions. “Do you think our translators are working right?” “Look at his tattoos. I’ve never seen anything like it.” The male’s voice triggered territorial anger. Mine! He bared his teeth, shaking with the need to fight. “Cut the chatter, people. We have plenty of time to speculate after we get to safety. Too many delays already.” The taller female tilted her head, as though judging him. Her voice cut through the rage. Azros glared at the speaker. She was decked in the same suit as the others, but carried herself with a cloak of command. A belt held enough firepower to escape the Sheons twice over. Her hand twitched on the butt of her weapon. That shouldn’t have turned him on, but it did. He grimaced. “You’re not safe here. Go.” His voice was raw with smoke and tightly reined lust. She shrugged and the field pack she wore slid to a more solid position. “Look. I’m guessing you’ve got a story, and I’d love to hear all about it over some kaffe. We, however, have less than twenty minutes to get to safety before all of us, including your ship, become slime food.”
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She again blocked the forward movement of the small female, and he grinned at the protective gesture. The fates had provided him with a formidable opponent, one who could possibly survive his aggression. Not one of his kind, however, so perhaps the mating wouldn’t be permanent. A part of him didn’t want to take the chance, but in his mind it was a hollow suggestion. He was reaching the limits of his control…and that was just unacceptable. Heat blazed down his spine. He moved, faster than the human eye could follow, and had the female up against a metal plate before she could cry out. “You need to leave here. Now.” Her gasp weakened his control. He could make her cry out, beg in lust, and need. With an iron will Azros reined in his near-overwhelming reaction. By the widening of her eyes, he could tell she was more than aware of how hard he was. A slight change in her scent told him she wasn’t opposed to it either. He blocked an expert kick, and slammed her back against the plate. “Chief!” An explosion rocked the site, blasting them with heat and pressure. Instinct had him taking their impact and rolling her away from the heat, shielding her from the worst of it. Her face shield had cracked and her scent was clear and distinct. Fresh soap, sweat and a sweet aroma that reminded him of the females from home. This close, he could make out soft gray eyes and red hair. He was always partial to gingers. Her eyes turned iron-gray in a glare that would have burned any other man where he stood. Azros grinned. She would be perfect. A punch to the jaw jerked his head. A second hit to his already wounded side clenched his gut in agony. Pain clouded his vision and she was out from under him before he could catch his breath. The hell with perfect. She was feral! She grabbed him by the collar and jerked him against her so that only the cracked shield stood between them. “We don’t have time for this shit! Now listen to me. I am not going to die out here, and neither are you, so if we don’t move our asses, you’ll make a liar out of me. And I never lie.” “Chief!” The rival male’s voice held a note of desperation that calmed the beast just enough to let her words sink in. “Get your asses to the north ridge. Now.” “What about you?” She tilted her head. “We’ll be there. Move. That’s an order.” “Shoot him.” “I can’t! I’ll hit the chief.” “Stand down!” His woman was spitting mad. Azros gripped her arms. A sharp knee to the gut forced air out of his already burning lungs. She rolled to a kneeling position in a graceful maneuver. He glared at her, but the part of his mind that was still Azros was relieved. He moved carefully, rising to his feet. She stood slowly, a 11
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slight grin curving her lips. She could hold her own. The instinct part of Azros bared his teeth in a feral grin. She was worthy to mate. Mine. Mine alone. His peripheral vision kept the other two in sight. “Chief. I have a shot.” The ginger beauty’s gaze didn’t stray from his, challenging him on a primal level. “I said stand down, Mase.” “What do you want us to do?” The petite female’s hands touched the tall male, restraining him. The one they called Chief eyed Azros warily, staying out of reach. They all did. Smart. “You can obviously move and talk. Can you run as though your life depends on it?” The fierce cry of freedom burned in his chest. “Try me.” It came out in a half growl. She caressed the butt of her weapon. “Good. Believe me when I say it does.” She jerked her chin toward the plateau. “We’re running out of time. Get to the ridge. Move out, or so help me I will shoot your asses myself.” The petite female hesitated. “He’s Valorian, and showing territorial madness. A mating frenzy. He’ll chase if you run.” The two outsiders moved from his sight and he shifted to keep them in his peripheral. “A mating frenzy.” The redhead sighed, drawing his attention back to her. His mind and body calmed, ready and expectant. As if he’d waited all his life for this moment. “Fates never make it easy, do they?” She rolled her shoulders and smiled. “You want to play? Let’s find out just how much power you have in those incredible muscles of yours.” She ran.
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Chapter Two Kendra evaded the newcomer as if her life depended on it. The fact that it actually did helped tremendously. He was a powerful hunter, pacing her, waiting for her to tire. Reeva called him Valorian, and the communications expert had yet to be wrong. Even wounded, the Valorian was a formidable opponent. Pressure change in the air told her morning was coming fast. The reek of rotting vegetation leaked through the cracks on her face shield. She shifted the pack to a more secure hold and dug in for the last leg. Too many questions swirled in her mind. The first rays of Para Sol tinged the horizon blood red. A sinking feeling told her they wouldn’t make it in time, not before the slimes woke up. So how do you tell a testosterone-ridden he-man that he needed to hold on to his hormones? Her thoughts raced. This wasn’t the first time she’d faced the slimes, but the Valorian was green and thinking with other parts of his obviously spectacular anatomy. She puffed out a breath at the spike of interest his erection had created. Valorian lore was very sketchy. Her people had begun trading with the Valorians about the time she was exiled. What the hell did a mating frenzy consist of? The universe was full of strange traditions and dangerous rituals. It would be her luck if Valorian mating consisted of a human sacrifice. She couldn’t remember anything solid, even if rumors of their endurance already proved incredibly accurate. Not many could maintain this kind of race in thin atmosphere. Even fewer could do so with a side wound. Her deviant mind went to other areas of endurance. Head out of the slag, Kendra. Her internal chrono wound ever closer to wake-up time. Legs and lungs burned at the loss of oxygen. Too much of her reserves were leaking out of the facemask. The first bubble of crimson slime oozed from the thick morass of swamp grass. Overly sweet and horrifically familiar stench twisted her gut. Her hand gripped one of the sonic grenades, unlatching it from her belt, and she prayed they wouldn’t need to use it. “Don’t let it touch you.” With a strain of her already tapped leg muscles, she cleared the mass in a jump that brought her too close to the Valorian. “What is that?” His gaze burned with the same possessive lust, but he seemed torn. Almost sane. “Slimes. Deadly. Think flesh-eating toxin.” Kendra’s lungs burned from the thin atmosphere. She jumped over a bubbling crevice. “Let me be very clear. Don’t let it touch you. Follow my lead if you want to live long enough to tell me what the hell a mating frenzy is, and how to stop it.” A slime spurted at her from a jagged crack. She screamed.
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In a blink he had her in his arms and on another rock. “Thanks, uh—” “What makes you think I want to stop it?” The smoldering heat lit a fire deep inside. It had been too long. Way too long since a man had burned for her. “I’ve fought too hard for my freedom to let it end on this rock.” “Interesting that you think mating and imprisonment are the same thing.” His grin was fierce and determined. And too damn arrogant. “We need to move. They trace prey by carbon emission and you’re reeking of it. Most of them will focus on your ship, but it won’t take long to digest. This rock won’t stop them.” She pushed away from his hold and climbed the next rock. They were too far away from the safety of the caves. “Keep an eye out for the yellow ones. They’re more intelligent than the others.” “And far deadlier, I take it.” He followed close behind, but she could see a shift in focus. “You said the slimes could devour an entire ship. How long are we talking here?” “Less time than it would take to brew a pot of kaffe.” Para Sol peeked over the mountain range, spilling golden light across the swamp. Morning touched the sluggish slime packs. Her eyes widened. Shit. Yellow. Was it yellow, or was it a trick of the light? Slime bait. She needed slime bait. Light blinded her through the reflective sheen of her cracked helmet. She twisted the bucket and took it off. Without missing a beat, she threw it away from their path. The awakened slimes converged on the helmet and she tapped harder into her reserves, taking the narrow patch of rock. “This is it.” She had seconds before they would finish off the helmet. With a flick of her wrist she released the catch and tossed the sonic grenade in the center of the bubbling red mass. Yellow slime moved slowly around the morass. The translucent veins webbed throughout each bulbous predator, pulsing with toxins designed to paralyze the victim while the slime dissolved its prey. A horrible death. The sonic disruptor triggered on the grenade and she turned. “Run!” The ground reverberated in a dissonance that set her teeth on edge. She ducked behind a sludge tree, yanking Azros with her. She dragged in a breath and the piercing scream of slimes exploding left a satisfying feeling of temporary victory. “Are they dead?” She took out her last grenade and prepped it for use. “No, just disrupted. Their core consciousness has to regroup and rebuild the neural network.” She jerked her chin toward the tree. “Don’t touch the sap.” “I’m afraid to ask.” With Para Sol shining behind him, the Valorian resembled hero sculptures from the Atella museum on her now dead home world. Rugged. Handsome. Too much to handle. Definitely too arrogant. She shook her head. “That black stuff is a trap, an inescapable invitation to be slime food.” An oppressive breeze threaded through the
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swamp, carrying the stench of more slimes. She brushed a sweat-soaked tendril behind her ear. “This world is just full of fun and happiness, isn’t it?” His breaths came in hard gasps. The thin atmosphere had to be tearing up his already abused lungs. She eased her braid over her shoulder. “You should hang around for mating season. The flying Ka’lary rip each other apart to impress their mates. When the season nears an end, they turn to other prey to replace their fallen brethren.” She bent over and put her hands on her knees, dragging in deep breaths and stretching her back for the last burst. Too many lazy nights at Destiny’s Palace. “Guess who the lucky ones are?” She grinned. He shook his head. “We’re almost there. More slimes up ahead, so watch your step. One drop and you’re as good as dead. Catch your breath now.” “Great.” He was as happy about this as she was. “Do you have any more of those grenades?” He pressed a hand against his side and stretched. “We each carry two, and I’d rather not use this one if we don’t need to. The slime spatter is uncontrollable.” He held out a hand. “Azros, Valorian Prime.” Kendra jerked in surprise. She tentatively held out her hand. “Kendra St. Thomas, chief security contractor for Destiny’s Palace.” His hand engulfed hers in a firm grip. “Pleased to meet you.” Warmth spread from his touch up her arm. She tugged loose from his grasp and cleared her throat. “Likewise. Do you mind if we do this a little later? I’d like to survive long enough to enjoy the rest of my weekend.” “Of course.” He sounded contrite but there was something in his gaze that told her he knew exactly how his touch affected her. “It’s a short distance. Ready?” His head jerked in a nod, and she didn’t hesitate. The push-off was painful to her straining muscles, but the pace was less brutal than it had been. The ground was treacherous this close to the plateau and one false move would bring their escape to a horrific end. His breathing patterns settled into short gasps, as did hers. The cool water, the hot springs, and refreshing oxygen producing moss banks waiting in the caves became a mantra in her mind. “Look out!” Azros slammed into her with all the finesse of a mining train’s lift-off. Air rushed out of her lungs and in a split second he had her weapon discharged in the central core of a yellow slime. It made a horrific scream and splashed against the rocks. Kendra covered her head and heard the hiss of slime. Cloyingly sweet stench mixed with the reek of her suit’s destruction.
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Kendra didn’t hesitate. She jerked the straps of her pack loose and tried to shrug it off. Panic choked her, but she couldn’t stop. A horrific roar tore from the Valorian. He grasped the material. “It’s no use. You can’t break it.” The material tore apart as if it were muslin. Muscles bulged and his gaze burned deep. He ripped the sleeve of her suit off and tossed it to the yellow sludge. It fell on the material, devouring it. Hard lips pressed against hers in a firm kiss. Teeth scraped on her bottom lip and she jerked back, surprised. “Close your mouth before I take it for an invitation.” He handed over the pistol, and she slid it into the holster without saying a word. His hands pushed her forward, but her mind spent a moment in shock. No unaltered human could rip appelite mesh apart with bare hands. No one had ever stripped her of a weapon, not since her exile. What kind of creature is he? Azros cursed in his native language, wondering what in the nine hells had possessed him to kiss her. His cock pulsed, aching to fuck her into submission. He shouldered the pack with its single strap, and tucked the loose one in a mesh pocket to keep it from snagging. They climbed the razor-sharp rocks, carefully making their way through the rubble. She would be a hellcat in bed. He cleared his throat. “Are we safe?” He watched the way her ass moved in the suit, wondering what it would feel like to scrape his teeth on the skin. Fuck. He couldn’t remember his rise to Prime being this violent, this aggressive. Blood thundered through his veins in a primitive call, sending his already energy-tapped body into an adrenaline overdrive. His cock throbbed with the desire to fuck. To take. The red haze dropped over his vision. “Azros.” His attention snapped back to Kendra, her voice clearing his sight. He shook his head, trying to clear the fog of aggression from his mind. “I’m sorry, what?” He was close enough to see the storm raging in her eyes. The rich scent of her body teased him like a spring breeze. Kendra stood on a rock that had them almost at eye level. “I said we should be safe. For now. We have to get to the caves before a windstorm rolls through.” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve lost a lot of blood. Hang in there a bit more.” Her grip was firm. Loose tendrils flowed around her face like a halo of flame. “I’m fine.” His hands shook with the need to pull her braid loose and bury them in her hair. Her smile was lovely, if cautious. He could remember a time, before his ship was overrun, when a woman’s smile held sweet secrets. A lifetime ago. He ran a thumb over her bottom lip, expecting resistance, but her lip softened under his touch. “I think we’ve had more than enough close calls today. Let’s keep moving.”
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Her eyes darkened, and for a moment she rubbed her lip against his thumb. “Let’s go.” She cleared her throat and turned. They climbed the rocks, grabbing footholds where they could. “That was a remarkable show of strength and skill, Azros.” He liked the way his name rolled off her tongue. “Was it?” She gave a small chuckle. He moved carefully, his energy depleting. The energy loss would slow his body’s healing. An ache formed at the base of his skull. “You know, up until today appelite mesh was thought to be unbreakable.” Azros bit back a reply, shocked to find that he’d almost answered her without reservation. He was the prince of his people, keeper of their secrets. Six months of torture at the hands of Skreeta hadn’t brought him close to confessing. Exhaustion. Too much blood loss. “You must have a knock-off brand, then.” He saw her lips tighten and a strange sense of loss clenched within his chest. “Must be.” She jumped down the next rock and brushed her suit with hands tense with anger. Dirt swirled around her. “We’re here.” The rock face looked solid. He didn’t speak the obvious. She glanced back at him. “It’s an illusion, a natural rock formation. Come this way.” She hiked down the final rock path, gripping straggled roots for support down the steep descent. He trekked behind her, cursing the lack of grip on his boots as tiny rocks slid under his feet. Azros used his reflexes, stretching out his hand to grasp a root. The bag swung. White-hot pain pierced his side and he gasped, cursing the fact that he’d forgotten his wound. He jerked to a stop at the bottom, dragging in a breath to fight the pain. The pack dropped at his feet. She steadied him, gazing at him with those soulful eyes. “The first time I came down that bit, I ate the ground.” She grinned, a sexy stretch of her full lips. “You had far more grace than I did, and I didn’t even have a wound in my side as an excuse.” She picked up the pack and slid her arm around his waist. His arm came over her, not wanting to use her support, but unable to do anything to stop his reaction to her touch. If he was the cat his race was compared to, he would purr. Of course, he’d been known to do that a time or two. Instead, he wanted to find a warm nook to curl up with her and allow his body to finish healing. A rock floor was far better than a Sheon prison cell any cycle. She stilled, her head lifting toward the rising sol. “Windstorm is coming.” It was then that he noticed the oppressive humidity pressing down against him. She lifted her hand to the comm in her ear. “Alpha Two, this is Alpha One, do you copy?” His ears could pick up the faint sounds in her earpiece. “We’ve made it to the other side of the cliff face. There’s one helluva storm rolling in. Hunker down until it passes. We’ll head out at nightfall and return to the Palace.”
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She paused, tilting her head and gave a small chuckle. “I’m sure I’ll be fine. Alpha One out.” She tugged out her comm and let it dangle over her suit. “Storm is tearing up the comm lines.” “They make it okay?” “Yeah.” She glanced at him. “Is that mating thing over?” He gave a rough laugh, too worn down to want to tempt his mating urges to return. “No, but I may have a bit of time before another episode hits me. Survival instinct kicked in to save the day, for now.” She paused and he waited for her to absorb that before they stepped through a sensor shield. The familiar buzz of the barrier eased his mind. He breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing would sneak up on him without an alarm sounding. They rounded a curve and he jerked to a stop. An instinctive awareness stood his hair on end. His gaze couldn’t take in everything at once. He knew he bared his teeth, but couldn’t help it. There was no way he could mistake the iconic dragon’s eye illuminated on the wall. She laughed, letting her hands fall away. With a grin of relief she gestured to the advanced construct. “Welcome to Terraform Lab 1289A, but you can call it Bob. I do.” His mind refused to register her words. Blood pounded in his head. He was in a Sheon lab.
***** At seven, a few months before her family’s murder, Kendra had visited a traveling zoo. From that early age giant cats fascinated her. Most of the cats were content, lounging around their manufactured habitats. All but one. He paced the cage, stalking his way from one end to the other. Every muscle was rigid with tension and aggression. Growls and feral snarls came from his throat. She caught his eye and he paused, staring down at her with hungry eyes. Not for food. No, he was hungry for freedom, and at that moment she realized he would kill her if she stood in his way. He lifted his incredible head and pressed against the bars, closed golden eyes, ripping an emotional hole deep in her heart. An emptiness she never understood. Until now. All the power and grace of the giant cat radiated from Azros. She could see the same desperation, the same dangerous intent. Her fingers itched to caress the butt of her weapon, but any sign of aggression might unleash whatever imperative held him frozen. “Azros, you’re in a terraforming lab cell. It hasn’t been inhabited for quite some time.” She kept her voice calm, trying to ease the wire-tight tension. “It’s Sheon.” He spat the word like a curse. Her hackles rose. “That’s a name rarely spoken around here.” Her voice was deadly quiet. A knot of cold fury tightened in her gut. “This facility belongs to Destiny’s Palace now. We track the terraform process to keep our facility safe.”
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His fists clenched and every muscle trembled. A fierce scent overpowered her, reminding her of dark spices and desert nights. “A Sheon command ship overtook my vessel.” His voice carried to her, thick with strain and fury. Kendra tapped into her mind, coming up blank on the command vessel. She had no solid memories of military rank structure in the Sheon regime. Only the family assassin line. It had kept her alive. “We were on a scout mission to find out why our mining satellite wasn’t sending regular updates.” His voice was ragged, harsh. “My people are a fiercely loyal and devoted one.” He paused and drew in a breath. “The captain of the vessel had all the female,” he cleared his throat, “companions of my men slaughtered. We could do nothing.” Horror twisted in her stomach and her heart ached. She could see how the memory weighed on his shoulders, or he was a damn good actor. Instinct told her otherwise, but something about him was getting under her skin, and she didn’t like it. “The Sheon were merciless.” Her parents’ murders were violent, but she thought that isolated to an individual, not a legacy. “Why would they do that?” “They wanted us to mate with them.” Kendra moved slowly around, staying in his line of sight. She tugged at her suit. It was getting warm. Likely a reaction to the slime run. “I don’t see how killing a loved one would make you a desirable mate.” Azros gave a rough laugh. “They didn’t need our cooperation. Only our bodies. We were drugged.” Kendra froze. A curse flew from her lips. Then another. She put her fists down on the table, wanting to hit something. “How many are left?” She didn’t need to ask him if he escaped. The pod was obviously battle-damaged. It was the same style of pod the man back at Destiny’s Palace had been found in. That meant the Palace could be in danger. She wouldn’t ask him if he’d been taken. Wouldn’t ask him if he’d lost a mate. It wasn’t her business. So why did it burn so much in the back of her mind? “In the pens? Too many.” Destiny would lose her mind. Consent was ingrained deep in her moral code. Why would the Sheon revert to capture and rape? Had things really fallen so far from the teachings? Kendra observed the weather screen. “I have to get word to the Palace. They have to know someone may be looking for you.” She brought up the message interface. The windstorm was in early fury. It would be hours before it would move on. Hours with no word back to the Palace. A part of her said to tread with caution. He may not be telling the truth, but the gut instinct that kept her alive told her otherwise. Her fingers flew across the keys. She tapped out a message and sent it encrypted to the Palace. It would arrive when the windstorm ended.
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She clenched her fists. It would have to be enough. Flashes of her parents’ death, their suffering, and her inability to save them broke free of the chains in her segmented memory. She shoved them back in the compartments she’d created long ago in the depths of her mind. “We can’t do anything about it right now. Trust me when I say this facility hasn’t seen a Sheon citizen in over ten standard years.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. Sweat pearled on her spine and slid down, tickling the sensitive skin. She unzipped the suit. It was getting ridiculously warm. The rake of cloth against her skin was almost too much sensation to bear. Shit, what if they’d fallen into some unknown danger. An allergic reaction, maybe? She shrugged out of the top of her suit and stalked out of the lab and toward medical. The suit top hung at her hips, brushing against her legs with every step. She hated the full-body ensemble, but it was necessary. “Where are you going?” “To medical. There’s something wrong.” There was an edge of anger in her voice. “Besides, we need to get you scanned for further damage.” He reached her in the lounge, catching the bare skin of her arm. “Wait.” His touch burned her like sensory overload. She jerked back from his hold and rubbed it. “Stop manhandling me, or next time you’ll end up on your back.” Why did she say that? And why did it sound so suggestive? Her nipples tightened. This close his spiced scent wrapped around her. Maybe she was allergic to him. “Stay away from me.” She ground the words out through clenched teeth. His gaze burned into her. “I think I know what’s wrong.” He looked apologetic, and damn him, sexy as sin. He leaned close. She jerked her head back. “What are you doing?” The white gleam of his smile showed a little something she didn’t expect. Fangs. “An experiment.” He moved closer and she backed away a step. “What kind of experiment?” Her back hit a wall and she dragged in a breath. “A very simple one.” He moved so close she could see the specs of green in his eyes, the near feline slits of his pupils. His scent surrounded her. “You’re causing this.” She meant to sound angry, not breathless. “Likely.” His gaze wandered over her face. “Your pupils are dilated.” He pressed his hands on either side of her head. Her breath hitched and her pulse raced. “I can see your heart racing. Can taste your scent on the air.” His breath blew across her hair. “You are so hot for me, it’s almost unbearable.” She choked on a laugh, irritated and growing angry at the accuracy of his words. “Yeah. That’s it. Or, maybe I don’t like having anyone close to me. I have this personal space thing.” Her fingers unclasped her weapon. “You know what I think?” His lips hovered close to hers. 20
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“No. What?” She couldn’t stop the breathless hush of her voice. “I think you want to kiss me.” She pressed the barrel of her weapon under his chin. His lips thinned and a muscle on his cheek tightened, but other than that he could have been carved out of stone. “I said. Back. Off.” She pushed harder. “You’re not going to shoot me.” His arrogance was ridiculous. She wanted to snarl. Bite. Where’s that spine of steel Destiny always accuses you of having? “Why not?” “You’ve had plenty of opportunities if that was your aim. You didn’t have to rescue me in the first place.” Damn him for his smile. “I’d hate to see all that effort go to waste now.” He was smug. “I don’t like this.” His smile turned rueful, tired. “Do you think I do? I can’t help what’s happening any more than you can.” “We can fight it.” He gently pushed the barrel of the gun away. “To what end? For how long?” His fingers caressed her jawline. It was the softest touch. She bit the inside of her cheek to stop the moan from escaping. “This is temporary for you. For me, it’s part of what I am. Who I am.” She let her arm drop to her side, the weight of her weapon a nuisance, nothing more. His touch was so nice. A warm burn of lust began deep in her core. She let her head fall back against the wall and stared up at the stark ceiling. “How long can you hold off?” His fingers stopped their exploration, resting gently against her collarbone. “How long will the windstorms last?” She could hear the restraint in his voice, feel it in the rigid way he held his body away from her. “Another six hours. Maybe more. It’ll be another three or so after that before we can leave. We can’t trek out until nightfall.” His laugh was rough, filled with frustration. “I’ve survived this long.” His hands left her skin and pressed back against the wall. She ached at the sudden loss of his heat, fighting the urge to reach for him. She clenched her fist and gripped the pistol tightly with her other hand. “Come on, tiger, let’s see to those wounds. Then we’ll see where it leads us.” She holstered her weapon. He paused and smiled, the sight of his fangs a bit more disconcerting than she’d like. “So, you have fangs.” Sharp, gleaming and oh so dangerous. Her pulse leapt, and not from fear. “Are they cosmetic?”
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“It’s unique to our race. They’re quite effective. Can you think of a place you’d like me to nibble on?” Pure mischief lit his eyes. “That smile should be outlawed.” His lips brushed against the sensitive shell of her ear. “Lead the way.” She gently pushed against his chest, ignoring how desperately she wanted to see what wonders his suit held. His hands fell away with a gentle caress of her throat. Kendra clenched her teeth against the need to arch against his touch. Her eyes traveled down his chest to his obvious erection. His cock strained against his suit, hard. Ready. Her pussy slickened with desire. Stop thinking about it! She was acting like a randy teenager for fate’s sake. Her gaze jerked back to his face and the look he gave her was pure male arrogance. She cleared her throat and wiped damp palms against her suit. “Follow me.” The corridor was stark and painted in leftover gray mining paint. Azros filled the space, making her feel almost claustrophobic. “Come here often?” Kendra chuckled at the suggestive way he asked the question. She chose to ignore the bad pickup line to give him more of the truth. “I came here with my parents. They were commissioned to track terraforming anomalies on this planet.” They reached the medlab and she turned the crank. The door creaked open and air pressure rushed out. Kendra checked the door’s seal out of habit. “Very low tech.” His voice traveled away from her side, but he made no sounds when he walked. “If you mean not having all the bells and whistles like automatic doors, then yeah. Low tech. When you’re in the middle of a terraform shitstorm, having the power go out is a little bit more than inconvenient.” She palmed the light switch. Light flooded the sterile room. “So your parents worked for the Sheon Empire?” Kendra rolled her eyes. “You make it sound like the empire is a great nameless entity.” She walked over to the console and initiated the D.O.C. interface. “My parents worked for the science and life consortium.” Again, not a complete lie. She unbuckled her belt and gently laid it beside the console. Her holster followed. “We were going to build a new Sheon home planet. Split from the old ways.” She could feel his gaze, like the eyes of a predator. Weighing her every move. His charm had hidden depths. Something was changing. Tension crackled between them. There was no doubt sex with Azros would be legendary. She licked suddenly dry lips. This was not the way to stop thinking about him. Please remove your garment. A disembodied male voice spoke in gentle and soothing tones. Couldn’t have said it better myself. She grinned at the shock on his face. “Apparently Bob thinks it’s time to get this scan over with.” Kendra picked up her gear and hauled it 22
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behind the protective shield. She hesitated a micron before locking her weapons in the key-coded cabinet. Being unarmed around a stranger made her uncomfortable, but his ability to take her weapon earlier still burned in the back of her mind. Her cheeks flushed and a spark of anger coiled. He was obviously combat-trained, and she wasn’t at her best. She wasn’t dead yet, so he wasn’t a Sheon assassin. Please remove your garment. Each of them would undergo a complete exam. “You should do as he says. He has a really mean voice when you ignore his commands.” “Who is Bob, exactly?” Kendra almost missed his question. He was unzipping his suit. Well, what was left of it, anyway. His disrobing was too much of a temptation to ignore. Dark skin with sparse fur on his chest. Just the way she liked it. Her fingers itched to run along the ridges of his abs. That’s it! I’m definitely getting some downtime after this mission. Drooling all over a stranger? I am way overdue for an appointment in the pleasure dome. She had to clear her throat to be able to speak. “He’s the terraform lab’s AI.” His arms shrugged out of the flight suit. It gave her a moment to consider his raw, masculine beauty. Azros was breathtaking. His neck and shoulders had tiger stripes of darker skin. She wanted to see his back, touch the stripes. How far down did they actually go? Was it a tattoo? A birthmark? Would it have a different texture if she ran her fingers…or tongue over it? Her gaze followed his fingers down to the waist, where either his butt or his dick held up the suit. Kendra was betting on both. “Should I get a sheet?” There was laughter in his voice, but no matter how hard she tried, Kendra couldn’t drag her gaze away. “For what?” Her husky question was followed by a shrug of his powerful shoulders. His hands slid the suit over his massive erection. “Right.” She cleared her throat. Kendra quickly averted her eyes and walked over to a cabinet. His quiet laughter chased her. She slid open a drawer and pulled out a sheet. Everything was getting to her. Even the normally soft material felt unusually scratchy against her hands. Get a hold of yourself. You’ve seen it all before. Hell, sex was a regular part of her life. She happily defended the men and women who chose the oldest profession, so why was he getting under her skin? She turned and smacked into a hard body. Awareness and shock mixed. How did he sneak up on her? I must be more exhausted than I thought. His hands steadied her, but all Kendra could do was inhale the rich scent of him. He gently extracted the sheet from her hands. Her gaze followed the line of his arm and zeroed in on the wound on his side. It took only a moment to recognize old skin burns of a Sheon slave weapon. Long-buried memories flashed in her mind. It had marred her mother’s broken body in the same way. His skin was torn along his rib cage. Her fingers traced the outside of the burn pattern. “Looks like this came from the 23
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crash.” Why did she say that? She gently pressed on the bruised area and heard him suck in a breath. Any excuse to touch him, huh, Kendra? “And your fist.” A small spurt of satisfaction lit up her mood with that reminder. “Yeah. Looks like you’re going to hurt for a while.” Please lie down on the table. The scan will commence. Kendra stepped away and clenched her hands into tight fists to keep from touching him again. “Looks like that’s my clue. I’ll go get the esskin.” “Running away?” Kendra put all her attitude in the way she raised her gaze to his. The sexual awareness shining in their depths upped the heat coiled in her body. His grin told her it was only a matter of time. “Just weighing the options. Now be good for doctor Bob. I’ll prep the esskin and see if there are any clothes you can wear.” She patted his arm and used every ounce of her willpower to walk away. For now.
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Chapter Three Water blasted against her shoulders and back. Kendra groaned as the much-needed shower washed grime down the drain. Azros was dangerous. She placed her fists side by side on the tile and leaned her forehead against them. He moved like a military man. The marks on his body were recent, and brutal, lining up with his story. Aside from Destiny, Azros was the only other being in the galaxy to earn her trust on a gut level. And that’s what worried her. Was it some weird mating instinct that made her trust him? Could it bypass her normal caution? If there wasn’t this hormone stuff to deal with, she could get Azros out of her system. What did a mating consist of anyway? It had to be more than sex. Streams of water poured along her neck to flow down her chest. Everything had a distinct scent—the water, the sanitizing soap, even the disinfectant she had in a bottle on the sink. It was as if all her senses were on overdrive. The shower was roomy, large enough to fit several people. Her mother had called it their only luxury. The lights dimmed and Kendra sighed. The windstorm was picking up. She turned off the water and hit the autodry. Wind battered at her body, reminding her of aches and bruises on top of last night’s security shift. Her scuffs and scrapes were minimal, but her legs were going to be screaming tomorrow. She hoped her team fared better than they had. She opened the door and stepped out of the shower before her hair could completely dry. Would Azros be able to find his way around? A tap on the door brought a smile to her lips. “What is it?” “I’m done with the exam, but I need help applying the esskin.” She slipped on her light undergarments, wishing for something less…serviceable. A little more feminine maybe? “I’ll be out in a moment. The esskin is on the table.” She gave her appearance a quick glance. A shower couldn’t do anything about the scratch on her cheek or the way her lips always looked as if she were pouting. Her tangled mane of hair tumbled down her back in a damp mess. She pulled it back in a ponytail and dreaded brushing it. A set of her personal loungewear completed the ensemble. Kendra nodded at her reflection. Train wreck. At least her clothes fit. She doubted any of the shirts she’d found would fit across Azros’ massive chest. She clenched her eyes against the mental image of the bare-skinned Valorian. Way to be professional, Kendra. Seven more hours until nightfall. She could hold out. Another knock sounded. Kendra took in a shaky breath and opened the door. Azros leaned against the doorframe, all hard muscle and strength. And bare from the hips up. Her heart slammed in her chest. She was definitely a goner. “None of the shirts fit, I take it?” She was surprised at how easily the words came out of her dry mouth. Lust 25
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formed a hard knot in her core, one that ached to be filled. Oh yeah, she was definitely a goner. “No.” The dry tone of voice told her he didn’t even try. An appreciative gleam in his eyes kicked the heat up a notch. She shrugged a shoulder and breezed past him. Sexual awareness tingled down her spine at the close brush of her skin against his. “Let’s get you bandaged.” Synthetic skin, or esskin, was efficient for most wounds, but it was tricky when you were dealing with high-stretch areas, like the side, knee joints, hands. If it wasn’t applied properly, esskin could cause terrible scarring, improper healing, or in the case of her feet, muscular atrophy. It had taken years to undo the damage she’d accidently caused, but there was no doubt it had saved her life. “I had a doctor use this stuff as a bone graph in the field.” Azros sat on a padded ottoman and gingerly raised his arm to expose his side for bandaging. The lines of his face deepening were the only indication of his pain. She brought the tray to the ottoman and set it down. “I’ve never heard it used that way. One of the ladies had an organ patched up with the stuff. It was the most amazing thing.” Kendra washed, disinfected, and dried the area with efficiency. Bob had done a great job of cauterizing the wound. It looked deep, but there was no muscle showing. That was good. If the wound had been more serious, she would have been notified. She tried to be gentle, but going slow would prolong the agony. Her gentle probing of the swollen tissue brought a soft grunt from his throat. “I hope the organ patch was a temporary fix.” He smelled like spicy male and fresh soap. A unique blend. Kendra peeled the patch loose and gently placed it over his wound. “It got her to an Exodus ship. Medic class.” Azros gave a low whistle. “That’s quite a distance. I’ll have to remember that trick.” Kendra laughed, smoothing the edges down. “Let’s hope you never have to use it.” Azros cursed and she clicked her tongue in sympathy. He visibly paled. The burn would stop once the bonding completed. An anesthetic would eventually seep in and keep the pain levels down. “Did you enjoy the shower?” She placed her palm over the patch and winced at the escaping heat. It would be over in a moment. “Yeah.” His jaw clenched and he released a breath. “Though mine wasn’t nearly as roomy as yours.” He gave her a mocking glare. His jaw clenched again and she could see the muscles of his side contract in agony. “Don’t blame me. This was the head scientist’s suite. Rank had its privileges.” “I bet. Sheon politics at its best, no doubt.” Kendra shook her head. The patch grew cooler and spots of color returned to his cheeks. It was almost done. “His family was isolated to a barren rock with fifteen
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months between supply drops. A luxury shower with water reclamation isn’t too much to ask for, is it?” Azros didn’t look convinced, but at least she’d distracted him a bit. She grinned. “Besides, no one else knows about it. So I sneak out here every now and then for some peace and quiet.” His lips twitched in the makings of a smile. She had only the sudden widening of his eyes as warning. His hands clenched on her arms. A full-body shudder racked his frame. Azros doubled over and gave an animalistic cry. Kendra instinctively gripped his forearms. What the hell? The muscles of his body tightened. “What is it?” Her mind raced. There was no way she could get him to medical. Was he having a reaction to the esskin? Sweat beaded his forehead. His intriguing scent surrounded them. “You need to get away from me.” Even as the words left his lips, his hands drew her closer. “Why, what is it?” His eyes were changing. The pupils dilated and the delicious scent unique to Azros surrounded her. Voracious lust clenched in her core. “Oh shit.” His hands slid up her arms. “Is this that mating thing again?” She knew it was. Her pussy ached to be filled, leaving her a trembling wreck. Keep him talking. She touched his face and his eyes closed. Her fingers touched his stripes and she was shocked at how soft they were. Like the finest cloth. He grabbed her wrist and held her hand against his face. “You don’t want to do that.” “Touch you?” “Tempt me.” The raw aggression in his voice sent her pulse into overdrive. “The bandage has set. It should hold for a while.” She gently brushed a thumb across his striped cheek. Azros had a rugged and wild beauty that she’d never seen before. It had to be the mating thing talking. Another shudder racked his body. The mating scent grew stronger. Kendra realized what Azros wouldn’t say…the mating was taking over his body. She dropped to a knee in front of him. “How does this mating thing work?” She watched his battle for sanity. A part of her wanted him wild, but she didn’t know enough about him to trust him not to go too far. The medscan had proven no diseases or radioactive contamination. They were consenting adults, right? She clenched her eyes shut. This was a very bad idea. Wasn’t it? The back of his hand brushed against her breast, and she clenched her teeth against the raw sensation. “Be sure. Once this starts, it will have to run its course, or I’m afraid I’ll…” He pressed his forehead against hers. His fingers ran down her arms, awakening another level of sensitivity. “Territorial madness, right? You’ll get possessive and angry? Sounds like a lot of my exes.” She ran her fingers through his still-damp hair, reveling in the silky texture. He gave a rough chuckle. “No man will be able to touch you, or I’ll kill them.” 27
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“Ah. That might be a problem in my line of work.” She swallowed. “How long does this insanity last?” “A week, maybe more. Involves lots of wild sex and devotion. Complete abandon. Wicked temptations. You know, the usual boring sexual depravity.” “Oh, is that all? What about my body’s reaction to the mating? Do you look for other females, because I don’t share well.” He shrugged. “It’ll be just you. Your reaction, however, I don’t know. I’ve never heard of a non-Valorian mating.” His lips brushed against hers. “It’s your choice.” My choice? “Mind-blowing sex for a week or more. Are you crazy? I’m overdue for a vacation anyway.” She hesitated. Some things were just too good to be true…right? “Just until the mating is over, right?” “You have my word.” She trusted him. And that was the most dangerous feeling of all. It was her hesitation. Mistrust in her gaze. “I won’t force you.” He brushed his thumb against her lip and abruptly stood. “You don’t trust me.” He nodded and scanned the area. “We need to find me a room I can’t escape from. Lock me up.” He doubted if this lab held anything that would be able keep him away from her. “Wait.” She growled the word, standing to her full height. Her voice shook and he dared not turn back. His cock was stiff and bulging, so hard he doubted his ability to go slow. To take it easy. The longer he waited, the more barbaric he’d become. Valorian past was peppered with tales of extended mating rites, and the death of one or both mates the result. “Do you blame me for doubting you?” He heard the tremor in her voice. He didn’t blame her, but fate. “I trust my instincts.” Her breathing was harsh. Rough, like his. He could taste her lust in the air. It grew more intense, more erotic every moment. She was killing him with her sweetness. “It’s not a matter of trust. I don’t even know you.” “This isn’t the way I would want to do this. I would wait if I could.” He could feel the heat of her body as she stepped close, the moment her hand would have touched him. “Don’t touch me unless you’re willing to continue this. Once I start, I can’t stop.” His body cried from the loss of her heat. “I have never had my control this close to the edge. Please don’t tempt me more than your delicious body already has.” “You don’t have to wait.” Her voice was husky. He turned, slowly, carefully. “Explain what you mean.” “I have never had this kind of need before. It’s terrifying.” She waved her hand in irritation, a movement that swayed her breasts in a delectable fashion. Azros clenched his fists at his sides, not trusting himself to touch her. Something burned deep inside her, something that spilled out into her gaze. A simmer. A simmer
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he wanted to turn into an inferno, to make her scream for him, beg, love what he could give. Need. “That’s likely from my mating urges, my lambyre.” “Is that what it’s called? I think it should be bottled and sold.” He couldn’t help the reluctant grin from spreading. “You like it?” A primal urge to mark her slid down his spine. Azros fought it with every ounce of his control. He wouldn’t turn feral. Not now. Not ever. Her head tilted and she dropped her heavy-lidded gaze to his lips. He licked his, wanting to taste that heat, let it drive him insane. This close he could see a light dusting of freckles on her nose. “Is there anything I need to know?” He grinned, stepping closer and waiting for her to touch him. Her hands on his body tortured him. “Well, when a male and female get together, there are certain urges…” She smacked his chest. He captured her hand and turned it so that he could press a kiss on her pulse point. “That’s not what I mean.” His tongue rasped against her wrist. “I know.” She tasted better than he could have imagined. He watched her eyes grow to storm-lined silver. Dark, beautiful. “Your tongue is rough.” Wonder and curiosity burned from her gaze. Wonder, curiosity, and no small amount of lust. He fought against the feeling of relief. There was a change in pressure, the increased frenzy of the wind outside. It mirrored the fire raging through his body. “I can’t do anything about that.” She glanced up and he was surprised to find humor bouncing back to him. “Why would you want to? That’s got to come in handy.” He opened his mouth to comment and she met his lips with hers. Her kiss was like wildfire, full of heat and lust, exploring his lips with delicate intent. His tongue sank into the dark velvet of her mouth, tasting the edge of need that was driving them both insane. “You are so delicious.” Her breathless words ended on a growl and he grinned against her mouth. “You taste even better.” Like warm honey and heat. Her kiss was addicting. “You’re going to burn me alive.” He buried his face against her neck and drew in a shaky breath. She wasn’t ready. He could taste the change in her body, the acceptance of the hormone. Something important scratched at the back of his mind, but he shoved it away. Her nails dug into his shoulders and he licked against the racing pulse point going wild beneath the skin. She shattered his thoughts with butterfly kisses along his jawline. His mouth watered and his teeth ached to sink into the sweet flesh. He growled, reining in the beast that threatened to overwhelm. “Are you sure you want to do this?” Her breath fanned across his neck. Teeth nipped at the skin. The stinging bites shot
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bolts of pleasure straight to his cock. It wasn’t too late to stop her change. Gods help him if he didn’t want to stop. “What are you waiting for?” She arched against him, begging with her body. “A handwritten invitation? Stop teasing.” “Oh baby, I haven’t even begun to tease.” His lips pressed against her temple. “Open for me, Desh’ra.” Dear one. His lips explored hers in a dance that had her moaning against his. Her flavor was fresh like summer rains and raw like the awakening fruit of his home world. “Tell me there is a more comfortable place to take this.” His mouth pressed kisses against her throat. Her moan made him smile, and then she dug her fingernails into his scalp, tugging him closer. His palm slid up her ribs and cupped the swell of a full breast, dragging her shirt with him. In a moment, her shirt came over her head and dropped to the floor. “The bedroom. Door.” His lips latched on to her nipple through the soft mesh of her under shirt. She gave a throaty moan. “Behind you.” “What was that?” His fingers toyed with her other nipple. “Door. Behind. You.” She gasped. “Oh yes.” She liked his touch. Male satisfaction rumbled through his body and mind. She arched against his mouth and held him against her. He needed her hotter. Wilder. He pulled away from her delectable breast and smiled at her. His fingers ran down her arm before interlocking with hers. Her eyes lit with surprise and gazed at their clasped hands. It twisted something in his heart to realize this kind of affection was alien to her. He pressed a light kiss to her wrist and dragged her toward the door. He couldn’t get enough of her lips, tasting and sipping with every step. Azros had her against the door and inside before she could blink. He walked her slowly backward, tugging at the mesh undershirt, pulling it over her head. Her body took his breath away. Perfect round breasts, rose-tipped perfection. Beautiful eyes lit with an inner fire. Her hands flattened against his chest and he could feel her warmth blazing all the way through his skin. “You’re going to burn me alive, love.” Her gaze was unfocused and full of desire. The sultry glow of her eyes was a window to the depths of her soul, rocking him back. Tiny nails dug into his skin and he wrapped his arms around her narrow waist. Pleasure nipped down his skin. Lips tasted the column of her sweet throat. His hands gently cupped her nape, keeping her still. Teeth scraped against the sensitive spot where neck met shoulder. Her soft moan was full of the same need that gripped him. Her hands explored down the planes of his stomach, scratching lightly at the sensitive stripes on his skin. Every nerve ending came to attention and he moaned. Her hands palmed his cock. It was like raw pleasure. She was going to kill him. Kendra’s body ached for him. He tasted so good. So hot. She craved his touch. The teasing scrapes of his nails against her skin kept her body in a constant sensual haze. His skilled lips drove her insane with sensation. What the hell was he doing to her? 30
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The hard length of his cock flexed under her palms. His fingers tugged at her nipples, and his hot mouth followed. She cried out, arching against him. Her fingers slid under the waistband of his pants, tugging gently. She stroked her fingers over the velvet length of his cock. Her thumb brushed over the head, spreading the slick essence of pre-cum around the tip. The groan torn from his throat was muffled against her breast. Her pussy slickened. She rubbed her thighs together to ease the rising ache of lust. “Azros. I need.” With little effort, he lifted her up and took them the rest of the way to the bed. Kendra’s heart did a little flip. A woman could get used to being hauled around. He set her on the edge and spread her bare thighs apart. The scent of her lust mixed with the spicy essence of his. She dragged her fingers through his silky hair. “Open for me, sweet.” His lips burned a path down her throat. “Oh fate.” The curse left her lips and his teeth scraped against her stomach. Deft fingers dipped between the lips of her moist flesh and stroked the tiny nub of her clit. Sparks of light exploded behind her closed lids. She cried out and arched against his fingers. His teeth nipped at the curve of her breast, tugging gently before soothing with that amazing tongue. A part of her tried to hang on to reason, but it was a losing battle. His tongue swirled around her nipple before he took it into his mouth. She cried out, weakness flooding her body. He suckled hungrily, tugging at the tender flesh. Pulses of pleasure arced down her spine. Her pussy clenched around his fingers, and his resulting purr against her breast sent spikes of ecstasy down to her core. “What are you doing to me?” She pressed fevered kisses against his forehead and temple, tugging at the soft curls of his hair. His tongue rasped against her nipple. “Wicked temptations and complete abandon. Remember?” Her mind blanked. How the hell was she supposed to think when he was destroying her? The words were familiar, and his voice was raw, carnal need. Alive and full of intensity, making her hotter than she thought possible. “I have to taste you.” His hot mouth burned a trail down her sensitive stomach to the vee of her thighs. “So beautiful.” His breath teased across her moist flesh. He pulled his fingers gently from her body and gazed at her with eyes glittering in lust. When his tongue lapped at the tips of his fingers, hunger clenched her pussy. She ached for his touch. Azros could easily become an addiction. “You taste like fire and sweet cream.” His lips pressed reverent kisses against her sensitive folds, and Kendra’s hips arched involuntarily. His hands spread her thighs and his talented tongue lapped leisurely at her clit. Sparks of need had her pussy aching to be filled. Azros’ rich scent surrounded her, burning her from the inside while his tongue sent already hot flesh to the heights of
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pleasure. It had to be that damn hormone. She craved it, knew its taste. Fate, would she crave it for the rest of her life? She clenched the sheets in tight fists, desperate to ease the flames he stoked. Primal cries tore from her throat. His tongue and mouth ate her with single-minded focus. Clever fingers explored and teased, driving her higher with every stroke. His arms hooked around her thighs and pulled her pussy closer, as if she were a banquet for him to feast on. He purred against her clit and all thoughts shattered. The vibration of his mouth against her had her crying out in desperation. All that remained was the aching lust knotting and coiling in her core. Pleasure spikes had her gripping his hair and tugging. He growled against her and purred again. Her hips rose to meet him, giving small, desperate counterstrokes to his talented tongue. His mouth ground against her clit and his tongue flicked. There! Orgasm crashed over her, tightening her channel in rhythmic pulses. He didn’t give her time to gather her thoughts before his body covered hers. His cock rubbed against her slick entrance, nudging the folds open. “Yes.” She arched against him and he held her still. Feral temper struck. She snarled at him. “Tell me.” He trapped her wrists above her head. The heat of his body scorched along her nerve endings. Already she could feel her body rising again. She tried to tug free of his hold, but he held her easily. “Tell me, Kendra.” He wanted her to think? “Tell you what?” “Tell me you want this.” From his gaze burned lust and something darker, something feral. She realized at that moment just how alien, how untamed he was. She couldn’t think. Her body moved against him, needing. “Don’t make me beg. I can’t.” His teeth nipped at her bottom lip, tugging gently. “Tell me.” A knot born of tension weighed heavy in her chest. Something was changing inside. Her body burned with lust for this man. It was too intense. “Take me, damn you. Fuck me.” He stroked shallow and teasingly. Her pussy clenched and tingled, desperate to be filled. His breath brushed against the curve of her ear. “You can do better than that.” She clenched her jaw and groaned at a deeper thrust. The groan turned to a cry of frustration when he continued with shallow, teasing strokes. “Fate! Please.” He nipped at her ear and then soothed with his tongue. “Tell me.” He held her wrists with one hand and softly scraped his nails down her side to the sensitive dip above her hipbone. She jerked in response. “Please fuck me, Azros. I need…” The words ended in a half sob and he thrust deep, gently whispering words to her in another language. He rolled them to a new position, one that let his cock surge deeper. Her head fell back against the mattress at the exquisite pleasure. Her hands were free to touch, and 32
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she did. His body was incredible. Orgasm loomed like an oncoming storm, wild and untamable. The pleasure stroking her nerve endings bordered on pain. Intense. Desperate. She cried and begged. He was killing her with passion. He whispered against her lips, supping and licking. “Let go. Let it take you.” Her nails dug into his shoulders and she fought the tide rising against her. It was too much! Her fingers dug into the silky strands of his hair and she put all the desperation and fear tearing her apart into a soul-shattering kiss. His growl against her lips had an edge of danger that spiked her lust higher. Small tremors flexed the walls of her channel. His thrusts became erratic, harder, and impossibly intense. She pulled from his lips and cried out. He scraped his teeth against her shoulder. Danger set the hairs of her neck on end. He could rip her throat out with those fangs. Her heart rate spiked and his thumb pressed between their bodies, rubbing her clit. The sensation was too much and orgasm crashed over her, sweeping away her sanity in mind-blowing pleasure. He followed close behind, thrusting deep. Her pussy continued to caress him with micro aftershocks. It took a long time for her mind to clear. He had buried his face against her neck, and she was pleased to note that they were both gasping for breath. She ran shaky hands through his sweat-soaked hair, and pressed a kiss against his forehead. She sighed. Things just got damn complicated. Azros swiped his tongue lightly against the pulse point leaping erratically on her throat. The beast reveled in her submission, temporary though it may be. Azros held the sensuous creature tight against his body. He wasn’t foolish enough to think she would be easy to convince. One time with this woman had his beast so close to the surface he made feral noises. He smiled. Not that she was complaining. She seemed to especially like his purr. How could he have found such a wild lover? Fate’s hand was heavy in this. A frown tugged at his lips. Her body had taken the hormone. Already he could taste the changes in her scent. It was normal for a female to respond to his lambyre. For it to change her own scent was unusual. He doubted she knew what it would mean. Hell, even he didn’t know what it meant. He’d told her it was temporary, but was that the truth? It wasn’t the Valorian way to question the mating rites of their people, but Azros couldn’t stop suspicion from clenching in his chest. The only compatible race in seven sectors was the Sheon. What if she was the enemy? His dark thoughts threatened to poison the beginning tendrils of their mating. It wasn’t enough to be physically compatible. They would have to be soul linked, kindred spirits for the final acceptance. There were few true mates among his people. She shivered against his body, trembling in the aftermath of their wild sex. He could taste her confusion, her doubts in the air. The beast was calm, patient, content. It
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had already made its choice. This hunt was over. For now. It knew she would continue fighting against it. For the beast of Azros, there would be no other. But what did it mean? He drew the sheet up over their bodies, tugging her against his chest. Her breath fanned across his chest and he ran his hands down her incredibly soft hair. “What happened to your team?” Kendra brushed her cheek against his skin in a light caress. Every touch on his stripes hitched his breath. He wasn’t used to being touched, and was starting to wonder why. Her caresses were incredible. “There are some caves on the north face of the plateau. Clean water, shade from the burning sun, and naturally cool depths will keep them safe.” “Are there any more of those slime things?” He shuddered. “They can’t survive on the rock. Bob will patch in any radio signals we receive.” She turned her head so that her chin rested lightly on his chest. “Your concern for my team is touching, but this isn’t the first time we’ve been in a tight spot.” He caught the challenge in her gaze, and wondered at it. He pulled her up for a gentle kiss. Her lips were stiff. He coaxed them to soften with gentle brushes of his lips. Finally, she kissed him back, albeit reservedly. He would take this small victory. “How did you end up here?” The smile died on her lips, and her expression hardened to an emotionless mask. “My parents were killed during what was supposed to be a routine supply drop.” Her voice held a husky edge. She turned away and once more brushed her cheek against his chest. He froze, before continuing the soft caress of her hair. His lips brushed against her forehead. “I was seven.” Azros winced. “So young.” His arms tightened around her. “The terraform project was seen as a threat to some sects of the Sheon royal family. Enough to wipe it from existence.” It didn’t surprise him. His people had already fallen prey to the brutality of the Sheon regime. His soul ached at her pain. “What happened?” “My mother and father were killed, along with all the scientists at the station. We had no real weapons. Nothing that could stand against a full assault.” Her fist tightened against his chest. He could hear the raw agony in her voice and understood. Anger pulsed within. Fury that anyone would dare harm this woman. “How did you escape?” He caressed down her arm, carefully projecting calm, hiding the building anger against the Sheon.
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Her laugh was bitter. “I was left here. Alone.” Her fingertip traced the edge of a stripe. Her tender touch was distracting. “It’s considered a blood curse to murder a child…” Her voice trailed off before she cleared her throat. “So they left you to die instead?” He couldn’t control the fury that tightened his voice. “How is that any different?” She shrugged. “It’s the Sheon way. Survival of the fittest. One of the Sheon daughters came over and spat in my face. She used it as a cover to discreetly drop a blade. That single moment saved my life.” The Sheon daughters were children of royal blood. Ambassadors. He’d met one during his captivity, one who was nothing like her vicious mother. “I have a daughter to thank for my escape as well.” He gave a soft prayer to the gods for that small bit of assistance, hoping that the daughter remained safe. For the moment he found a kindred spirit in Kendra. From their race across the slime-infested nightmare to the acceptance by his beast, this woman was exceptional. “You’ve learned a lot about survival since then.” Pride and tenderness for this woman tugged at his heart. Azros tried to shake it off. He had to rescue his people and warn his home world. Six months was a long time with no contact. Why fate had chosen now to send him into a mating, he’d never fathom. She was a distraction he didn’t need. “Yeah, a thing or two.” She settled against his chest. He sensed her hesitation. “What happens now?” He gently grabbed her wrist and pressed lingering kisses against her skin. “Now, we rest. Allow our bodies time to recover, for a while, anyway.” He could already taste the heat of her lust simmering. They wouldn’t have much time before he had to take her again. “So once isn’t enough?” He rubbed his lips against her skin, letting it soothe him. Once, he worried, would never be enough. “Over a week, remember? You get to have a little more fun, yet.” She gave a breathless chuckle. “More? I think you wore me out.” She cracked a yawn and tucked close. He breathed slow and steady, easing her to a deep sleep. The crackling sexual tension between them eventually eased, and Azros gently disentangled himself from her far-too-comforting embrace. His knuckles gently caressed her cheek. Even in sleep, he could see the strain of exhaustion on her lovely face. He doubted their race through the slimes caused this kind of bone-weary slumber. What kind of life did his fierce warrioress lead? What did she do as a security specialist? She had moves that were tempered in battle. Long hours of training had honed her body. He tucked a stray tendril of hair behind her ear. She was a fascinating puzzle. He reveled in her lovely body. Her awakening sexuality. She was the kind of woman who would hold control in all aspects of her life. His lips lifted in a satisfied smile. A control he’d like to test every step of the way.
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Where did she hail from? Her features were arresting, and he couldn’t quite place her accent. He pressed a light kiss against her lips, and smiled at the way her lips melted to his. Her fist knotted against her cheek, and he allowed one more caress of her skin. “Well, my lady warrior, if we’re ever to have a chance, I’ve got a war to stop.” A line formed between her brows and he smoothed it with his fingers. Leaving the bed was one of the hardest things he’d ever done. He didn’t like it. He walked away with a strange emotion burning in his chest. One that had him worried things were getting way too dangerous. He left his woman to rest. It was time he found out more about this Sheon terraforming lab, and the mysterious mate his beast had chosen.
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Chapter Four Kendra woke to an empty bed. She ran her palm over the sheets. Cold. A quick look around told her he wasn’t in the immediate vicinity. Her internal chrono read three hours until nightfall. She dropped her face in the pillow while flashes of her wanton behavior rolled through her mind. A groan tore from her throat. She’d begged. Begged. Mortification burned hot in her cheeks. Her body ached in areas she’d never thought possible, and it was ready to go again. Her nipples hardened against the mattress and her pussy slickened with moist heat. For fate’s sake! Wasn’t one heated day with the Valorian enough? And that’s exactly what it was. Heat. She was in heat for the Valorian. Was it permanent? The side effects were just pissing her off. Kendra rolled over and stared at the gray ceiling. Not that sex with the Valorian wasn’t very enjoyable. Her body pleasantly hummed from his attentions. She was no stranger to lust, but not this kind of raging inferno. She shoved the pillow against her face. Fuck! She didn’t have time for this kind of all-consuming fuck-fest. Why the hell had she told him about her parents? In a moment of weakness she’d almost told him of her Sheon heritage. “You’re a genius, St. Thomas.” His hatred for the Sheon was almost palpable. She just couldn’t stand the idea of seeing his eyes go cold when he looked at her. Exile was already hard enough. Hiding from her queen’s assassins. He was dangerous to her peace of mind. Dangerous to the terraforming mission…and her life. She rolled out of the bed and flung the sheet away from her body. Her life was nice, orderly and stable. She didn’t need some hard-bodied military man flitting in and out of it. She sure as hell didn’t need any Sheon commanders sniffing around after him. Her family’s legacy needed to live on. The planet was in the final stages of development. An invasion would destroy the fragile ecosystem, not to mention the uproar finding a longlost Sheon princess would create. “Bob.” She found her clothes and dragged them on in record time despite the strain of her muscles. It would be a few days before she would be able to recover from that run. And sex with the Valorian. Yes, Science Officer Kendra? She winced at the inherited formal title, but was thankful he used it rarely. “Prep the scan room. I need a full-body scan and labs. Check hormone levels, pathogen, and all the regular stuff. I need to see what’s changing in my body.” The Valorian’s search would open the doors to finishing the massacre started fifteen years before. She didn’t
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fight for her legacy and the right to live, only to have it snatched from her by the greed of political power. They would get him safely out of reach of the Sheon Empire. She owed him that much for saving her life. Affirmative. Scan room will be available in five mikes. Five minutes to get to the medlab. She could still smell the Valorian’s incredible scent on her body. A part of her wore it with pride, and another wanted to wipe away any imprints he had put on her, body and soul. That same part that realized it was already too late. “Bob, where is our guest?” He is currently in the viewing room. Per your standard inquiry, I have noted that he has accessed historical files on the terraform project, and all references to Kendra St. Thomas. Her bare feet tread lightly on the cold tile floor. An ache in the sole of one of her feet increased until she had a slight limp. Kendra St. Thomas’ information would be limited to the last decade or so, and had no ties to her previous life, so she wasn’t worried. She didn’t know if she was irritated or amused that the Valorian was keeping his distance. Her calf cramped and she leaned against the wall to rub it. She was obviously getting soft if her muscles were being this ridiculous. Maybe the single-minded lovemaking had broken whatever his mating frenzy consisted of. She pushed away from the wall and a different kind of sensation drew a groan from her lips. Her pussy tingled and a slow burn of lust uncoiled from deep within. Too bad it seemed to have stimulated hers. She unlatched the door to the clinic and let it swing open. The Valorian had cleaned up after his scan. She didn’t know if she was more pleased or surprised. Just the thought of the tiger-striped man uncoiled a heavy thrum of lust within her core. She huffed out a breath. Maybe another round of hot sex would burn him out of her system. Please undress. She stripped without hesitation and folded the clothes neatly. With a hefty sigh, she climbed onto the exam table. Scanning commencing. The scan began and she couldn’t help but remember a time, forever ago, when this same program had saved her life. Bob’s voice droned on, announcing comparison findings as it went. Most of the information hadn’t changed since her last exam. So far, so good. The lab console rose and she placed her palm against it. A red light’s scan followed by rapid pinpricks and she was done. Her fingers burned where blood still seeped. Scan confirms muscular atrophy. “Shit.” Kendra leaned back against the table and shook her still-stinging hand. Too hard of a run, and none of her stretches. She should have seen this coming. A light scan along her left foot was followed by rapid pinpricks of pain. She clenched her jaw and a
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soft moan came from her throat. The injections stung and burned, but relief of her muscles began almost instantly. It wasn’t until the pain began to ease that she realized how much it had actually hurt. “Did you have a good rest?” His voice jerked her out of her fugue. She cursed that he was able to sneak up on her, and fought off an instinctive need to cover her naked body. “Yes, thank you. Delightful.” She said the words through clenched teeth. The last injection still burned. She gripped the side of the table and tried to relax. He stalked toward her, and Kendra wondered how anyone could ever look away from such a prime specimen. The stripes continued down his body, curving over rockhard muscles. His pants left nothing to the imagination. Her nipples hardened under his heated gaze, and she knew he could smell the rich scent of her lust. His knuckles caressed her cheek before walking to the end of the table. A warm glow of pleasure burned in her chest. He ran his fingers along her ankle, and Kendra’s traitorous pussy clenched. Those same fingertips ran along the scars criss-crossing the bottom of her feet. In some areas the scarring was so bad as to make the nerves dead. In others, light touches could be agony. Long nights on her feet were hell. His gaze examined both feet, and Kendra held up her chin, determined not to let him see her weakness, how much she was ashamed of her scars. “How did this happen?” He began gently rubbing where the muscle still burned from the injection. “Upon my parents’ deaths, I’d foolishly challenged my aunt to a blood feud, singlearmed combat. She accepted. And I lost.” She ran her fingers along the rigid scar beneath her rib cage. Only superstition had stayed her aunt’s hand from delivering a mortal wound. “My shoes were removed so that my soul would wander in shame forever after my death. After they left me to die, I cut the ropes and ran for my life. I tried wrapping cloth around my feet, but the slimes made the trek treacherous. My feet were shredded by the time I got back to the lab.” “You were seven when this happened.” It wasn’t a question. She nodded. Something burned deep in his gaze. A fierce light she’d never seen before. His thumb pushed and rolled against the knots in her foot and she groaned at the pleasure-pain. His fingers were working magic unlike anything she’d ever felt. “When the medscan results told me what to do, I slapped esskin on the soles of my feet without extending the muscles.” He winced in sympathy. It had taken years to recover from that one costly mistake. “So they healed in atrophy.” His fingertips caressed her feet. “Yeah.” Remembered pain ghosted across her feet and up her calves. The bloody mess had cost nearly all the clinic supplies, while stretching the limits of Bob’s capabilities. Not to mention the knife wound to the side. Kendra cleared her throat.
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“Thanks.” She gently pulled her foot from his warmth. This constant craving for his touch was disturbing. “It is normal to need touch during a mating, Desh’ra. Part of the natural cycle.” He ran his fingers up her leg, and she locked down the urge to reach for him. “Does it allow you to read minds too?” He rubbed the muscles of her calf, easing the tension from the injections almost instantly. “No, but you and I feel a lot of the same things.” His smile turned wicked. “I wonder what thoughts burn behind those soulful eyes, Desh’ra. Would they make you blush if I could read them?” Her cheeks grew warm and she cursed him for triggering a reaction. “Maybe you should tell me more about this mating thing.” She caught his wrist when he would have moved up to her thighs. His gaze was knowing, and a blush crept up her neck. “There is nothing to tell.” This was getting ridiculous. She wanted him. Again. Her body already burned. Azros could easily become an addiction. “You don’t have to do this.” He helped her down from the table. She turned her head from his kiss, but he brushed his lips against her cheek. A smile touched those sexy lips. “Do what?” “Pretend to…you know.” Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. He ran a hand down her hair. “It’s a little late to be shy, don’t you think?” “I just don’t think we need to pretend this is anything other than what it is.” Hard nipples brushed against his chest. His fingers dug gently into her hair. She shivered in delicate reaction. “Which is what, exactly?” His lips burned a path across her jawline. “Two people caught in a nearly impossible situation.” His teeth nipped at her throat, and she gasped. “Ahh. I see.” His tongue soothed where teeth continued to torment. “So we should only do what is necessary to make it through this terrible ordeal.” An edge of anger threaded through his amusement. His fingertips dragged down her back. “Yes. Of course. I’m glad you understand.” “Oh I understand, all right.” She had a moment to see his intention before his mouth descended to hers. This wasn’t the gentle, passionate kiss from before. This was a fierce possession. His tongue plundered and stroked. Somehow her hands found their way to link behind his neck. His mouth slanted over hers, deepening the kiss and sending her senses reeling. Someone moaned, and he eased the kiss. Her hands slid down to his chest. They were both breathing hard. His arms held her steady against him, and she could feel the fierce pounding of his heart against her palm. “Losing control terrifies you.” She jerked away from his touch. “Don’t do this. I don’t need to be analyzed.” She stalked over to her clothes and dragged them on with jerky motions. “This is about sex!” 40
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He crossed his arms and gave her a playful grin. “What if it’s more?” “No. It can’t be. We don’t know anything about each other.” She glared at him with her hands on her hips. “Forgive me for not turning into a brainless twit. I have a life. A mission I need to get back to. I don’t have time for anything permanent.” He stepped closer and she stood her ground. “Who said I was looking for something permanent?” She couldn’t read his expression, but didn’t trust the innocent smile he displayed. “Aren’t you?” Self-doubt churned. “Mating isn’t always permanent. This is my second one, did you know that?” It wasn’t jealousy that eroded more of her confidence. You had to be invested in someone to be jealous of their past. She wasn’t. “What happened to the other mate?” This would be the point where he would tell her the Sheon had killed her. “The urges left, and we went our separate ways. Of course, I was in the middle of the border wars at the time. So I had fighting to get back to. See.” He held out his hands. “No trap.” Kendra breathed a small sigh of relief. No death marred his mating history. No ghost to compete with. “The border wars were pretty vicious.” “Yes, and thankfully short-lived. It cut too much into the corporate bottom line.” She nodded. Destiny’s arrival to the surface had been from the border war fallout. “So we understand each other then.” “No pressure for a permanent arrangement. Just a week of intense sex. You can handle that, right?” “I’m not interested in anything else.” He was grinning at her in a way that set her senses on hyperawareness. “That’s good.” There was a dangerous glint to his eye. Sex was as close to safe as she could get with this man. It would be all she could have. His thigh muscles bunched as though ready to spring. If she ran, he’d give chase. Why did that make her spine tingle in excitement? She edged around him to the door. “How much longer until we move out?” Her gaze was drawn to the lengthening bulge under his pants. Answering warmth tingled between her thighs. “Three hours until nightfall. We’ll move out then.” Her hand touched the door. His gleaming fangs ratcheted her heart rate up a notch. “Whatever will we do with our time?” His hands lowered to his sides and clenched in anticipation. Muscles rippled across his chest. She was definitely crazy. “There are some amazing hot springs deeper in the facility.” “Think you’ll make it there before I catch you?” Sexual awareness crackled between them like lightning.
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“I have the advantage of knowing this place like the back of my hand.” “Oh?” He prowled closer. “Are you able to run?” His concerned expression touched a part of her she’d thought long dead. “Easily.” She rolled up to the balls of her feet and made sure. No discomfort or tightening of the tendons and muscles. “The shots are always effective enough. I’ll be good for quite some time.” “You should know I’m a very good hunter.” “I’m no easy prey. You may find the tables turned.” He laughed and gave her a knowing look. A shiver slid down her spine at the possessive way he watched her. Her lust was going to burn her alive. Her mouth grew dry. “This is just sex.” His smile was shy of dangerous, and a feral gleam shone in his eyes. “Just sex.” He braced his hands behind him on the exam table, and Kendra was distracted by the play of muscles across his chest. “Kendra. You should run.” He didn’t have to tell her twice. She slammed the door out of her way and sprinted down the hall to the lounge. She spun around. Azros’ anticipatory smile was the last thing she saw before she palmed the door shut. She engaged the lock and laughed, turning on her heel and racing across the room. Excitement and anticipation added an edge of danger that sent her senses spiraling higher. The Valorian would be interesting to spar with. There were several ways to the springs. She had no doubt he’d find his way there. The only thing she had to worry about was being caught. She hit the stairwell and raced down. Humidity blanketed the air as she continued to the lower caverns. This was the second time she was letting the Valorian give chase. “You’re completely insane, St. Thomas.” She blew out a breath and palmed open the sub-floor door. It gave way with a puff of air pressure. The strong scents of combined minerals pressed against her in a humid wash. Sweat slickened her skin. “Are you a strong hunter, Kendra?” His voice shocked her. How did he get down here so fast? She dropped to a knee and scanned the hewn rock tunnel paths for signs of movement. Nothing. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She could feel it, the itch behind the eyes that told her she was being hunted. Really hunted. Kendra moved quickly from tunnel to tunnel, staying to the shadows. “You have to use all of your senses Desh’ra.” He’d called her that once before. What did it mean? “The mating makes all of us more aware of our surroundings. Inhale deeply. Draw the scents in and let them roll around on your tongue.” Kendra caught herself doing just that. She inhaled slowly, dragging the scents across her tongue. “Think about each individual taste.” His voice was moving away and her heart beat a tad easier. “You will be able to track your prey by the strength of his scent alone.”
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The spicy scent and taste of Azros wove lightly through the mineral flavor heavy in the air. Damn. He was right. She could pick the scents apart, but how close was he? She moved again, using all her senses. Her hearing picked up the gurgle of the spring and the light splash of water lapping against stone, but no Azros. Her skin prickled. He was tracking her, and she knew it. Down to her soul. Dammit. Where was he? She reached the hot springs cavern and paused. There were four entrances. Two were easy to see and one was shadowed. Two of the closest pools were too shallow to jump into without damage. The one at the back, however, was deeper than them all. She grinned. All she had to do was make a run for it. The water was deep enough to take a full dive. She kept her breathing even and braced against the wall. Her heart raced. She took another long inhalation. His scent was stronger here, but not powerful enough to make her think he was in the room. Yet. She exhaled and pushed off, running toward the water at a full run. Water exploded from the pool in a force so great it splashed into her path. With a cry, she tried to stop, but her feet slipped on the wet stone. Her stomach lurched in anticipatory fear. Before she hit the ground, he was there, cushioning her fall, and rolling their bodies across the stone. With elbows bracing him above her, she could see the devilry glinting in his catlike eyes. Dark lashes lowered until his eyes gleamed. Wet hair curled enticingly close, and she could taste his lambyre like a rush of liquid sex. Her body arched against him. It took no time to realize he was naked, and even less for her body to respond. He nuzzled her cheek. “I caught you. Now I get to keep you.” He was burning alive to touch her again. His cock ached with the need to bury in her tight flesh. “You caught me.” Her voice was husky, breathless. Damn if she didn’t look sexy when irritated. “No one moves that fast.” Her hair was a curtain of fire beneath them. He brushed a wet strand away from her cheek, and Azros inhaled her rich scent. The lambyre was becoming a part of her, changing her. His mouth watered for another taste. She would be richer, more addicting. He wondered if she knew it yet. “I have always moved this fast.” He trapped her wrists above her head with one hand. Her eyes flared with lust. “So expressive. I love the way your eyes change when you’re irritated with wanting me.” “My eyes are boring. Hazel. Nothing special.” Surprise had him arching an eyebrow. “Nothing special? They’re like liquid silver when you’re on fire for me. Smoky-gray when you’re furious.” He nipped at her lips. “And right now?” “Right now you want me so bad you’ll beg me to come.”
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Her cry of outrage triggered a laugh. She struggled, arching against him. He groaned. “Be easy on a man, Kendra. You’re already tempting me beyond sanity.” The curves of her breasts and hips against his body were killing him. He pressed his lips to her forehead and trailed kisses down her cheek to her jaw. Small, whispering moans came from her lips. “I can smell the sweet scent of your pussy. Your taste is addictive, decadent.” She gasped and tugged against his hold. He could see confusion in her gaze. “No time to think, sweetheart.” His hand ran down her side to caress the underside of her breast. A calloused thumb brushed against the tip. Her nipple hardened against his skin and her breathing grew shallow. He nuzzled her neck and scraped his teeth lightly down the skin. She shivered delicately. Oh how he loved her sweet spots. “Your taste reminds me of summer rain.” He ground his cock against the vee of her thighs, and soothed the sweet spot at the base of her throat with his tongue. “Imagine my mouth on your pussy, sucking on that sweet, little clit.” He bit the sensitive slope where neck met shoulder. That did it. She became a little wildcat, jerking her legs from beneath him to wrap around his waist. Her mating change was an aphrodisiac, dragging him under her spell. He rocked his hips against hers. Fuck. His cock ached to bury in her wet heat, and the soft fabric of her pants only added to the building friction. She wrapped her legs tightly around him. The heat of her pussy soaked through the cloth to his dick. Her broken moan nearly undid him. Sweat formed on his already soaked skin. “Use all your senses, Desh’ra. Tell me what you hear, what you feel. Taste how much I want you.” She dragged in a shaky breath. Her gaze grew unfocused, and her pupils further dilated. “You taste of desert spice and heat.” She paused. “All this is new to me.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “There’s too much to take in. Everything is just…” Emotion tightened in his chest. The extrasensory perception of his race had been a part of his heritage from birth. It never occurred to him that it would frighten anyone, much less someone like Kendra. Her strength was unparalleled if her records are anything to go by. Hell, he’d seen the steel core of her determination. Not many would have risked so much for a stranger. He hushed her and gently released her wrists. “It doesn’t have to overwhelm.” He rolled over, pulling her against his chest. She surrounded him, tucking her face against his bare chest. “Please don’t hide your expressions from me.” He trailed his fingers down her cheek. “I can smell everything around me. My skin is so alive that every touch sends pulses of intensity across my nerve endings.” She shivered against him. He pulled her up until her head pillowed against his shoulder, cursing in his head. If he had just taken the time to really take in her scent, he would have noticed the strain
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of her emotions, the pungent aroma of her fear. It was there, just barely noticeable beneath the rich, feminine honey of her lust. “It’s terrifying the first time you fall into a mating cycle.” “First! How many am I going to go through?” She sounded panicked…and pissed. “I thought you said this wasn’t permanent.” He laughed and hugged her to him, choosing to ignore her second statement. “Our people have a saying, ‘we mate as many as it takes to get it right’.” Her light laugh loosened that knot of emotion threatening to choke him. “The truth is, I don’t know.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I’ve never heard of a non-Valorian female being affected by the hormone. Are there some ties to the Valorian people in your bloodline?” Her scent changed slightly, and he noticed a bit more fear coming through. “Not that I know of.” Her breath drifted across his chest. He set aside her reaction to puzzle over later. “A Valorian doesn’t come into this change until the first mating. The elders call it extrasensory perception. Whatever it’s called, I remember it overwhelming me.” It chafed his pride to admit it, but he needed to let her know. Hell, he wished someone had explained it more thoroughly to him. Then things might not have turned out the way they had. His hands swept her hair to the side. He stroked her back in gentle caresses, wishing for bare skin instead of the cloth he was touching. “Will this last?” “For me, it did. But just imagine…” He touched her cheek and she tilted her head to gaze at him. The depth of emotion in her eyes touched his heart. She was such a treasure. “Think about all the advantages. No one would ever be able to sneak up on you again.” Her eyes closed to slits, and he could see an edge that just might make this easier for her. For them both. “How so?” “I move quietly.” She gave an unladylike snort. “More like sneak.” He gave her a mock glare. “A Valorian Prime doesn’t sneak, he is a fierce hunter.” “So you admit to stalking.” Her impish smile transformed her to a mischievous minx. He arched an eyebrow. “As I was saying…when adrenaline is pumping, I move quietly because a soft scuff of my boot is like a ricochet in my ears. My sense of smell is so keen, I can tell where someone stands, any injuries they have, and what their base thoughts are.” “What does smell have to do with thoughts?” She put her hand beneath her chin and watched him with avid attention. His cock twitched, and her smile grew wicked. She wriggled enticingly against him. 45
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He grabbed her ass to keep her still. “Quit that, you minx.” Her smile, if anything, grew wider. “Please do continue.” He wasn’t buying the innocent expression she sported. “Inhale deeply.” She slowly drew in a breath and closed her eyes. “By using taste and scent, you can determine my emotions, my body’s responses. Lust. Fear. Anger. Hatred. Love. Joy. Open your eyes for me.” He pulled her up until their eyes locked in a gaze. “What do I taste like?” He gripped his fingers in her hair. Pure pleasure echoed in her expression. “Your scent gets stronger when you’re hard. You taste like liquid sex to me.” He groaned, taking her lips in a kiss that shattered his thoughts. It was sweet and decadent. She nipped his bottom lip and tugged gently. Her tongue soothed and teased. They broke the kiss and dragged in shaky breaths. He pressed his forehead to hers. “I love the way you taste.” She nuzzled his cheek. “Same here.” “Imagine, Kendra. Imagine the edge you would have over an enemy in hand-tohand combat. Their anger, their fear, their lust for power would give them away before they could touch you.” It was that edge alone that had kept him alive this long. Her hands clenched in fists against his chest. She cleared her throat. “Keep talking.” “You could hear their movements on the sand, in the air. No one would ever be able to sneak up on you again.” “So you keep saying, but this is still temporary.” Her lips lifted in a half-smile. “Right.” He didn’t know why that irritated him. “Temporary.” He nipped at her lips. “Of course, you may get to keep some of these little side effects. We both lost our lust for one another after a time in my first mating. You never know—” She growled and kissed him with a fierce passion that sent him reeling. So she didn’t like hearing about his previous mating, did she? Their tongues dueled for possession, stroking, teasing. She ended the kiss with a satisfied smile and he just stared up at her. Her hair was a curtain of fire around them. The silky length tumbled down her shoulders and back, curling against her skin and clothes where he’d splashed water earlier. “The extra senses have never left me. The only way we can know how you’ll be affected is by tracking your chemical and hormonal changes.” “Will I still have these abilities when you’re gone?” His throat tightened, and he wondered if he’d be able to walk away this time. The last choice had been taken from him, and it had taken years for his need for Alicia to wane. “I just don’t know.” “What happened to your first mate?”
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“She found a new one when they thought I’d died in the war. When I returned, I wasn’t the same anyway, and I took a remote station assignment.” “I’m sorry.” She gently brushed a strand of hair away from his face. He tried to shake off the memories that still haunted him from time to time. “Those days were difficult ones for many. It was a living nightmare.” He pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose. She brushed her cheek against his, and gave him a look of such understanding, it rocked him to the core. “Luckily, you won’t have to worry about a permanent attachment with me. I’m sure you’ll find your perfect mate when you return to your world. Everyone deserves peace.” Was it his imagination or did he see sorrow in the depths of her eyes? A part of him wished she were Valorian. He would hold on to her for an eternity. She was resourceful with a strong survival instinct. A fierce warrior. “I have few memories of the Valorian people, but these stripes aren’t something I remember.” Her fingers stroked the stripes along his jaw. He breathed easier at the change in topic. “Prime status is part of our warrior culture. It can only occur during a mating cycle, and is usually forged in battle.” “Forged in battle, huh?” Her gaze sparkled with humor, while her fingers traced whorls on his neck. “It sounds very epic.” He laughed. “I was quoting text from our histories. The truth is until recently I was one of the few of my generation to have made the transition to Prime. Those on our asteroid mines, however, have reported an increase in Prime status.” He rubbed the back of her neck with gentle circles, trying to ignore the way her lovely fingers were distracting his thoughts. “They say it’s a defense mechanism ingrained in our DNA. If our mates, our children, our livelihood are in any way endangered during a cycle, a change occurs. The stripes serve as camouflage on our home planet. It allows those in dangerous areas to blend in to the environment. I left my mate while the hormones still raged through my body. It was during my first fight that the rage overtook me.” His memories were broken, shuttered behind a red haze. “Rage?” She gave a delightful moan at his ministrations. “It’s a blood rage triggered by adrenal response. Makes us very efficient fighters. We become faster, stronger and more in tune with our senses during an event. It’s an ability that never leaves us once it occurs.” Curiosity glimmered in her eyes. “Do your women get this blood rage?” “If so, it’s never been documented.” He ran his fingers down the back of her neck. “Do you always have this rage?” He rubbed her neck with gentle strokes. “Only when my life is in danger.” She touched his cheeks with her hands and sweetly caressed his lips with featherlight kisses. “Hmm.” He smiled. “What was that for?” She smiled back. “Just because.” 47
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“I like random affection.” He kissed her gently, determined to show her that he could give her slow and easy. He could lock down the beast. She leaned back and gave him a wicked smile, which kicked his pulse into overdrive. Her hands pulled up her shirt, dragging it over her head, and dropping it to the side. Her perfect body called to him. His hands caressed her ribs and rubbed his thumbs against the sensitive underside of her breasts. “You are so beautiful.” Kendra stared down at Azros. Warmth spread throughout her body. He thought she was beautiful. She leaned down to kiss him thoroughly, and wiggled out of her pants, to kick them off to the side. He raised an eyebrow and grinned against her lips. “Nice moves.” She pulled back just enough to smile at him. “You haven’t seen anything yet.” She gently stroked her pussy against the firm length of his dick. Her moist essence spread along his skin. “You are so wet.” The words ended in a guttural moan. “I am constantly wet when I’m around you.” She arched her back and moaned at the sensual pleasure spiking from the teasing strokes. “Guide me, sweetheart.” His voice was ragged. She reached between them, setting the head against her slick entrance. He gripped her hips and arched, driving deep into her pussy. The muscles of her channel squeezed and pulsed around every incredible inch of his dick. She cried out, digging her nails into his chest. “Fall forward, just a bit.” He tilted his hips and went deeper than she imagined possible. Shivers of delight raced down her spine. Her hips rocked forward and back. Little pulses of electric sensation lit all the nerve endings in her pussy. Fuck, this wasn’t going to take long. The rich scent she’d come to recognize as uniquely Azros surrounded them. “You have such a sweet pussy. I love the way it milks my cock.” His grin was wicked sin. “Hold on to me sweetheart.” She had a moment to grip his shoulders before his hips lowered then thrust hard, impaling her, burning her alive with sensation. “Fate, I wanted to be gentle.” His voice was raw with lust. God she loved his voice. “Don’t you dare.” She dug her nails into his skin. His fangs gleamed and fingers dug into her hips. His feral gaze pierced her from eyelash-shrouded slits. He fucked her with deep, hard, intense strokes, which sent her spiraling into a sex-induced haze of pleasure. Every sensation built on the next until she was drowning in a maelstrom of erotic delight. She was falling. “Please,” she begged, pleaded. Her body rode him through the first crest of orgasm into another. She cried out, calling his name. 48
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When her second orgasm shattered, his thrusts became erratic until he followed behind, slamming deep into her pussy. He dragged her down into the comforting circle of his arms. “You are incredible.” She curled against his body, his steady heartbeat a comforting thump against her ear. “You’re not so bad yourself.” Her pussy trembled in tiny aftershocks of pleasure, and the occasional purr from his chest soothed her further. She’d always been partial to giant cats. Especially sexy, dangerous and oddly cuddly giant cats. She huffed out a small breath. Azros was getting under her skin. “You are thinking too loud.” His drawl was laced with humor. She slowly rubbed her cheek against the entrancing velvet softness of his stripes. “My mind never seems to stop.” “Hmmm.” He nuzzled the top of her head, and that sexy purr rumbled from his chest. “How do you purr like that?” She absently continued stroking her cheek against him. It was such a fascinating difference in texture between bare skin and stripes. His purring stopped. “It’s a part of our physiology.” His voice trailed off. “You know, I’ve never really asked why we do it. It’s just one of those things we’ve always done.” Kendra pressed a kiss against a stripe. “I love it.” The purring combined with a scent she was coming to recognize as…she wouldn’t say happy, not yet, but definitely comfortable. Relaxed. Content. “There goes that brain again.” He chuckled. “I must not be doing my job of properly exhausting you.” Heat burned her cheeks and she cleared her throat. “Oh no, it’s not that at all.” Hell, if her body became any more relaxed, she’d be a puddle of goo. “This change is just a lot to take in.” It was time to get ready to head out. “Want to soak in the pools for a while?” He squeezed her against him and rolled them over until he settled against the vee of her thighs. Even half-erect, the man was impressive. She smiled up at him, loving the way his still-damp hair fell in a curtain around his chiseled face. With a day’s growth on his chin he looked like a rogue. She ran her fingers along his jaw, surprised to find the hair to be soft. “I would love to.” He gave her a quick kiss and rolled off. In a second he was on his feet and holding his hand out to her. She raised her eyebrows and took his hand, allowing him to draw her up. This kind of courtesy was new to her. And while not unpleasant, it took getting used to. She was used to calling the shots in all aspects of her life. Hell, when you worked in a pleasure palace, you learned to take what you could, when you could.
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Their return to the Palace would be insane. Azros was cut from the stuff wet dreams were made of. He could throw her world into chaos. Of course, that was the problem, wasn’t it? Her life was already chaotic enough. It wouldn’t be good to become attached. He pressed a light kiss against her hand. Once they got back to the Palace, and this mating thing ended, she’d have to give him up. Azros had already gone to great lengths to reassure her this wasn’t permanent. He was looking for temporary as well. Right? You’re thinking too much! He eased into the deep pool and guided her steps. Healing warmth immediately settled into her skin, easing aches she’d accumulated through three days of full-body abuse and minimal sleep. Knots of tension loosened, and she put disturbing thoughts out of her head. She chose to live in the moment. For now. He pulled her into his arms, dragging her back to his chest. She rested her head against his shoulder and let the warmth of Azros and the hot springs do their magic. His chest rumbled in a low purr, relaxing her further. Her mind slowed in sated warmth. Kendra was never one to worry too much about the future. Why was she letting one man drive her crazy? She’d worry about tomorrow when it arrived. Their breathing synchronized, and she drifted into a light doze. The perimeter chime jerked her awake. Kendra scanned the room. She moved his hands from around her. All senses aware. “What was that?” “An alarm.” She moved to the edge of the pool and jumped up on the edge. Water sluiced off her body. They had several minutes before anyone would find them. The scattered clothes were swept up and she moved back down the hall. She was unsurprised to find him shadowing her. The alarm sounded again. “We have company.” His curse followed her down the corridor. She jogged to the stairwell door and slowly opened it. They slipped through and she walked to the back of the stairs and opened a recessed panel. The clothes were dropped and forgotten. She spared a glance at Azros, appreciating the fact that he’d already grabbed his pants from wherever he’d hidden them earlier. She tossed him a thigh holster. The stunner followed. He tossed her the pants and shirt. She caught them and dragged them on in record time. With quick tugs on the straps, she had her temporary thigh holder tightened and ready. A stunner wasn’t ideal, but she’d work with what she had. On the next trip out, she’d upgrade all the weapons and ensure she didn’t lock her own piece in the damn safe. Azros took point and she followed with weapon drawn, reminding herself that he had extrasensory advantage. She inhaled, but could only smell the residual odor of minerals and the rich scent of Azros.
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They reached ground level and he paused, muscles rippling across his back. He was comfortable, almost in his element. It made her wonder. How did get caught in the first place? He opened the door and they both winced at the slight creak. With quick hand signals he laid out the plan, and Kendra gave a nod with a jerk of her head. They took the room, slowly making their way to the next door. She took a breath, gave the signal, and palmed the door open. Azros entered the room, weapon drawn, moving along the edge. Kendra took the other side, checking behind the furniture, wishing she could rely on more than just her eyes and ears. She inhaled deeply. What good was this extrasensory stuff if you couldn’t call it at will? A strange odor slipped through the sterile scents of the facility. She paused, but he continued on, a growl deep in his throat. A familiar floral scent tickled the back of her throat. Something moved. She placed the scent with her memory. “Azros!” He spun 45 degrees and shot. A brutal, if familiar, voice yelled in pain. A body dropped to the ground. Kendra rushed over, keeping an eye on the surrounding area. She looked down. “Fate!” “Chief!” The voice had Kendra and Azros spinning, weapons aimed at the newcomer. Hands flew up and Kendra immediately recognized the pale countenance of her communications expert. She huffed out a breath and holstered her weapon. “Reeva. How did you two get here?” Reeva dropped to a knee at Mase’s side. Azros stepped in front of Kendra with a growl rumbling low in his throat. “What is wrong with you?” She tried to move forward, but his arm wrapped around her waist, snaking her against his side. His muscles quivered under her touch. Reeva clapped a hand on Mase’s shoulder. She eyed Kendra with interest. “It appears your Valorian has chosen a mate.” Kendra tried unsuccessfully to step away. “He’s not my anything. How are you, Mase?” He rose to his feet with a fist against his side. “I’ll live.” He glared at Azros. “I didn’t expect such a warm welcome.” “It was either the stunner or ripping your throat out with my bare hands.” Azros still held her tight against him. “I’d prefer the stunner, thanks.” Mase rubbed the back of his neck. “Tell me you didn’t know it was him before you shot.” She glanced up at Azros. “Put the damn stunner away.” He dragged a hand through his hair and shoved the stunner in the thigh holster. “I don’t memorize most scents, Kendra. He seemed familiar, but lately all familiar scents belong to those who are hazardous to my health.” “What was that throat comment all about?” 51
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He gazed down at her with the eyes of an unleashed tiger. Power. Control. “I’m still hunting. The mating cycle isn’t over yet.” “Still hunting what?” Kendra clenched her jaw. His fingers traced the curve of her jaw. Warmth and comfort sizzled along with a bite of lust in her nerve endings. His touch was magic. “You.” “I don’t think so.” She tilted away from his fingers. “Let me go, or I’m going to do something we’ll both regret.” “Chief, where is your comm?” Mase shook off the effects with the resilience she’d come to expect from him. He rose to his feet. In this one instance she was thankful it didn’t take long to recover from a stun. “Back in medlab. Why?” Reeva tugged the comm from her ear and tossed it. Kendra snatched it out of the air. “Destiny’s Palace had been invaded.”
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Chapter Five Kendra placed the comm line in her ear. The insistent buzz of an emergency alarm echoed through the line. She recalled the message. “It didn’t make sense, Chief.” Reeva crossed her arms and shrugged her shoulders. “To either one of us.” Mase glared at Azros, flesh tinged violet. She almost called him down, but thought better of it. Being stunned hurt like a son-of-a-bitch. He stalked away from them. A light growl rumbled from Azros. She pinched the bridge of her nose and prayed for patience. “He is not a threat. I don’t fuck my subordinates, and I sure as hell wouldn’t fuck with my security team. If you don’t back the hell off, I’m going to shoot you, tie you up, and leave you here.” Azros gripped her shoulders and leaned so close she could see the golden tips of long black eyelashes. “I can only control my instincts so far, Kendra. Stay away from men until this madness leaves me, or I don’t know what could happen.” He kissed her. A melding of heat and possession. This kiss was a statement. She bit his lip and he purred. Actually purred. A throat cleared and Kendra tried to jerk away. Azros held her in the kiss for a moment more, staring down at her with challenge in his eyes. Kendra could feel the heat of a blush coming up her neck to her cheeks. Azros ended the kiss and smiled. She barely controlled the urge to knock that smirk off his face. He made her weak, and that was dangerous. “The next time you take something from me that I’m not willing to give, I’ll knock that smirk right off your face.” “I look forward to it.” She stared at him. He was getting off on this. She ignored the flare of interest his actions triggered. Now was not the time for this. He finally released her and she turned to her team, ignoring the curiosity in Reeva’s eyes and the hostility in Mase’s. “I have a job to do.” She moved away from Azros. She tapped the earpiece. “Playback.” Each comm was voice activated. “Destiny’s Palace is recalling all personnel.” David’s voice rang calm over the comm. “Alpha team prepare for relative diplomacy.” Relative diplomacy. A knot of untamed emotion formed in her throat. Destiny had used their secure code. A code she’d never hoped to hear. They were all in danger. Kendra checked her internal chrono. “Interesting message. What makes you think it’s an invasion?” They had less than an hour until sundown. She jerked the comm out of her ear and tossed it back to Reeva.
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“I received notice of ships invading our airspace.” Mase rolled his shoulders. He and Reeva looked no worse for their race across the Miora Flats. “From one of your seedy contacts, no doubt.” Kendra gave him a smile that she didn’t really feel. Her veins had turned to ice. “What does the message mean, Chief? Relative to what?” Reeva caught everything, but there were some things Kendra wasn’t prepared to explain. Not until she had to. “It means we’re in danger.” She glanced at Azros, noticing the grim set to his mouth, the strain around his eyes. “All of us.” “What happens now?” Azros pressed his fists against a table. “First I get dressed. We wait until dark. Then we head out. You’ll stay here where it’s safe.” Her stomach roiled in a mix of fear and anger. “The hell I will.” The rage in his voice had Reeva’s eyebrows rising to her hairline. Mase ignored the Valorian. Kendra went to the service lockers lining the wall. She opened hers and dragged out a clean uniform. For a moment she considered not going back. It would have been nice to spend another few days with the Valorian. Pretend there wasn’t a hostile target waiting for her back at the Palace. Fate, it was so tempting. She was unsurprised to find Azros right behind her. He eyed the security patches on her folded uniform. “You keep your clothes here?” Azros leaned against a closed locker. She slammed the locker door. “I told you. Someone has to maintain this facility. I always have extra gear stowed here.” She gestured around. “This area holds clothing for most of my security personnel. Just in case.” “Who is waiting for us?” His arm blocked her path. A smile touched his lips. His eyes blazed with emotion she couldn’t read. She looked away from the familiar smile and gave her crew a once-over. “You both look exhausted. We have a little less than an hour before we can move out. Catch some rest in the lounge. I’ll fill you all in on the way back to the transport skiff.” She met and held Azros’ gaze, staking a challenge on a primal level. “You’re not going.” She moved away from him and stalked across the room. Fear was riding her. Fear and anger. “Are you really going to tie me up?” She didn’t appreciate the humor in his voice. “If I have to.” She palmed into a side room. “Well that might be something we can explore later.” His voice dripped with sexual innuendo. “What are you talking about? Don’t you understand? I’m serious.” He grabbed her arm and turned her so that they were face-to-face. “I am deadly serious. I enjoy flirting with you, but make no mistake, I take my freedom and your safety very seriously.”
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Ice-cold fear knotted in her gut. “That’s why you have to stay.” She’d lost her family, her friends, her heritage…and the woman responsible for their executions might be waiting at the Palace. She’d be damned if she let that bitch take Azros too. Even if he was being an arrogant and overprotective jerk. “That’s why I’ll go. Who knows how much trouble you’ll get in without me?” Pure male arrogance stared back at her. He wasn’t as relaxed as he appeared. There was an edge of danger to his movements, wariness to his eyes that spoke volumes. She didn’t trust Azros’ crash and the return of her aunt’s people to be a coincidence. She had no proof of immediate danger, but a part of her wondered if Azros was bait. Her gaze scanned his face for any betraying emotion. He was giving nothing away. Come on, Kendra. It’s not like you really know the guy. Kendra smiled and poked his chest. “Without you? You’ve been nothing but trouble since I found you.” He captured her hand against his chest. “Lucky for you, you did.” He leaned close. “I might not have become addicted to your taste, otherwise.” “Always the charmer.” “I’m coming with you. I’ll only follow, so you might as well accept the fact that you’re stuck with me.” “I don’t know whether to say thank you or I’m sorry for that.” “It’s definitely a compliment to your character.” She raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think it’s my character you’re chasing.” He brought her wrist to his lips and nibbled gently on the skin. Pleasure slid up her arm in a light shiver. Her body’s responses were interfering with the ability to think. “I need you. My mating cycle isn’t over, yet. The beginning of the cycle is critical. Being apart could kill me.” He kissed the palm of her hand. “Quite literally.” She couldn’t stop the warmth of his kisses from spreading through her body. “You couldn’t have told me this sooner? Is there a way to speed it up?” The sincerity staring down from his eyes couldn’t be faked. “Not that I know of. If we don’t mate often enough, the pain will become unbearable. We don’t know what it’ll do to you, and I can’t allow you to go through that kind of agony.” She shook her head and smiled. “You and that mating thing. You know, eventually you’ll have to stop using that as an excuse.” “Don’t bet on it.” He nipped a bite on her wrist. “We don’t have much time. I’ve got to change and get ready to move out. Get some rest, if you’re determined to go.” She tugged her wrist from his tempting mouth. “I’ll stick by you, sweetheart.” “Fine. I’ll meet you in the lounge.” She dragged off her shirt and shucked out of her pants. His hands stroked down her back. “Kiss me.” His breath teased her lips. “This time I’m asking. Please.”
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She shook her head. “Even your requests come out like demands, Azros. I will not be humiliated in front of my team again.” “Humiliated?” He looked genuinely confused. “Your kiss. Staking your claim. I understand this mating thing is intense, but do we really have to destroy all credibility with my people in the process? Remember, Azros, long after you’re gone, I’ll still be here.” Shock, then pain registered in his gaze. “You’re right. I will try to control my baser urges.” She’d hurt him. Somehow. She watched some of the light die in his eyes, and she did the only thing she could think of. Her fingers gripped his hair, and she reveled in the silky slide of hair through her fingers. She brushed her lips across his in a caress that tickled. His thumb brushed against her lip before stroking his tongue lightly over the sensitive curve. Clever lips worked their magic against hers, and her mouth opened beneath the sensual onslaught of his kiss. His hand fisted in her hair, tugging her head back. Sparks of pleasure shot down her spine. She nipped his bottom lip. He broke the kiss with a lingering touch of his lips against hers. “You are so confusing, Kendra St. Thomas.” “I’m easy to understand. The life I lead is a complicated one.” “Are the invaders Sheon?” His fingers trailed down her cheek. She gave him a half-smile. “Yes. They are.” His fingers stopped their trek, and the light in his eyes turned barren, cold. She grabbed his fingers and gently pushed them away. “You don’t have to seduce me for answers. All you had to do was ask. I won’t let them take you.” Where did that come from? It wasn’t her way to get involved. Sheon or not. He brushed his knuckles against her cheek. “What can one person hope to do against a legion, kitten?” Regret flickered deep in his gaze. She moved away from his addictive touch and dragged on the rest of her uniform. The door opened and closed quietly behind her. She drew in one ragged breath after another, trying to keep down knots of emotion twisting deep inside. There would be no further messages coming. No way to find out if they were walking into a trap until it was too late. She had less than an hour to come up with a battle plan and two contingencies. One for Azros if he was the Sheon target. The other for Azros’ capture should he be working for the enemy. This was definitely not her day.
*****
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“What are you doing?” Reeva walked into the medlab, looking a little less like the walking dead. Azros leaned against the far wall, eyeballing Kendra’s every move. Her senses were set to hyperawareness every time he was around. This mating thing needed to get over and done with so she could go back to normal. Her body hummed with the need to touch him, stroke his skin. Reeva walked over to the control panel and stared intently at the monitor. “I’m downloading our medscans. The weather reports are already downloaded and stowed. Looks like we’ll have one helluva winter this year.” “You look like you could use a week of sleep.” Reeva shoved her hands deep in her pockets and leaned against the counter, back to Azros. Kendra scrubbed her hands over her face and sat heavily in the chair. “Yeah.” “Is there anything about what we’re facing that we should know?” Kendra rolled her neck to ease some of the tension building in her muscles. “We are likely walking into a trap. Members of the Sheon regime are invading our facility. They will be armed and dangerous.” She leaned over and strapped her weapon holster on her thigh. “You got all this from one little message?” Reeva shook her head. “Chief, you never cease to amaze me. So why are we waltzing right into a trap?” “Because David recalled us.” Reeva snorted her disbelief. “You listen to David about as often as you listen to me. I’m not buying that.” Kendra glanced at her long-time friend. “Because they won’t stop looking until they find what they’re looking for.” “Which is what?” Kendra shrugged. “It could be anything. They may be after the Valorian.” Kendra removed the clip in her pistol and ran through a functions check. “Ah. Slave trade?” “More like invasion of his people.” She reinserted the clip, verified the safety was on, and slid it into the holster. It was like coming home. A spike of pain shot up her legs. She cursed. Too much strain on the feet in the past few days. “This from the Valorian?” Reeva’s expression turned speculative. “Yeah.” Now more than ever, Kendra felt naked without her knives. “Chief.” She hesitated. “We don’t really know anything about him. The little bit of information I do know about his people could fill up a single report page. I can’t even get solid linguistics.” Kendra watched Azros. His attention didn’t stray from her, not for a second. “I know.” She dragged her attention back to Reeva. “You should know me better than that. I have enough paranoia for all of us combined.” She forced a smile she didn’t feel.
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“That’s why I’m concerned. He’s compelling without even speaking. I find myself wanting to trust him immediately. That’s not like me either.” Reeva looked irritated. “No doubt about it, this situation requires diplomacy and discretion.” “Speaking of the Valorian, I see you two have enjoyed each other.” “What makes you say that?” Kendra fidgeted with her holster, tightening the strap just so. “He didn’t rip Mase’s head off when we poached on his property.” Property. Kendra curled her lip in disgust of that word. “I’m no man’s property.” Her stomach cramped into agonizing knots. She dragged in a breath, and a spike of fear shot through her body. Sweat beaded on her forehead. Dammit. What the hell? She immediately thought of poison, but disregarded it immediately. She reached for Reeva but she was striding away from the console. “Well, you’ll have to tell him that.” Reeva spoke over her shoulder. “It’s almost time.” The cramps eased and Kendra nodded. She dragged in a breath and swiped the back of her hand across her forehead. The medscan download had already finished. She removed the memory crystal and dropped it in her thigh pocket. Kendra stood and stretched out the kinks in her back. The armless uniform gave her full range of motion, but it felt unusually itchy against her skin. She walked over to where Azros sat, and couldn’t stop her fingers from touching his face in a gentle caress. His eyes gleamed with pleasure. Her cold fingers grew warm at the touch. The residual pain in her legs and stomach became a distant memory. “It’s time to go.”
***** “Sounds like you two had a time of it.” Reeva paced Kendra in the hike back to the skiff. The eerie glow of their torches lengthened shadows, giving the already disturbing flats a foreboding appearance. Mase ranged ahead, scouting for treacherous terrain, and Kendra couldn’t help but hope that the moonless night provided further cover for the return to the Palace. The lights made her uncomfortable, but she didn’t have Mase’s night vision capabilities or Azros’ affinity with nature to rely on. “How close did the slimes get to you guys?” Kendra scanned the edges of the light, searching for a very specific shadow. Sweat broke out on her forehead, and the strong scents of the night rose in an overwhelming tide. She paused, dropping to a knee. Reeva dropped as well, eyes on the perimeter. The stench of rot overpowered the others, and Kendra gagged. “You okay, boss?” Reeva glanced around their circle of light. Kendra dragged a breath through her mouth. She scraped the back of her hand across her lips. Another breath followed. Then another. She gagged again, and tears welled up in her eyes.
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“Kendra?” Shadows slipped from Azros’ body like the hands of a lover. Kendra nearly choked on a laugh. She was definitely romanticizing the man, which was ridiculous when he was the cause of her sensory overload. His fault. “You.” She stood abruptly and clenched her fists in an attempt to keep her stomach from rebelling. “This is your fault. You mentioned a heightened sense of smell. You did not, however, mention that every single scent on the flippin’ planet would attack me at once.” “A heightened sense of smell from what?” Kendra didn’t like the way Reeva was looking at her. Humor wiped the concern from his face. He even grinned. She was going to kill him. “I had forgotten all about that. It happened to me the first time too. You get used to it after a while.” “The first time for what?” Reeva showed more than mild curiosity. “The first mating.” Azros was openly smiling. “This isn’t a mating.” Kendra’s fists clenched, and for a moment she was tempted to shoot him. “It’s just temporary.” The humor in his eyes died to be replaced by something darker, more intense. It had the hair on the back of her neck rising. “Of course. My mistake. I guess time will tell.” He flashed a smile that was more fang than necessary, and slid back into the shadows. “It is damn creepy how he can do that.” Reeva grinned appreciatively. “Yeah, you sound really creeped out. Men are all alike. It doesn’t matter what race they hail from.” His laughter slid from the darkness like a beacon against the chill. Damn him. “Yeah, but the different races make them all the more interesting. Like different flavors of ice cream.” Kendra reluctantly smirked. “Or different poisons to die from.” “You’re such a pessimist.” Reeva sighed dramatically. “But what a way to go.” Kendra shook her head and gave Reeva a clap on the shoulder. “You are a glutton for punishment.” “You’re only sore because that little hottie is keeping just as many secrets as you are.” Kendra snorted. There was nothing little about Azros. Swampland bled into the rising slopes of the crater. Kendra and Reeva both breathed easier. They were leaving the slimes behind. “I think you’ve met your match, boss.” Kendra sighed. At some point her team had taken it upon themselves to meddle in her life. “You look better. The sense of smell back to normal?”
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Kendra tentatively inhaled. Rot still overpowered the other scents, but wasn’t overwhelming. “Yes, it is.” She sighed in relief. “So tell me about the slimes.” She looked forward to being far away from the swampland stench. “We saw them from a distance. Our trip to the cliffs was pretty uneventful. You were right about the caves, of course. We found plenty of water, food and fuel for a fire. It would have been nice to have a bed though.” Reeva and Kendra watched another personnel transport fly overhead. Kendra wondered if Mark and his Sierra Team had run into any trouble with the Sheon. They reported to base while she was in the field. “That’s not one of ours.” Reeva’s fists clenched. Both were quiet until it disappeared into the upper atmosphere. “How bad is this going to be, boss?” Kendra’s chest tightened with fear and expectation. “It depends on the welcoming committee. The Sheon I’ve known in my lifetime are from two extremes. One group believed in the serenity of the sciences, complete pacifists. They wanted to split off from the main world and start their own colony, one that lived on a planet’s surface.” This planet’s surface. “The other group was bent on aggression, determined to bring change their way. This group is probably the one we’ll be facing. They tend to shoot anyone who disagrees with their ideals.” “Sounds like one of my family reunions.” Kendra looked at Reeva in surprise. “There has to be a middle ground between the two.” Reeva slid down a small trail with Kendra following close behind. “There always is, but I wouldn’t count on this little welcoming committee to be anything but hostile.” Kendra wondered whether they were here for the lost princess or the escaped prisoner. Either way this could turn into a bloodbath. “Do you really think they’re here for your Valorian?” “He’s not my anything, Reeva. And I really don’t know.” “If they’re after him, what will you do?” Reeva’s steps slowed. “I’d like to avoid dealing with them at all costs.” Kendra recognized the shadowed outline of the skiff. “We’re not alone, ladies.” Mase’s voice came over the comm, quiet and full of caution. Three things happened at once—her senses dropped into hyperawareness, she turned off her torch, and her weapon was drawn with safety off. Reeva continued on while Kendra moved quickly to the dwindling tree line. “Friendly?” Every footfall sounded clumsy and loud, and she tried to adjust her movements. She was prepared, this time, for the pungent odors threatening to overwhelm. Kendra didn’t need to see him to feel Azros moving around the perimeter. This was kind of amazing. For a split second she considered the benefits to mating. Before Mase could answer, the sounds of a scuffle came from behind the skiff. Kendra dropped to a knee, scanning the perimeter. “Kill the light.”
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Reeva complied. Kendra resisted the urge to run to the skiff. There was no telling if it was a trap. “Dammit, Chief, get your Valorian under control. He’s attacking Jackson,” Mase called over the comm. Kendra cursed and raced to the skiff. “Destiny’s gonna have our asses if her man gets dead.” Reeva’s voice rang with anxiety. Kendra smirked. She knew the history of every person in Destiny’s employ. Jackson’s record proved he could hold his own, but from what she’d seen so far, so could Azros. He was the wildcard. Kendra reached the clearing and was hit with the feral scent of Azros. Her heart stuttered in her chest. She bared her teeth. Danger. Was this territorial madness? Fuck! Fear and adrenaline mixed, and she did the one thing no sane woman would ever do in her life—launched between two fighting men. “Azros, stop.” She narrowly avoided Jackson’s fist, and used her forward momentum to hit the Valorian at waist level. It was a dangerous move, and one that she would have never done against an enemy. Her body was too vulnerable to a counterattack. She hooked an arm around his leg and twisted her body, tangling him up. He roared against the hold and fought like a wild man. Fate! He was going to seriously hurt one or both of them if he didn’t come out of it. “Azros.” Panic cracked her voice. Azros froze. “Kendra?” The hesitant question surged relief through her system. “Yeah. He’s the not the enemy. Stop. Fighting.” They both sucked in deep gulps of air. Azros was a tough man to grapple with. Reeva arrived and flashed on the torch. She kept it to the ground, but Kendra’s eyes burned from the light. “Hello, Jackson.” Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. “Kendra. Reeva. Where is Mase?” “Here.” Mase stepped from the shadows. “Jackson. One of yours?” Azros slowly untangled himself from her body. “One of Destiny’s men. Higher up the food chain.” She looked up at Jackson’s grim face. “Much higher.” She let Azros go and debated remaining on the ground. The rocky surface was almost comfortable at this point. Hell, her back was stuck between pain and pleasure, and she wasn’t doing a thing. Azros held out a hand and she took it, letting him drag her to her feet. She slapped her hands against her uniform, dislodging dust in a puffed cloud. “Sorry about that.” Azros held out a hand to Jackson. “Azros del Mar, Valorian Prime.” Kendra froze mid-swipe. “Del Mar?” He’d only introduced himself as a Valorian Prime.
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Azros blinked, and bowed as if in apology. She couldn’t see the expression on his face, but imagined he was disgruntled. “Forgive me, Kendra. It’s my formal last name. Valorian Prime is my title, like the word chief from your subordinates.” Kendra raised an eyebrow and stepped away from the two men. It irked her that he didn’t tell her his full name. If he hadn’t been so close to the edge, would he have let that much slip to Jackson? It’s not like you’ve told him everything, either. “Jackson Riley.” They gripped forearms in common introduction. If Jackson was here, that meant Destiny was alone. A fact that didn’t sit well with her. At all. “Why are you here?” “I’ll brief you on the way.” He looked around the area, likely searching for Mase, who’d disappeared again. “Reeva and Mase are to report back to the facility ASAP. They’re needed for a debriefing.” “Get moving, you two.” Kendra pounded a fist with Reeva as the woman passed. She looked at Jackson. “What about us?” She heard Mase’s grumbling as he climbed into the skimmer. Reeva’s quiet laughter as she followed behind. The group moved away from the thrust path and waited until the skiff thundered off to continue the conversation. Her eyes grew accustomed to the dark much quicker than she expected. Jackson looked worried, and that was scary. “You get a special debriefing, all your own.” Azros silently stepped up against her back, providing a comforting support. “Lucky us. Who’s taking care of Destiny?” His lips twisted in a grimace. “Destiny can take care of herself, as she is often reminding me. I have the other security teams on alert, and a tracker on her just in case.” Kendra’s eyebrows rose. “I’m surprised she went for a tracker. She hates those things.” It was a bug that recorded every aspect of the individual—vital signs, conversations, and even tracked location information. Jackson cleared his throat. Understanding dawned. “She doesn’t know she’s being tracked.” “I’d appreciate it if she never knew. Let’s be on our way. I need to get back.” He was jumpy, worried, and more secretive than normal. Kendra’s stomach knotted further. That gut feeling she’d been fighting twisted in real fear. They climbed on board. Jackson gestured to the copilot’s seat, and Kendra sat heavily against the padded cushions. Azros settled in the chair behind her, just as tense as she was. “I can’t handle the suspense, Jackson. Just tell me, already. Who is here?” Jackson started the transport and slid his gaze toward her. “Your aunt, the Sheon heir.” Kendra was aware of Azros’ shock. The hair on the back of her neck rose, but not in fear. In wariness.
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“What does she want?” Her voice shook. Every waking dream and bitter nightmare was coming true. “That’s easy enough. She wants the Valorian.” His gaze returned to the flight path. “And proof of your death.”
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Chapter Six “Oh, is that all? If she wanted my death, Skreeta should have done it right the first time.” Kendra’s joke fell flat. Azros couldn’t breathe. Skreeta. His chest tightened and his beast roared deep in his soul. “Your aunt is the Sheon heir? Skreeta?” Betrayal and cold, hard rage chilled his veins. Kendra had lied to him about who she was. She glanced at him before turning back to the viewscreen. “If she’s succeeded in killing all other blood relatives in the line, yes, she could be the heir. She was born outside the bounds of a consort agreement, so the tie technically isn’t legal. Her line should wield no more power than any other in servitude to the queen.” Kendra turned the chair and looked at him. He wasn’t ready to face the sincerity, the sorrow in her eyes. It was better to hang on to facts. Dark rage licked at the back of his mind like a newborn flame, hungry to consume, ready to explode. He scrambled to find a thread of conversation, anything to focus on besides his fury. “What the hell is a consort agreement?” Years of thinking on his feet had him absorbing the information, tucking it away until later. He trusted his gut to move him in the right direction. “Kind of like a marriage, only more open-ended.” She waved her hand in dismissal. “That’s not important now.” She looked back at the pilot. “How long has she been here?” “Since the beginning of the wind storm. Her pilot requested an emergency landing.” “So she still thinks I’m dead?” “It appears so, yes. She’s staying at the Palace under the cover of crew downtime. She says her crew has need of rest before they can return to the skies. It’s a paper-thin excuse, but Destiny’s hands are tied by the port charter. The shuttles are moving day and night.” He grunted. “Destiny says business is booming, but wants the snake gone yesterday.” Azros leaned forward, bracing his forearms on his knees. “Does Skreeta know I’m here?” It took a moment for things to click. Skreeta was the relative who left Kendra for dead all those years ago. Skreeta had killed Kendra’s family. His hatred for the woman became palpable. Kendra should have told him. Jackson shook his head. He maneuvered a tricky pass before replying, “She thinks you crashed on the surface. Destiny has been running the woman in circles, and
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hopefully has convinced her that no one could have survived the landing.” He glanced at Kendra. “We’re not betting on it.” Azros stomped the tendril of relief that threatened to grow. She didn’t know he was alive. Yet. That, at least, worked in his favor. Despite Kendra’s political views of bloodline, Skreeta acted with all the power and authority of the Sheon heir, and that made her dangerous. A spark of an idea blazed in his mind, tempering the anger threatening his self-control. “So why are we returning at all?” It was a good question. One he should have asked. Jackson sighed. “Destiny has a plan.” Kendra’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Destiny always has a plan. That doesn’t mean she’s doing the right thing.” Azros needed information. “Where is the Sheon command ship?” The plan was solidifying in his mind. They both looked at him. “Orbiting the planet.” The pilot’s response was guarded. Jackson glanced back at Azros, mistrust heavy in his gaze. “Why the interest in the command ship?” “That ship holds my crew. I need them back.” “Out of the question.” “They have my ship trapped in the Calypso’s bay. I’ll take it one way or the other. I will not leave without taking back what’s mine.” Kendra stared at him as if he’d grown another head. “With what army? Skreeta is one of the queen’s guards. They’re trained assassins. If you have a plan, she’s already prepared for it.” “I never took you for a coward.” He dared her with a level gaze. She matched him glare for glare. “I’m no coward, Azros, but I’m also not a fool. She took you and your crew, remember?” Azros’ cheeks burned with a mix of fury and humiliation. “Her ship conveyed a distress signal from our mining colony. Until the slaughter of my people, the Sheon were our allies.” Kendra nodded. “She’ll use every dirty trick in the book. You would need serious intel in order to launch that kind of mission, ships to get you there, and men willing to die for some reason other than patriotism. I’m not so sure you noticed, but we run a little high on the mercenary side out here in backreach territory.” She thought with all the cunning of his enemy. He leaned back in the chair and gave Kendra a slow smile. “Exactly.” Kendra could be so much more than just a mate. She could very well change the course of their future. She just didn’t know it yet. Kendra didn’t crack a smile. Tension blazed between them like a powder keg, one spark and they’d both be consumed. “You are certifiable.”
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“Tell me something, if you’re the heir, why didn’t you step forward and let your queen know you were alive?” She winced. “The order to murder my family would have been straight from the queen. Skreeta does nothing without the queen’s blessing. Trust me, she’s not the only assassin I’ve dealt with over the years. The mission here became more important than some idiotic blood feud. My parents’ legacy will live on, as will their vision of a peaceful and defendable Sheon home world.” He had no doubt they would be defending against people of Skreeta’s sect, if not the Sheon nation. Kendra sat there, calm and collected as if she were talking about the weather and not assassinations and political exile. This woman had been fighting, on her own, since the age of seven, and the Sheon slavers had dared call his people animals. The Sheon way was barbaric. “And this Destiny is going to help you?” Kendra visibly bristled. “Without Destiny I would have died long ago, and the project would have died with me. I owe her everything.” He leaned forward, taking her hand in his. Her fingers were chilled. He detected the slightest tremor. “Why didn’t you tell me who you were?” “What was I supposed to say? Hi, my great aunt murdered my parents and left me for dead so we wouldn’t be able to take the throne. By the way, it might be the same woman who murdered or enslaved your crew. Let’s fuck.” She put her other hand over his. Her expression softened. “Less than twenty-four hours ago, I didn’t even know you existed. No one knew I was alive. I was a memory, a ghost, and the Sheon were on the other side of the asteroid field. I’ve been keeping track of their movements for years. Planning for this day, and you wouldn’t even tell me your full name.” She tried to pull away, but he held firm. “You expect me to trust you?” “I didn’t hide my name from you.” Her words made sense, but they still hurt. “I thought we were on the same team.” “Okay.” She arched an eyebrow. “Then tell me this, mate.” She spat the word at him like a curse. “Tell me why my most hated enemy has returned after so long. Who, but you, could have brought them here?” “You, who are Sheon. You think I set this up?” Shock had him release her hand. He was insulted, and she matched him spark for spark, daring him with her glare. A gaze that changed before his eyes. He saw a flash of the wild. Almost feral. His anger rose. “I spent six months learning the value of Sheon betrayal. Every day your aunt mocked my naiveté as she tore punishment out of my hide. I was forced to watch my men die, my women slaughtered. Drugged. Abused. Left for dead.” Danger was an icy finger sliding down his spine. “I will not betray my people.” Kendra stared at him calmly, with no expression, no emotion. He wondered if his beast had made a mistake in choosing this one. “I trust no one, Azros, but I am not my aunt. I follow my mother’s ways of peace and defense.” She placed her hand over her heart. Sadness weighed heavy in her gaze.
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“There is nothing I can say that will take away the pain of your people, but I wasn’t the one who did it.” Azros leaned forward so that they were within a hairsbreadth of one another. “Tell me this, then. Could you have stopped Skreeta’s betrayal?” Kendra crossed her arms. “What do you want me to say? That I knew she was moving to take down ships? Yes. I knew. Did I know your people, or what she’d done? No. I couldn’t have imagined she would fall this far into insanity and enslave allies.” “You owe me.” Azros stared at her through narrowed slits. She shook her head. “I don’t owe you shit.” She shrugged a shoulder. “Why they’re here changes nothing. It was bound to happen, eventually. You can’t change the rules now, Azros.” He wanted her. Even now. She was fascinating with all the fire and passion tempering the pain in her soul. “Your deceit has switched up the game, sweetheart.” The beast inside roared in triumph at that fact, while the man knew this was going to get bad. She was his, body and soul…she just didn’t know it yet. “This changes nothing.” “Oh no?” He launched at her, trapping her in the chair. The sound of a click told him that the pilot had drawn and aimed a weapon. But he couldn’t stop himself from leaning closer, watching the way her eyes dilated in lust. The sweet scent of her pussy teasing him. He snarled, and she jerked in a breath. “You being Sheon changes everything, princess.” She visibly paled. “Don’t call me that.” She raised her chin, and fire leapt deep inside. He could see it shining from her eyes like a beacon. “I do not claim the Sheon bloodline as my own. I am in exile. My home is here. Nothing.” She stressed the word. “Has changed. Do you understand me?” She lowered her eyelashes in a contrite expression that he wasn’t buying for an instant. “I will get you off this planet. My aunt will never again get her hands on you.” His laugh was rough, unrecognizable. The edge of madness beckoned. “Such sweet words. Maybe I could take a slave?” He curled loose tendrils of her fiery hair on his finger. Her eyes were wide. He could see the struggle within to maintain her façade. Fear wrestled with anger, and a good measure of lust boiled them together. “My own little Sheon princess. You’d better get used to the title.” She opened her mouth and Azros kissed her, hard. Possessive. He reveled in it even when he was ashamed. Her lips softened under his, and the fists that had shoved at his chest were now opened and caressing his skin. Azros released her hair. He gentled the kiss, easing away from the chair, turning away before she regained her composure. “What a pair we make. Is St. Thomas even your real last name?” He glanced back. She averted her gaze. “I didn’t think so. Be careful whom you accuse of trickery, princess. It looks like you and I were both keeping our cards close to our chests.” Her cheeks burned, in anger or embarrassment he didn’t know.
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Focus on the facts at hand. Skreeta was at the Palace. He looked at Jackson, pointedly ignoring the barrel of a very powerful pulse pistol aimed at his chest. “I will never allow myself to be captured. You should know this before we arrive. If I catch even a whiff of betrayal, I’ll tear the Palace down around you.” Jackson laughed and holstered his weapon. “You Valorians really are touchy when you’re in a mating cycle, aren’t you?” Azros clenched his fist and stopped when Kendra touched his arm. “Azros. Please. Jackson likes to whittle away at people. It’s a hobby of his.” She glared at Jackson. “It seems he has a death wish today, though.” The other man shrugged a shoulder. “Destiny is arranging your transportation offplanet. Kendra’s encrypted message mentioned this little mating problem and your request for asylum.” Azros sent a sharp glance at Kendra. Little mating problem? She stared out the window with the slightest blush of embarrassment. He promised a little sexy revenge later. If Skreeta didn’t gut him first. “Why bring us out in the open? You could have left us in the lab.” Kendra cleared her throat. He could see her heart racing at the pulse in her neck. The look she gave him wasn’t filled with disgust, like he feared. Instead, it was molten silver. She wanted him. His aggressive side was rising, that meant another round was coming. If it followed the natural cycle of his people, she would lead the dance. If not, he’d be happy to guide her. His cock twitched in anticipation. He shook his head, trying to dislodge the insanity of mating. Was the last time this aggressive? “We couldn’t afford to. She knows the lab location. It’s only a matter of time before they send their people out there.” Kendra jerked as though she’d been slapped. “It’s my lab. The place belongs to Destiny’s Palace.” Jackson laughed. “The Sheon, as Skreeta has proven in triplicate, still own rights to the lab until the terraforming project is complete. There’s nothing we can do about it. Since you’re considered dead, she’s the closest blood relative on the planetary seal. She made it quite clear that the only reason we’re even allowed to stay here is by the grace of her goodwill.” Jackson glanced over at them. “Destiny is expecting the woman to try extortion next.” Azros fought the urge to go to Kendra. At this point she’d be just as likely to punch him as kiss him. His feelings for the woman confused everything. He shook his head, shifting his weight to make room for his hardening cock. “Is there any way to get word to my home planet?” “Communications, as you can guess, are limited. We’re being constantly monitored, and I won’t risk the wrath of that command ship for a message that will be intercepted. They could blockade us for fate knows how long.” He flipped the autopilot switch and leaned back with his fingers interlocked behind his head. “On the plus side, I think this
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event finally convinced Destiny to upgrade the satellite security systems like you’d suggested.” Kendra gave a semblance of a smile. “About time. Too bad it takes an invasion of the slimy kind to sway the lady.” “You know Destiny.” “Barring Azros’ suicide run of glory, what’s the plan?” Kendra’s voice was thick with some unknown emotion. Azros glared out the window. He wasn’t suicidal, but his soul shriveled at the thought of his men’s suffering. Who knows what that woman had done to them after his escape? His fists clenched until his knuckles whitened. The agony she’d inflicted on him was nothing compared to what his men had suffered. His people needed to get their hands on a sample of that drug. “We sneak you both off-planet until the area is safe. In two days there will be an arena fight. It’ll be easy to slide you off then.” Jackson talked about escape from the Sheon as if it were a walk in the park. “An arena fight?” The beast inside Azros stalked in annoyance. Two days before he could help the others escape. “That won’t do. My people won’t have enough time to reinforce my position.” He gritted his teeth. It took six months to escape. He could wait a little longer. The beast gnashed and grumbled against it, but he could control it. For now. “Why don’t you give escape a try? The odds of survival are much better. Trust me. Besides, the arena fight promises to be an interesting venue. They’re the Gladiator Superfights, and will be broadcasted out on vidscan all over the sector. There is a mining ship—” Jackson began. “The Suplato,” Kendra interrupted. “You watch these superfights?” Azros raised an eyebrow. She shrugged. “Of course. Everyone does, actually.” Jackson nodded. “Exactly. Destiny’s encouragement of the Suplato captain has brought the arena to us. The ship will orbit our little rock and kick off the fights. They’ve already contacted us for additional entertainment and will be sending a taxi service to the Palace the night of the main event. We can move you out on one of those, and it’ll be easy to get lost in the crowd.” Kendra shook her head. “I can’t leave the mission here. Azros can get to safety without my help.” “We’ll continue tracking the data in your stead.” Jackson’s amusement leaked through his voice. It appears he was prepared for Kendra’s response. “We need to find another way.” Her stubborn refusal was laced with more anger than he expected. “I don’t know this sector of space.” Azros leaned back in the chair. His mind whirled with possibilities. It would be easy enough to hire a mercenary group to raid 69
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the Sheon command vessel. Kendra knew what to look for. Her personnel file was chock-full of shady deals and necessary roughnecking to get the job done. “You can find a transport with navcom. I won’t be any help.” Her eyes flashed with irritation. He grinned. There was no way in hell he was going to leave without her. “You’re Sheon. It would help for my people to consider witness testimony from an esteemed member of the race.” He tilted his head. “Maybe we should completely clear the air.” He nodded to the pilot. “Is he trustworthy?” “I have trusted him with my life on multiple occasions. So yes. Anything you tell me, I trust him with, or he wouldn’t be Destiny’s assistant.” The pilot looked amused. He sighed, determined to hammer the final nail in his coffin. “My people, my entire race, are in danger, Kendra. Skreeta wants our mining rights. We have an asteroid full of Kenorian crystals.” Her eyes widened in disbelief. “Holy shit.” Kenorian crystal was the most expensive form of secure communication dispatch, unhackable. A small batch was worth a considerable fortune. “The amount we’ve found could fund Valorian government and planet exploration projects for generations. We could wipe away our planetary debts in months.” “Why capture you, then? Why not kill off your people and take the rights?” Jackson asked. Azros blinked in surprise. “I suppose that kind of thing happens a lot out here in the mining sectors. She can’t mine the asteroid without us. We can sense crystal lodes. That’s very important when other metals and magnetic aberrations on the asteroid interfere with most equipment. Our stamina allows us to work longer hours than other Sheon slaves. We’re cheap labor, and her damn drug keeps us incapable of sane thought. She was very vocal on never letting my men go.” “I thought you lost communication with your mining facility.” Kendra was absorbing the information, filing it away for later. He could see her mind working at lightning speed. The mention of the drug tightened her lips, and he could taste her fury rising. “We did, but we had a contact smuggling information to us. The prisoners had an underground info net. We lost word with the contact a few weeks ago. He was supposed to rendezvous with an agent, but failed to show.” “Did your home world know of your capture?” Jackson seemed more than curious. “No. When we were taken, we were running a reconnaissance mission while trying to gain an idea of their military capabilities. They didn’t expect responses often. It was assumed the Sheon ship taking our people was a rogue. It wasn’t until my ship was taken that we realized the extent of the Sheon betrayal.” “And?” Sincerity and righteous anger were a potent mix in her expression.
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“It looks like they’re preparing for war. There are several command vessels primed for something. I have access to their locations.” “Where are they?” Jackson’s questions grated on Azros’ nerves. His trust for the man was running low. “It doesn’t matter. If I can’t contact my home world, it’s a failed mission before it even begins.” Azros was never a man to admit defeat. He’d be damned if he would now. There had to be a way. Kendra and the pilot were discussing how they would sneak in and out of the Palace without being seen. With surprise, he realized he trusted her to handle those details. It was strange and unnerving to rely on another. She shifted in her seat and his gaze sharpened. Her cheeks flushed a light pink. She glanced over at him beneath long eyelashes, just a flash of her eyes. A finger tugged at her collar and she turned back to Jackson. Her fingers touched her cheeks, and if he wasn’t mistaken, her nipples were growing hard beneath the sleeveless top of her service uniform. His grin turned wolfish. He knew the timing was lousy, but despite everything, her body still needed him. She would come to him this time. His instincts weren’t wrong. Her body was accepting the changes. He held on to that like a lifeline. He reminded himself that Kendra was Sheon. Sheon were already proven to be a compatible race, but where was the overwhelming rage, the dark fury? He had a moment of anger, then it was gone, replaced with, what? Determination? Drive? Shock? His beast had known instinctively what Azros had been too thickheaded to work out. Her body was changing. She was becoming his mate. Holy fate. The revelation stole his breath. Everything else faded. Her body could be permanently altering itself. He had no way of knowing what the end of the cycle would do to her. The signs were all there, but he needed a medical scan to make sure. He watched the way she flicked her braid over a shoulder. A fierce feeling of possession surged through him. She was his. This changed everything. Valorian women were most vulnerable during the last few days of the mating cycle. He had no reason to believe Kendra would be different. That meant he needed to get her safely away from Skreeta. He closed his eyes, torn between needing to take back his people and the instinctive drive to protect his mate at all costs. And protection could only be given by his people. Either way he had to get her off-planet. Kendra’s cry jerked his attention back to her. She clenched a fist against her stomach. Cold fear knotted in his chest. He moved, dragging her into his arms. “Desh’ra, what is it?” He soothed her with light caresses on her face. She was burning up. Her body racked with tremors while her internal temp became an inferno. “I burn.” Her gaze was unfocused, liquid silver. She kissed him with desperation. A fierce mating of their tongues. Wild. Untamed. “I need you,” she whispered against his lips.
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An intense spicy scent, unique to Kendra, mixed with the rich flavor of her lust. Holy fate. She was falling into a frenzy. His cock flared to attention. He tucked her against his chest and bit the inside of his cheek. He was hard enough to hammer steel. She sipped at his lips before chasing kisses across the fur-covered edge of his jawline. “What’s wrong with her? What did you do?” Jackson. He’d forgotten about him. Kendra flicked her tongue against his throat. Tiny nips of his skin followed. Little sparks of pain ran down his spine to his cock. Every lick was followed by a teasing nibble. He clenched his jaw and huffed out a breath, begging for control. We could fuck her here. Taste her cream. Make her beg. His beast paced. Ready to pounce. Azros fought for control. He wasn’t an animal, dammit! “Nothing. This is the natural course of a mating.” Jackson didn’t need to know the truth. No one did. Not ’til he saw the results himself. A tendril of fear wove through her scent. “What is happening to me?” He tucked a finger under her chin and lifted it so he could see her expression. “Your body is changing for me. You’re becoming mine.” He spoke quietly so that only her ears could hear. Her gaze grew dark, roiling with emotions he couldn’t read. The beast in Azros rolled over in pleasure, batting at his mind in playful joy. She was theirs. “That’s i-impossible. You said it wouldn’t be permanent.” She shivered in his arms. Another rush of her scent filled the cabin. “Anything is possible, Kendra.” He chose to ignore her last statement, and teased her lips with his, dragging a moan from her throat. Jackson moaned and Azros jerked his head up. He could see the flush of arousal on the man’s face. Tension bunched his muscles into tight cords of frustration. “Get her to the back.” He spoke the words through clenched teeth and forcefully jabbed a finger toward the rear of the cabin. Azros bared his teeth. Growled. Mine. “Get your mate away from me.” Jackson turned back to the helm. “Holy fuck, Kendra.” His voice was obviously strained. “Come, Kendra.” She shivered against him. Her sweat-soaked hair clung to her face, and she was entirely too pale. “That would be nice,” she muttered. “What was that?” He tucked a stray tendril of hair behind her ear. “Nothing.” She actually ducked her head in embarrassment. Relief was a sharp stab in his gut. She wasn’t too far gone, then. “No. I think I distinctly heard something.” He led them through the door, unsurprised to find a cozy nook. With a bed entirely too small for what he had in mind, and no room to maneuver. He growled. Kendra followed the line of his gaze and a desperate laugh followed. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
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“Don’t worry, mate. I’ll take care of you.” He pushed her against the closed door and cupped her face. “I distinctly remember you saying something about wanting to come.” She drew in a deep breath and tugged at the buttons of her shirt. “I’m not your mate. This is temporary.” Azros grinned like the predator he was. He wouldn’t remind her that she’d already called him mate, or that her people had already begun accepting it as fact. Not yet. “Keep that up, and I might just have to show you how wrong you are.” Would it be so bad to have the Sheon princess as a mate? His fingers unlatched her belt, easing it down to the floor with care for her gear. Her thigh holster followed, dropping over the back of a chair. Their lips tangled in a soul-searing kiss, ramping the heat up to a raging inferno. He unbuttoned her pants, dragging them open. With a groan, he realized she wore no panties. He cupped her sex. Her slickened desire had already spread to soak the bottom of her uniform. Two fingers plunged into her moist heat and she cried out. “Shhh, Kendra.” He kissed her lips. “Those cries belong to me. I don’t want anyone to hear them.” Her cunt creamed her lust down his fingers to the palm of his hand. His fingers twisted and scissored inside the molten heat of her pussy. “I promise to make this up to you, soon. I’ll make you scream in pleasure, baby. I promise.” Every cry was swallowed by his kisses. He fought the urge to mark, to bite. Hell, his cock ached to fuck her, but this wasn’t the time or the place to stake his claim. She needed relief. By fate, he was going to give it to her. Even if it killed him.
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Chapter Seven Kendra couldn’t stop the flood of sensations overwhelming her. His touch burned her alive, and her body hummed with a wildness unlike anything she’d ever experienced. All senses fixed on Azros and his magical touch. Fate. He was killing her. His fingers flicked inside her pussy, causing sparks of electric pleasure to coalesce at the base of her spine. Tension ramped up with every touch. Hot kisses mimicked his fingers, licking with every flick, sucking gently on her tongue when her pussy closed around his fingers. She tried to hold in her cries, but the wildness growing inside her was desperate, clawing for release. His fingers weren’t enough. She wanted it all. Her hips thrust of their own accord, adding just enough pressure to push her to the edge. She noticed the chair and shoved him away, groaning at the loss of his fingers in her heat. He barely caught balance against the chair. She stopped thinking, dropping to her knees in front of him. In seconds she had his pants open. She needed to taste him. “Kendra…” Whatever he was going to say drowned in a moan when her fingers closed around the incredible heated shaft of his cock. She licked her lips and stroked with near reverence. There was nothing in the world like this man’s cock. So sensitive to every touch. Her tongue swiped at pearl of pre-cum on the tip. Salty male essence unique to Azros slid across her tongue. It eased the driving hunger, pushing it back, letting her enjoy with desperation. They both moaned, and she slid her mouth down the shaft, tongue stroking against the veined ridge. Her fingers cupped and rolled his balls. She could taste and smell the pleasure she was giving him. It empowered her like nothing ever had. He was hers. She sucked gently on his cock and pulled up, until just the head remained in her mouth. Her tongue teased and stroked around the tip. Azros tugged at her hair tie, dragging it off to grip his fingers in her locks. She smiled. “I fucking love your hair.” He loved her hair. She pulled away and gave him a smile that hinted at her intent. His fingers brushed through her hair allowing it to fall around her face. “What are you doing?” She took her hair and put it over her shoulder. With delicate care she gripped her hair in her hands and stroked the length of his cock. His eyes changed to liquid gold, and a feral light came into their depths. “You are a temptress.” A growl rumbled on the edge of his words. She swiped her tongue around the head and his growl grew louder. Her pussy ached to be filled with such desperation she knew this eye of the storm wouldn’t last much longer. 74
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“Attention in the cabin,” Jackson’s voice came over the ship comm. “We are arriving at Destiny’s Palace, so please be ready to disembark.” Kendra swiped her tongue against Azros’ cock and pulled away. He growled and lifted her up to straddle his lap. His cock was a steel rod against the vee of her thighs. Her already soaked uniform was growing wetter. He thrust against her, growling low in his throat. Chills of awareness slid down her spine. She put her hands to either side of his face and kissed him with all the wild abandon her body craved. “We have company, so you’d better be ready to move when we arrive.” Jackson sounded irritated. Kendra smiled against Azros’ lips. Azros dragged his mouth away with a curse. “This isn’t finished.” His gaze locked with hers, and a shiver of anticipation slid down her spine. She slid off his lap and brushed her fingers down the ridge of his cock one last time. He was incredible. This Valorian warrior trembling at her touch, looking so hot with his cock jutting from his pants. Their moment of sexual abandon had pushed the tide of insanity back. She gathered the tattered threads of her control and grinned. “Let’s go, sexy. I have plans for you.” Irritation turned into a slow and sexually charged smile. “So you think I’m sexy, huh?” He ran his hand down his cock in one hard stroke. Kendra’s breath caught. She loved watching a man pleasure himself. He stood and carefully arranged his cock before buttoning his pants. The firm outline of his erection was hard to miss. He gestured to the door. “After you, princess.” The title doused her flame of desire. Reality crashed in like a tidal wave. She was the last living princess. With shaking fingers she straightened her clothes. Curse her bloodline. They were in danger. What the hell was she doing playing sex games with the Valorian? She dragged her fingers through her hair, dragging it into a tight, single ponytail. How could one man turn her life upside down in such a short time? His expression showed confusion, then quiet speculation. Kendra turned on her heel in the tiny space and slammed open the door. It rocked against the wall in a loud bang. Jackson turned from his docking procedures to give her an assessing look. “Sorry to spoil your fun.” “You haven’t spoiled anything. I’m so done with this mating thing. Who’s meeting us?” She knew her irritation was linked to sexual frustration…and embarrassment for her uncharacteristic public displays of lust. “Destiny, your team, and some additional muscle. You know you should be belted in for landing.” “I’m too wired to sit. Besides, you should be a pro at this by now.”
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An answering grunt was her only reply while he focused on landing, setting them down with a feather touch. The man was an amazing pilot. He glanced over at her. “You seem…better.” “Yeah. Wish I felt better.” “Expecting trouble, Kendra?” Azros’ chest touched her back, and she fought the urge to lean against him. “With Kendra involved? Always.” Kendra chuckled. “Whatever.” She punched Jackson in the arm and turned, surprised at the possessive heat simmering in Azros’ eyes. Kendra ignored the lick of lust that expression created. She still wanted to throw him down and fuck his brains out, but she’d be damned if she gave in to this insanity. His words had reminded her. Threats of being enslaved chilled her. She had a job to do. Responsibility. No one would take away what was hers. Her body screamed at the loss, and her brain refused to cooperate. Lust had turned her mind to mush. With a sigh of frustration, she walked back to the cabin and jerked on her gear. Rubbing her thighs together did nothing to ease the ache between her legs. She could control this mating thing. Kendra predicted hours of cold showers in her future. Cold showers and a lonely bed. She sighed. A wave of heat washed through her. Then another. What the hell? Pain burst in a lightning arc through the back of her head. She doubled over. Shivers tore through her body like a freight carrier, dropping her to her knees. She cursed. A knot of fear formed in her throat. Her senses dropped into ultra-sensitivity, and the scent of Azros overpowered all others. Ravenous lust rocked her. She palmed her mound and pressed the cloth of her uniform against her pussy. The pad of her hand rubbed, causing flicks of pleasure through her system. An involuntary moan tore from her throat at the sensation. Even a light touch was like raw pleasure-pain on her nerve endings. “Kendra?” Azros’ voice caressed her body like a lover. She shivered, and another moan slid from within. He stood in the doorway, tall and incredible, and oh so delicious. She needed him with a desperation bordering on insanity. He inhaled and she watched his eyes dilate. Fangs gleamed in a feral snarl. She launched at him, wrapping him up, and tumbling them back against the plated floor. They landed hard, and air punched out of Azros’ mouth in a sudden gush. Her lips took his in a powerful kiss, one that sent her senses spiraling higher. Mine. “What the fuck is going on? Kendra?” A woman’s voice jerked her out of the kiss. Kendra growled and released Azros. Her body covered him in a semi crouch, and she faced the new threat. She reached for a knife that wasn’t there. Her lips twisted in a snarl. “Don’t come closer. She’s gone feral.” Azros spoke the words but she couldn’t understand their meaning.
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“Mine.” She growled the word. The woman held up her hands in supplication. Kendra tilted her head. “Trust me. He’s all yours.” A man with a familiar scent walked toward the woman. “She doesn’t even know who I am, does she?” A dull ache formed in her chest at the words. “I can fix this, but I need time, and a room with a very large bed.” Her mate’s voice drew her attention back to him. He was hard against her. She needed. “You will fix this.” The woman gestured at Kendra. “With sex?” Sex. Yes. Kendra almost purred with pleasure. They would have sex. Azros ran his hands around Kendra’s ass, cupping the cheeks firmly. She looked down at her mate and reveled in his touch. “Mine.” He said the word quietly, firmly. Kendra’s pussy clenched in agreement. “Your touch does seem to be calming her. Well, okay. This isn’t the strangest thing I’ve ever heard, but it’s up there.” The woman moved and Kendra’s attention snapped back to her. “She had better be a willing participant, or you won’t have to worry about the Sheon.” Her heavy gaze fell on Azros and Kendra growled. “Jackson, give them the suite for now. Someone needs to tell me what the fuck is going on.” She moved away from the door. Kendra’s gaze snapped to a way to freedom. “Not yet.” Her mate held her against him. “Soon. We’ll leave soon.” “Try to keep the damage to a minimum. The suite has very resilient restraints. Feel free to use them as needed.” The woman looked back at Kendra, matching her glare for glare. “I need my security chief back, Azros. So you had better make it happen, or I will hold you personally responsible.” Azros blinked in surprise at the woman. So this tiny powerhouse was Destiny? “I need to get her there, now. Don’t let her interfere.” He looked from Jackson to Destiny. Jackson nodded, stepping in front of Destiny. With a quickness that belied his fear, he rolled them over and pinned Kendra with his body. His hands gripped her wrists above her head. He glared at her, matching her rebellious gaze with his. Her teeth bared in a snarl. He snarled back, baring his fangs. She fought for control, struggling against his hold. When she arched again, he went for the throat. “Kendra.” To his everlasting gratitude Destiny’s intervention was stopped by Jackson’s and, from the familiar scent, Mase’s reassurances. His teeth pressed against the skin and she immediately stopped moving. Her erratic pulse leapt against his mouth. Azros growled against her throat and she sucked in a breath. He could taste her change just below the surface. The urge to mark her flared in the back of his skull. She whimpered and rubbed against him in sexy supplication. He knew her submissive behavior was temporary. Until he knew more about what the hormone was doing to her… With care, he released her throat and drew her to her feet. She kept her 77
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eyes averted. They had a momentary reprieve. “Get me to that suite. Now.” Azros latched his hand around her wrist. He strode from the ship, Kendra keeping pace. “Wait a minute! Let me at least clear the hallway first!” Destiny grabbed his arm and he blocked a reactive strike from Kendra. “Don’t come near us until I fix this. There’s no time to clear anything. For fate’s sake, don’t touch either one of us.” Destiny remained behind, but he could feel her gaze burning through his back. That was one lady he would never want to cross. Mase moved like lightning, leading the way. Kendra’s small team must have been waiting at the dock. “We’re going to need labs done on her. A full-body scan as well. We’ve got to know what’s going on.” “So why after? Why not before?” The small woman from the rescue strode along beside him. “The hormone is changing her body. I didn’t think she would actually go through a change. Trust me, this has never happened before. Instinct guides our people through this time, and my instinct tells me, and her, this is what is needed.” Kendra stumbled with chills, and he swept her into his arms. “If she drops into a completely feral state, I may not be able to get her back. She would have to come to my home world.” Kendra groaned. The scent of her lust surrounded him, and he wanted to roar his agony. For a moment he wished Skreeta were in the hallway so he could tear her apart to vent this frustration. Worry and fear ate at him. He’d lost a brother to feral madness, and losing Kendra as well would be unbearable. “We haven’t really been formally introduced. I’m Reeva, by the way.” “Azros.” He looked down at Kendra’s flushed face. Her gaze was unfocused, her expression full of passion and need and it took everything he had to keep his body focused on getting them to privacy. “Is this normal?” Reeva kept pace with him. No easy feat considering how petite she was to him. “A female turning feral?” He didn’t mince words. “No. I’ve never heard of it happening.” “Ever?” She sounded amused. “No. Never.” She chuckled and he tried to keep a handle on his temper. “I seem to have missed the joke.” Reeva held up her hands. “No joke. Leave it to the chief to pave the way for a whole new mating history. She will never do anything by the book.” Reeva winked at him. “Take care of her.” Something occurred to him. “Can you get her weapons brought to the suite? She seems very partial to her pistol.”
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She rolled her eyes. “That’s an understatement. She loves that thing like it’s her child. You should see her extensive blade collection. I’ll get Mase to do it.” She jogged ahead to Mase. The blue-skinned man leaned down to hear what she had to say. A nod was his reply. Azros looked down at his lady warrior. Her eyes were squeezed shut and shivers racked her body. Fate. This is my fault. I should have seen this coming. “I’ll take care of you, mate. I swear I’ll ease the pain for you.” She moaned quietly. It was impressive how her team respected her, and strange that she surrounded herself with so few defenders. Is this the right thing to do? Doubts plagued him. They finally reached the suite and he carried her in, barely registering the closing of the doors or the locks being engaged. He strode to the bed and laid her down. Another spasm curled her into the fetal position. In seconds he stripped, dropping the clothes on the ground. For a moment he wondered if they would ever slow down enough for him to actually put his clothes anywhere but the floor. He climbed onto the bed. She wrapped her body around his legs and shook as another tremor shot through her. A surge of emotion warmed his chest. She instinctively trusted him. He pressed his wrist against her forehead. She was on fire. Worry ate at him. He untied her boots. His change hadn’t been nearly as violent. First one, then the other boot fell to the floor. He prayed to the fates that he was doing the right thing. “Kendra.” He soothed her with his touch, running his hands down her back. Fingers slid under her shirt to stroke up her spine and down again. Her shivers lessened. “Tell me what you need. You have to guide this. Trust your instincts.” “I need…” The words choked on a sob. “I need you inside me, Azros. Please.” He helped her pull off her uniform, brushing aside her fingers when they fumbled over buttons. When she was naked, he tugged her hair loose and fanned it against the dark coverlet. It looked like spun fire. He kissed up her stomach. Her fingers gripped his hair, dragging his head up. Feral light, and a flash of Kendra’s personality glared down at him. “Fuck me. Now.” It was the challenge that did it. The snarl on her lips. The desperate need in her gaze. It opened the door to his own feral nature, bringing the beast to the forefront. He flipped her over and pulled her ass up. His cock brushed the slick entrance to her cunt, sliding just inside. Liquid heat surrounded the head. He groaned. She was going to burn him alive. “Are you ready for me, mate?” “Fate, yes. Don’t make me wait!” Hands gripped her hips and he slammed deep. Her cunt clenched him like a fist, and her cry was one he recognized as relief and pleasure. Kendra spread her legs wider, curving her back to arch higher against his cock.
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His fingers dug into her hips. The unique scent of her change surrounded them, making his heart pound in a primal rhythm. He fucked her with a pace that left them both gasping. This was so much more than sex. The walls of her pussy rippled around his dick and all thoughts shattered. His voice was lost in the maelstrom of their wild abandon. Only the sounds of her desperate cries and their flesh slamming together filled the room. He wouldn’t last long at this pace, in this position. With iron will he dragged together the last shreds of his control. “Please. More. I need…” She choked on a sob. He pulled out and flipped her to her side. He lifted her leg to press against his shoulder while the other wrapped loosely around his waist. His dick slid against her soaked entrance and stroked deep, and agonizingly slow. She was the sweetest form of torture. “No, don’t slow down!” She struggled against him, fingernails digging deep into his forearms. A growl rose from his chest. She arched, needing to move, and he pushed harder, trapping her. He grinned. Control wavered. Sweat ran in rivulets all over his body. “Not so fast, princess.” He used the title on purpose, following his instinct. A flash of sanity returned to her gaze. His thumb slipped between them to flick her clit. She bucked against him. He did it again and her cheeks flushed. Her mouth opened with a sweet sigh. “You’re so beautiful, Desh’ra.” He ran his fingertips along her thighs. “Your body fits me perfectly.” Her nails raked his arm. Pain and pleasure mixed in a potent combination. He teased her clit without mercy. Her sweet cunt tightened and rippled around him. He gritted his teeth, struggling to maintain control of his body. “Fate, your pussy is so tight.” Her cries of pleasure grew louder, desperate. The slow pace was killing him, killing them both. He eased her leg off his shoulder to fall naturally around his hips. She locked her legs around him and dragged his head down for a kiss full of frantic lust. Her fingertips caressed along his jawline. “Fuck me. Show me how much you want me.” The words were whispered against his kiss. She nipped at his lips and soothed with her tongue. Her gaze never wavered from his. There was a dangerous glint to her eye, a challenging smile on her incredible lips. “Make me come again.” He slipped his arms beneath hers to grip her shoulders. The new angle put pressure against her clit with every stroke. Her tight pussy clenched him like a glove. He fucked her with abandon. She arched against him with every thrust, driving him deeper. Her nails raked down his back and her teeth nipped at his shoulder. It was the most natural thing in the world for him to open his mouth and bite the tender flesh where neck met shoulder. Fangs pierced just inside the skin. She cried out, a mix of pain and pleasure, gripping her fingers tightly in his hair to keep his mouth against her flesh. His teeth felt
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strange, full of pressure. Her hands slid to his shoulders, and another orgasm rolled through her body. The pressure in his teeth released in a flood of liquid. He pulled away to suck on the wounds. Warm blood mixed with spicy essence unique to both him and Kendra. Fate. He’d released part of his lambyre. He swiped his tongue against the wounds. She tasted even sweeter than he could have imagined. Ambrosia. Heaven. His balls tightened, and the beast within roared its success. His world tilted and their bond strengthened, locking them together, baring his soul. “Yes!” she cried out against his shoulder, biting him. “Bite me again.” Unknowingly she opened her soul to him. She was his. All his. He bit her again. They both lost control. Her teeth nipped at his shoulder and he growled, pounding into her, driving them both over the edge. He drew on the wound, the wash of her orgasm making the blood richer, delicious. Perfect. A part of him wondered if it would stay that way. Once the beast was unleashed, it could never be caged…or so they say.
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Chapter Eight Kendra strode across the lab floor, icy awareness making every shadow jump, every sound echo. The small room held a hodgepodge of equipment. Some were pieced together with scraps and others were the best money, and blood, could buy. Either way, the lab was the last place Kendra wanted to be. Her fingers stung from the latest batch of lab work. She reached the office of Doctor Kate Monroe, Destiny’s newest acquisition. Kendra ducked her head in the doorway. Long brown hair fell around the young doctor’s shoulders in soft waves. The woman was nose-deep in a microscope. Kendra cleared her throat. “I was summoned, Dr. Monroe.” She jerked away from the lenses and her pixie-like face reflected confusion. Kendra leaned forward. “You called for me? I’m Kendra St. Thomas.” “Yes! Kendra. Sorry. Go ahead and relax.” She shook her head. “Destiny should be here soon, as well. Until then, why don’t you tell me how this mating thing is going?” Kendra clenched her teeth and leaned back against the wall. She gave the room a cursory inspection. It was sparse, completely barren of anything personal. The office consisted of one utilitarian desk, a viewing screen across from it, and a supersomething-or-other microscope that had cost more credits than Kendra would see in a lifetime. Luckily the microscope had come with the doc. “There’s not much to say. Did you find something?” Dr. Monroe tilted her head. “You could say that.” She gestured to the microscope. “This is a revolutionary discovery. Do you know what the medical community would do to get their hands on this?” “For your sake, let’s hope they never find out.” Destiny spoke from the doorway of the office. “Good to see you out and about for a change.” Her smile was warm and full of mischief. Her boss had often teased her about lack of sex…now she was a regular addict. The hormone was taking over her life. Azros had been…different after he bit her. Distant. Kendra’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. “Yeah, well…we’re lucky to go three hours without touching. I assume that’s why I’m here.” She settled in a chair. “Did you figure out what’s going on with me?” Dr. Monroe smiled. “I’ve found the catalyst for your change.” She gestured to the microscope. “Well, don’t keep us in suspense.” Destiny shut the office door. “It’s in his saliva.” Dr. Monroe looked in the lenses again. “This is amazing!” Kendra reminded herself that the doc wasn’t trying to drive her insane. Doctor Kate Monroe was the best at what she did…molecular biogenetic manipulation. She had 82
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three intergalactic bounties on her head to prove it. The good doctor was moonlighting at the Palace until the heat simmered down a bit. “What, exactly, is in his saliva?” Kendra wasn’t excited that the doctor was thrilled. “The hormone. An actual mating hormone.” She pulled away from the microscope and put her glasses on. “How do we stop it from affecting me?” Doc Kate raised a finely arched eyebrow. “It’s too late for that. The hormone has infiltrated your organ systems.” “Which ones?” Destiny was quiet. Thoughtful. “Every organ in her body.” Doc slid the glasses down her nose and looked at Destiny. “I’ve compared the current scan to the one from the day of onset. There is a staggering amount of the hormone in her body. It has spread exponentially in a very short time.” Dr. Monroe took off her glasses, leveling a sympathetic gaze at Kendra. “I’ve compared three of your body scans. One from your last wellness check, the one you took at the lab, and the one we took here. Every one of them tells a story.” With a remote, she brought images up on the viewing screen. “I want you to pay attention to the progression of color among these scans. The hormone is the light green you see.” Kendra’s mouth grew dry as the desert. She cleared her throat. The last scan looked like a bright map of green light. Every organ had a green ring along the edge. Every part of her body. “What does this mean? Is it fatal? Am I going to grow a second head or something?” “I don’t think fatal is the word, but you will have it in your system for the rest of your life. I’m not sure how far the changes could go, but I’m sure a second head isn’t an issue.” The joke fell flat. “The rest of my life? Is it going to kill me?” “No. It likely won’t kill you. As a matter of fact, it seems to be strengthening your immune system. It’s the same hormone that flows throughout the Valorian’s body. His scans show only a slight variation between the lab scan and the one here. It’s a natural part of their mating cycle, I’ve been told.” “Is it transmitted by saliva only?” Destiny had remained quiet for most of the earlier exam. “Well, saliva is the only body fluid sample I have. My assumption would be no, but without further samples all I have is speculation.” “Is it contagious?” Destiny looked as worried as Kendra felt. “No.” The doctor shook her head and stared at the screen in fascination. “It’s truly unique to the exposed individual. I’ve heard rumors of them, but have never seen…” Her voice trailed off and her expression took on the same wandering gaze her mother and father had once fallen prey to. 83
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A painful knot of emotion lodged in her throat. “Doc. What else is it doing to my body?” Dr. Monroe blinked and shook her head. Excitement radiated from the doctor. “Races keep this process a secret. For the Valorians, survival of the species actually relies on this process.” Destiny’s expression hardened. “You were right.” Being right never tasted so much like dirt. Kendra clenched her teeth until she got her temper under control. “Is it changing me?” “We can’t be sure.” She put on her glasses and pointed to the screen. “It’s settling in heavy doses around your reproductive system, and infiltrating every part of your brain. You can see concentrated levels in the parts of your brain that deal with healing, growth and ultrasensory perception.” Her gaze zeroed in on Kendra. “Have you noticed changes in your senses? Smelling keener, hearing improved, strength increasing?” Kendra swallowed. The damn hormone was changing her, altering her body. It took two tries to speak. “I have moments of increased sensory awareness. Smell, touch, hearing, even taste is affected.” “We’re going to need to track the mutations all the way through. What other changes have you noticed?” Mutations. That sounded ominous. Kendra huffed out a breath. “My sex drive seems to go into overkill the moment I catch his scent.” “What scent is that?” “That spicy, intriguing…” They were both looking at her as if she’d lost her mind. “You can’t miss it, guys. It’s very hard to ignore. Wait a minute, does it affect others?” “I didn’t notice a scent when I did his scan. Did you, Destiny?” “No.” “This is interesting. Did you always notice his scent, or was it gradual?” “I don’t know. It’s just a certain scent I noticed. I can’t tell you when.” “What triggers it?” “Every time we get hot for each other, it surrounds me, but he always has it.” Kendra looked from the doctor to Destiny. “I notice it all the time. You guys haven’t?” Destiny shook her head. “It was intense on the skiff before we hit port. You had to notice it.” Destiny tilted her head. “Jackson also mentioned an odor, but that it came from you. Kind of spicy. It affected him the same way Azros affects Kendra, but I didn’t notice anything. He said it faded.” “Great. So what, is this some kind of animal mating scent or something?” Kendra rubbed at her gritty eyes. She needed sleep in the worst way. Too much crap had happened in the past forty-something hours. Not to mention the rough week she’d dealt with before that.
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“Kendra?” A snap of the doc’s fingers jerked her out of her thoughts. She shook her head. “What?” The doctor sat on the edge of her chair and gazed at Kendra the way a bio student assessed a toad before dissection. It did nothing to relieve her tension. “It’s possible that it’s designed to draw a mate. The question is which came first, the hormone change or the ability to sense it? If exposure causes the mating cycle, this should be easy enough to control. If it’s the other…” She let the sentence trail off. Destiny shrugged. “We know that more exposure will increase the changes. So the next order of business is to separate you two.” Kendra gave an involuntary cry, but Dr. Monroe was quicker. “You can’t do that!” “Why not?” “You haven’t been listening. What’s happening between them is critical, necessary to survival of the Valorian species.” “I’m not concerned about the Valorians or whatever this mating thing is. My priority is the safety of my staff.” The doctor gave Destiny an impatient look. “Maybe I’m not being clear. If you keep them apart, Kendra might die.” Kendra froze. “You’re kidding right?” The doctor looked at her and Kendra knew she was serious. Dead. “Kendra’s safety is uppermost in my mind. The hormone is designed to make the species survive. There may not be a way to stop it, and if there is we likely won’t find it before the cycle ends.” Kendra clenched her fists. “English, doc.” Fingernails dug into her palms. The doctor softened her tone. “Since it’s affecting every organ, we have no idea what loss of the hormone would do to you. The mutation could stop, increase, or grow out of control. I don’t know enough to give you real answers.” “Great.” Destiny threw up her hands in irritation. “When does that end?” “I don’t know.” “Will it permanently alter me?” Doctor Kate pushed her glasses up, pushing her bangs back. “I really don’t know.” “Well, what exactly do you know, Doc?” Kendra ignored the sharp look Destiny shot her. She was getting damn tired of I don’t knows. Her fingers brushed the stillsensitive bite Azros had given her. It sent a charge of sensation straight to her pussy. She gritted her teeth. What the hell had he done? The doc pinched the bridge of her nose. “Some of these changes are happening on a molecular level.” She gestured toward Kendra’s third image, the one that showed fullbody exposure. “According to the few research notes I could gather on the Valorians, their bodies produce counter hormones that can change their bodies back to normal.”
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“Can we use them on me?” “If we had the capability to create a synthetic counter hormone, which we don’t…and proceed to inject you, there’s no guarantee it would be successful, or that your body would even accept it. Hell, it might kill you! The only thing we do know is that the Sheon body doesn’t have the resources to return on its own.” Kendra ran her palms over her face and stared up at the ceiling. She was changing. Permanently. After it was all over, he’d return to normal, and she would be left suffering. Alone. Grow up, Kendra. This isn’t a fairy tale. Alone was safer. It was way too soon to be attached to Azros. So why does it hurt so much? “So…basically if I stop the process, I’ll die. If I walk away, I die.” Kendra huffed out a small laugh. “The only option is to see the mating to the end.” “Are they safe in population?” Kendra’s stomach twisted at Destiny’s question. Who else besides Jackson would be affected? “Of course. Otherwise she wouldn’t be here.” “Can you at least figure out some way to keep her from attacking others?” Destiny sounded just as frustrated as she was. Kendra leaned forward, bracing her elbows on her knees. Doc shook her head. “According to my research, probably not. It’s called a feral state. Interfering with it may lead to death for both parties. They turn wild. The only one who can stop it is their mate. Even if we try tranquilizers, it’ll just delay her process.” “Damned if I do…” Kendra muttered under her breath. “You can stop the mating cycle.” “Not without the risk of organ failure.” Dr. Monroe looked apologetic, at least. She got up and walked around the desk to lean against it. “We don’t have any idea what this hormone is doing to her body, and I don’t have the equipment to analyze any further. The key to this mating thing is with the Valorian people.” She clapped Kendra lightly on the shoulder. “Get your Valorian to give me something to work with, and I’ll see what I can do.” Kendra barely registered the doc’s touch. “He’s not my anything,” she snapped. Her life depended on their mating. Why didn’t he mention that little fact when this had started? Azros had some serious explaining to do. Destiny crossed her arms. “This hormone crap is worse than PMS.” She waved a hand. “Thanks for the help, Dr. Monroe. I have yet more guests to prepare for, and need to figure out a way to get these slag wastes off my planet before they destroy its fragile ecosystem. Not to mention the overtime I’m paying my entertainment staff.” Kendra knew when she was dismissed. She’d feel bad later. Much later. Right now she had a Valorian to flay alive.
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He was alive. His brother was alive. Azros welcomed Mase’s interruption. Anything to get his mind off what he’d done. He’d marked Kendra. Like an animal. Fate only knew what he’d injected her with. He cursed his culture’s tight-lipped superstitions that kept the mating rituals a secret. None of his people had ever mentioned injecting their mates with anything. Was it normal? He didn’t blame her for leaving when she was summoned. Had he destroyed her trust? Azros couldn’t get to his brother fast enough. “So he just asked for me?” Mase strode ahead, leading the way. “Yeah. It was the strangest thing. He woke from a two-week coma and said to get Azros del Mar to him. Tell him that Xavier is awake. I tell you what, that kid is lucky to be alive.” Lucky to be alive. Azros clenched his fists. “How did he know I was here?” Mase had surprised him with a knock on the door. Xavier Cross was asking for him. Xavier…his brother. It had been too long. “I have no idea.” He cut his eyes at Azros. “I’m sure you stalking down one of our busiest hallways carrying our chief of security had nothing to do with it.” Azros clenched his jaw. “Right.” “Then there’s the marathon sex you two seem to be enjoying.” “We’re not having sex in public.” Mase grinned. “You don’t have to. The signs are all there for the staff.” He was having entirely too much fun at Azros’ expense. “People talk. And since the chief’s private life is now very public, you’ve given them a lot to talk about.” “Great.” Just what they needed. “What about your other guest?” Mase’s smile turned grim. “She and her group left right after your return.” Azros didn’t believe in coincidence. Fate had shown him his people’s enemy, and had delivered the weapon he could wield against them. If he learned anything during his captivity it was that Skreeta was a master tactician. Skreeta was planning her next move. The question was whether or not she was plotting against Azros or Kendra. Hell help anyone who went after his mate. He ran a hand over his face. What a mess he’d made of things. “You know, I’ve never seen the chief so bent out of shape before.” Mase was guiding them down a chain of hallways that eased from luxury to uniformity. He recognized universal signs for staff, and authorized personnel only. “Bent out of shape? She’s ice under pressure.” Mase cut a look at him. “You should see her when you don’t have her all twisted in knots.” She wasn’t the only one. His head was one big, tangled nightmare.
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They reached a sealed door. Mase swiped an ID badge and entered a code. The door released with a whoosh of air that flowed against him, carrying smells unique to a medical environment. Azros fought his aversion to the scents. He’d spent too many post-war years recovering in a hospital to ever be comfortable in them again. “How bad is he?” “I haven’t seen him since the rescue, so I’m not the one to ask.” They came to another sealed door. “You guys take hospital security very seriously.” “Oh this isn’t for security.” Mase entered his information and the door whooshed open. This time, the air drew in. “This is the area reserved for unknown contagions. Your friend has been cleared, otherwise he could have begged for days and you would have never seen him. Doc says he’ll be moved soon.” “Cleared of what?” “Whatever new super virus, bacteria or other contagious disease he could have been infected with. We’re pretty remote out here, so everyone gets tested before they can mingle with population.” The door shut behind him. “I wasn’t tested.” Mase cut his eyes at him. “What do you think those bioscans were for back in the lab? Reeva and I were tested and cleared upon our return.” His grin wasn’t reassuring. “You passed or you wouldn’t still be here.” He didn’t ask for clarification. “Here we are.” Mase opened a door and they walked into a stark, but functional room. A bruised and gut-wrenchingly familiar face turned toward their direction. Bandages covered his eyes. His hair was braided in the tradition of the warrior class. A spurt of pride had Azros’ lips lifting in a smile. “Xavier. What happened?” He slipped into their language. “Azros?” Xavier’s voice was raw. “You son of a bitch, you really are here!” He held out his hands as though trying to feel for him. “I thought they were lying…” His voice trailed off. Xavier had grown from the despondent youth he remembered to a young warrior. A young warrior who had nearly died. Helpless rage drove his beast to roar inside his head. Azros strode close and took his brother’s hands in his. “I’m here. Who the hell did this to you?” Years of conflict between them dissolved like nothing. Suddenly Azros felt like the protector again, the big brother, and not the crown prince. Xavier’s lips twisted in a grimace, and he dropped Azros’ hands. “Most of the damage was done by the crash.” He brushed his fingers along the bandages covering his eyes. “You’ve grown so much.” Azros couldn’t believe it.
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“Well that happens when a boy grows into a man.” There was an awkward pause. “It’s damn good to hear your voice.” “Tell me what happened. You just disappeared.” For six years. His brother raised his chin. “I chose to see how long our people’s reach had become. My travels brought me to the mining facility. I found a place in their tight-knit community, and decided to stay. I’ve lived there for the past five years.” He’d become a miner? “Did you really have to go so far away?” Xavier shook his head. “Don’t start. I left because I had to. There was no place for me after Mother’s death.” “Xavier…” His brother held up a hand. “We will argue over family obligation when our people are safe. Listen to the rest of the story, brother.” Azros nodded. “You’re right. Please continue.” “Almost a year ago, the Calypso hailed us. They requested emergency landing for ship repairs. We gave them clearance and shut down the alarm system to allow them through. Their attack came out of nowhere. The communications satellite went first. Then the life support systems. We were forced in one small area. Our security team was compromised. She shot the operation foreman, and the dome mayor. After that was chaos.” Azros closed his eyes. Helpless anger squeezed his heart. “What happened to our people?” His voice was raw with rage and grief. Xavier fisted the sheets in his hands. “We were enslaved and forced to work longer hours in dangerous conditions. Every now and then, they felt the need to make an example with one of our teammates. They were murdered right before our eyes.” His hands shook. “I couldn’t do anything to stop it.” Rage coiled in Azros’ gut. “None of us could. Hell, brother, she took our ship and we were prepared. We were going to meet up with a contact, someone who had access to the ship.” “Yeah. That was going to be me. My plan was ousted, and I was taken before I could be smuggled out.” Azros wanted to roar in agony. He covered Xavier’s hands with his own. “I should have been there. This should never have happened to you.” Xavier brushed off his touch. “I am the first brother to the prince of our people. If I couldn’t save them, what makes you think you could?” Azros clenched his jaw. “Some of the worst tortures were caused by the mining regent. A Sheon by the name of Solace Valera.” “Solace? That’s an interesting name.”
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“So named for her ability to bring peace by any means necessary.” A quiet voice spoke from behind Azros’ back. Azros spun around. A robed woman stood by the foot of the bed. A woman he hadn’t heard or sensed. He cursed medical disinfectant and how it masked all other scents. Kendra’s dislike of his quiet movements came to mind. His gaze flicked to the closed door. Mase leaned against it, unconcerned. The blue man’s gaze traveled back and forth, taking in expressions, if not understanding the words. She had long blonde hair, and a simple torc wrapped around her neck. Everything else was covered in the nondescript robe he’d seen others wearing. Her face was in shadow. “Who are you, and how do you know our language?” “Shyla,” Xavier sneered. She strode forward with the confidence of someone who was expected, if not welcomed. Her eyes captured his attention. In color only, they reminded him of Kendra. Iron-gray eyes, cold and desolate where Kendra’s were warm, if wary. “Xavier. We don’t have much time.” The blonde’s face grew drawn and pale at first glimpse of Xavier’s bruises. There was a story here. Xavier bit out a laugh. “What else is new?” She ignored his comment and glanced at Azros. “Greetings, Valorian Prince Azros. I’m Shyla, daughter of Skreeta. You’ll forgive me if I don’t shake hands as I’d expect you would rather kill a member of my family than befriend them.” Azros stiffened. “You know who I am.” It wasn’t a question. Shyla nodded. “Unlike my mother, I’ve studied your people.” “Makes her a more efficient sadist.” Xavier’s voice was bitter with anger and remembered pain. Azros was unable to decipher the levels of subtlety in their conversation. They both obviously knew one another, and despite Xavier’s words, he sensed no threat from Shyla. The blonde beauty cut a glare at Xavier. “War is war. I have done what needed to be done to protect your people…and mine.” She looked back at Azros. Her silver eyes, so much like Kendra’s, were like the storm-tossed sea, but overfilled with emotion he didn’t understand. “Why help us?” “Because my mother is insane, and the royal bloodline is tainted.” “What do you hope to gain with our assistance? Why not kill her yourself?” Shyla gave a wry laugh. “You wouldn’t understand our ways.” “How would you know?” “Your brother wouldn’t listen.” Azros nodded once. “I am not my brother.” 90
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She looked from Xavier to Azros and back again. “I suppose not.” She looked disappointed in Xavier. “I am here because the Sheon are going to make a move against your home world. They have to be stopped.” Hair stood on end at her words. “An invasion? With what army?” Shyla sighed. “She doesn’t need an army. All she needs is the Auberon drug dispersed among your people. She has space to ground tactical weaponry aboard ship. There’s enough of the drug to enslave all of your people ten times over.” Horror froze his mind. “Your queen is allowing this?” Azros shook with rage. “Our queen is old and feeble. Her mind is slipping. She doesn’t remember ordering the murder of her own children and grandchildren. This invasion, however, is not by her order, but Skreeta’s.” “How do you know this?” “I was there when she gave the order. The only reason we’re not at your home world right now is because the queen has sent us here to find proof that her children are dead.” “Find proof that her children are dead?” Azros shook his head. What kind of queen would kill her children in the first place? The thought was completely alien to the Valorian culture. “Yes.” Shyla stood at the foot of Xavier’s bed, looking at him with longing. “I’m here to stop the invasion.” Azros watched Shyla. “You helped me escape.” It wasn’t a question. She looked at him. Shyla’s gaze was steady, confident. “Helping you escape would have been treason.” “No more so than stopping the invasion,” Xavier spoke quietly. “Can we trust that her information is good?” “Yes.” Xavier crossed his arms over his chest, and Azros did the same. They both faced the petite Sheon daughter. Xavier’s head tilted, listening to every move. Her smile held an edge of impatience. “Your intimidation tactics won’t work. My mother is far deadlier than you could ever hope to be. And that’s why I’m here.” She reached into the sleeve of her robe and Azros leapt across the short distance, locking her wrist in an iron grip. She huffed out a breath in impatience. “I have critical information.” She moved slowly and pulled out a Kanorian crystal. “This holds everything you’ll need to stop the invasion. Ship schematics, security codes, shift change times by area, you name it.” Azros stared at the Sheon daughter. This was the contact? “Why are you giving this to us?” Xavier was quiet, thoughtful. “I want your word, the word of the Valorian prince, that you will not harm anyone on that ship. When I get your word, I’ll give you the pass code to unlock the encrypted data.”
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Azros shook his head. “I can’t promise that, but I can promise that I will minimize losses as much as possible.” Xavier nodded. “That’s the best you’ll get, Shyla. You know how this has to end.” She closed her eyes. “Yes. I do.” She held out her hand and set the crystal gently in Azros’ palm. “The pass code is…Xavier Cross.” She whirled around and put her hood over her head. Azros’ fingers closed around the crystal and looked at his brother. Xavier’s face had drained of color, leaving the bruises stark against his pale face. “Son of a bitch.” Xavier shook his head. “Don’t ask.” He slowly released a breath and settled back against the pillows. “Insanity must run deep in their bloodline.” “Yeah.” The crystal reflected the light in a sharp arc of color, and he thought of Kendra. “I think the bloodline is starting to grow on me.”
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Chapter Nine It’s in his saliva…organ failure. Dr. Monroe’s words chanted in her mind like a mantra. She could feel the simmer of animalistic lust tightening her body, making it more sensitive to everything. A glancing blow to her side jerked her attention back to the present. The pain was minimal, but significant enough to clear her head. “You’re not focused, Chief.” Reeva’s grin was deadly, and full of delight. Very few of Kendra’s security staff knew how lethal the soft-spoken woman could be. “You’re telling me.” Kendra went on the offensive. She attacked with a flurry of kicks and punches. Reeva expertly blocked each one. “It’s that damn Valorian.” “Ahh.” Reeva’s counter kick whizzed by Kendra’s face. She backed out of leg range and grinned. “Men have been put in this universe to exasperate us.” “True.” Kendra launched another attack. She punched at Reeva’s face. When the woman blocked, Kendra rolled her arm over and tucked against the smaller woman. One hand latched on the woman’s forearm. With Reeva’s arm as a lever, she used the body’s momentum to hook a hand under her armpit, to toss her across the floor. Reeva turned the throw into a roll and came up with a devilish grin. “Well done, Chief.” She gave the sign of truce. “You’re getting better at hand-tohand.” Reeva strode over to the mirrored wall and took her towel from the bar. “You’re moving much faster.” The sparring room was as private as it got around here. Only her people had access. All shifts. Twenty-two personnel. “We should work on your close combat weapon skills.” Kendra grabbed her towel and mopped her sweat-soaked face. Reeva shook her head. “With weapons, I have yet to get a mark on you, Chief. I’d like to end on a high note today, if you don’t mind.” She wrapped the towel around her neck. “Besides, I think you’ve got company.” She nodded toward the door. Kendra looked up. Mase had brought Azros to the sparring room. One look at the Valorian was enough to send her blood boiling, in both lust and anger. “How did you find me?” She hooked the towel over the rail. Mase grinned. “This is the spot to find you when you’re not working or sleeping.” He looked at Azros. “She doesn’t know the meaning of the word downtime.” Reeva clapped her on the shoulder. “That’s my cue.” She jogged to the door and linked her arm with Mase’s. “Come on, blue boy. We have somewhere else to be.” She started dragging him toward the door. Mase struggled, turning back toward Azros. “No. Wait. I really need to see this.”
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Reeva shouldered his back, shoving him through the door. “Nobody needs to see this.” Azros’ gaze swept over her. She cursed as her traitorous nipples hardened. Her pussy slickened with desire. Damn him. He opened his mouth, and then closed it. She glared at him. “What are you doing here? I told you I had work to do.” His eyes narrowed to slits. “What did the lab results say?” She wouldn’t ask him how he knew where she’d been. Mase had probably told him. “That I’m being altered.” He nodded slowly. “And?” He cautiously stepped closer. “And I won’t be able to change back on my own.” He jerked to a stop. “Change back? Is there really a way?” Kendra wanted to lie, but couldn’t. “No. Not unless I want every organ in my body to fail…at once.” He considered the information, and then nodded. “You know what this means.” He stalked closer and Kendra’s breath caught at the pure male possessiveness that captured his expression. “Yeah. It means you lied to me.” She unconsciously took a step back. He laughed. “I didn’t know you were Sheon. So where did the lie begin? Besides, it’s impossible to react to the lambyre if your body wasn’t compatible with mine. It looks like the Sheon people are a little more than receptive to ours.” “You lured me in like a spider.” She walked to the weapons wall. “Now I’m caught.” “Is that really what you think?” He paced her, watching her, waiting. For what, she didn’t know. She could feel the walls of a trap closing in on her. “I don’t know what to think.” She crossed her arms. “I am in a constant state of anxiety. My whole life is turning upside down. Again.” She shook her head. “I had a nice, stable, wonderful life.” “We can be so good together.” He held his hands out. “Start a new life.” “It’s the mating hormone talking.” Kendra fought every instinct that told her to reach out to him. “Your body will return to normal once the mating cycle ends.” Fear and desperation rolled around in her heart. “There is no going back for me.” “I have done a lot of things in my life that I’m not proud of, but you have to know I wouldn’t change this for anything.” He prowled closer. She shook her head, backing away from him. “You don’t know what you’re saying.” In a heartbeat he had her back to the wall and his hands on either side of her head. His gaze captured hers. The depths of his emotions slid through her mind. Hope, need. Lust. It was just wishful thinking. She shook her head, and the moment disintegrated.
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“I’m saying that you’re mine.” He captured her wrists when she would have pushed him away. He nipped at her lips, pressing his body against hers. “I don’t belong to anyone.” The hard length of his cock twitched through his pants against her stomach. Damn him. His scent surrounded them. Her pussy ached with the need to fuck him. “And I’m yours.” His words wove their magic. He didn’t know what he was saying. Did he? Azros nuzzled her neck with those soft kisses that drove her insane. “I love the way you taste. The way your body reacts to mine.” He released her wrists and cupped her face. “I can’t think when you…” Her words ended on a cry when his hand cupped her breast. His thumb brushed over the tip until the nipple became a hard, sensitive point. Electric shocks of pleasure shot down to her core. “Don’t think.” The whispered command sent shivers down her spine. “Let go.” She clenched her jaw against the urge to do exactly as he wanted. “I’ll make a deal with you.” With a backbone of steel and grit, she ducked away from him and walked back to the practice weapons wall. Her body screamed at the loss, but she pressed on. Azros growled his frustration and Kendra almost laughed. Almost. “Let’s fight for it.” “Fight for what, exactly?” “Control.” She tilted her head. “If I win, you follow my lead. If you win, I follow yours. How does that sound?” He crossed his arms. “I like my plan better.” Kendra chuckled. “What? Fucking like bunnies? Giving in to the mating hormone? So far all it’s done is create ample opportunity for Skreeta’s attack. She may be back in the sky, but that makes her more dangerous. We are distracted while she’s planning her next move. One mistake and it’s game over.” She pulled two blades from the wall. Both were about the same weight of her knives. “What’s your pleasure?” She gestured to the wall. Mischief lightened his gaze and expression. “You, of course.” Kendra grinned and her cheeks grew warm from minor embarrassment. “Choose your weapons.” Azros assessed the wall of weapons with the critical eye of a skilled fighter. “Short sword and a dagger.” He chose close combat weaponry. She grinned and tossed him the two blades. He caught them and tested the weight with a few practice swings. He examined the blades and frowned. “These blades are strange. I’ve never seen this design before.” Kendra’s grin widened. “David, engage sparring weapons.” A familiar tingling in her hands told her the blades were live.
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Azros looked down. The edges of the weapons sizzled and cracked with a charge. “What the hell is this?” Kendra rubbed her knives together and they arced beautifully. “Mase’s design. They’re called Live Touch. Every brush against your body sends an electrical shock. It’s a small shock, and not dangerous to your health…unless you have metal in your body.” She looked him up and down. “I don’t think you’re a metal man.” He grinned. “No.” He tested the weight of the short sword. “This might just be fun.” Excitement tingled down her spine. He was in her territory now. She moved to the center of the sparring mat. Azros prowled around the edge before stepping across from her. Her senses expanded. This time relief settled in her mind. It had come when she called. Maybe she was getting used to this. Relief instead of fear. She could hear every move, see every twitch of his muscles. Maybe she could call it at will. Her smile wasn’t a nice one. He was so going down. She moved and struck, ducking a halfhearted stab in her direction. A blade slid along his side and his bellow made her grin. She turned to face him, stepping out of attack range. “I thought you were a better fighter than that.” He glared at her and tightened his grip on his weapons. “Don’t hold back, Azros. I’m not a fragile little princess.” She launched at him again. He was ready, this time. Blade crackled against blade. She ducked and swept him, knocking him to the ground. His legs tangled hers, flipping her on her back. She rolled out of his reach and back to her feet. He grinned. Kendra glowered. She stood to her full height, and a red haze surrounded her vision. She slowed her breathing, trying to keep control of her senses. Time slowed to a crawl. She attacked again, seeing every move before he made it. Her skin felt tight, alien. She swiped her daggers against his torso and hip, arcing electric pulses into his skin. One after another, until he finally began blocking her strikes. His curses filled the room and Kendra laughed, swirling out of reach. “You are quick, mate.” He grinned. “I’m so hard for you right now, it’s killing me.” His words shot a bolt of lust straight to her pussy. She bit back a moan. “You can’t manipulate this to your advantage. I’m not easy to fool.” His grin was feral, fangs gleaming in the light. “You didn’t set the base rules, Kendra. Everything is fair game.” He launched at her and she reacted a moment too late. His short sword glanced off her stomach, while the dagger punched against her side. She cried out and stabbed back. Her blades hit major organs and he jumped away. They both held their sides and glared at one another. “You have got to be the most frustrating female I have ever met.” “You’re the one who’s forcing the mating issue, here.” 96
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“How? You think this is my choice? An argumentative, maddening and aggressive female?” He began circling around her. “Sorry, I’m not vapid, simpering or Valorian enough for you.” “Oh, you’re Valorian enough.” He lunged, she blocked. They tested one another with steady strikes and feints. “The question is, how much of it can you handle?” The door opened and Kendra’s attention split. One of Destiny’s pleasure crew walked in with a purposeful stride and a hand behind her. How did she get in here? Her name slipped Kendra’s mind, but something about the woman set off alarms in her head. Something about the way she walked seemed so familiar. Azros launched another attack and she was blindsided, knocked to her back. The newcomer raised her arm. A weapon! A red haze instantly descended across her vision. “Get down!” Time slowed and Kendra could see every move, every detail. She launched at Azros’ legs, knocking him out of the way, and threw the dagger. The blade flew true. “David! Intruder!” A shot fired. Searing pain exploded in her shoulder. Her grip tightened on the remaining dagger, as the would-be assassin collapsed like a rag doll. She palmed Azros’ cheek, satisfied that he still breathed. “Were you hit?” He shook his head. A shot of relief loosened the fear around her heart. “I suppose I have you to thank for that?” Kendra’s gaze swept the room. Azros’ hand touched her shoulder. He pulled his hand away. “Desh’ra, that’s blood.” She brushed his hands away and moved quickly to the still-twitching body. The blade had pierced the eye cavity. She swallowed. That was a damn lucky hit. Sparks of electricity sizzled and popped from the wound. “It’s clear. Keep an eye on that door, will you? The security team should be here in a moment.” She knelt beside the body and tentatively touched the face. Electric shock shot through her and she cursed. “David, weapons off.” The sizzling and popping stopped. She touched the face again. No shock. Azros stared down at the body. She knew what he saw. “No matter how many times you see them, you never get used to it.” Skin around the eye socket had peeled and burned, leaving exposed circuitry and wires. Azros knelt beside her. “What the hell is that thing?” Kendra sighed. “An old friend.” If the assassins were here, that meant Skreeta was planning something. Something big. “You need to pick better friends.” Kendra laughed. She gently turned the assassin’s head to the side. A strange but familiar tattoo, badly done, marred flawless skin. “In my lifetime, I’ve seen three of these things. This would be the fourth. My father killed the first twenty years ago. They each have the Sheon dragon eye tattoo.” Azros drew in a harsh breath, and Kendra watched impassively as the assassin’s skin lost definition, hardening into a featureless 97
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face. She knew the rest of the body would be doing the same. Questions needed to be answered. She still didn’t know what the hell these things were. How did they keep finding her? The door opened and Kendra looked up, ready to attack. Her breath caught. It was like looking at the ghost of her mother. “Hello, cousin.” The voice was jarring, familiar…and full of shock. Recognition was a punch to the gut. “Shyla?” Kendra’s voice cracked over the name. “How did you get in here? What the hell is going on?” “That’s what I’d like to know.” Shyla’s grim expression sent chills down Kendra’s spine. “If Skreeta finds out you’re still alive, we’re all dead.”
***** The briefing room contained all the key players. Several volunteers for Azros’ hit and haul against the Calypso, Destiny, Kendra and her team, Shyla, and a scattering of others he didn’t recognize. The room was a silencer, a place where no data streams or hacks could leave or enter. Azros leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. It was pretty state-of-the-art equipment for a supposed brothel in the middle of nowhere. He knew his head should be running over the plan again, but all Azros could think of was how to get Kendra off this forsaken planet. Away from here and in a place he could protect. “I’ve called this emergency meeting because our home has been threatened.” Destiny gestured over the body of the assassin. “Nothing we say today is to be mentioned outside this room upon penalty of exile.” Azros raised an eyebrow. “Exile?” Reeva leaned close. “Exile means an escape pod floating around in the Scavenger Wastes. That’s fate-worse-than-death kind of stuff.” “Ahh.” Azros nodded slowly. He’d have to find out more about these wastes later. Kendra stepped forward. “At 1640 today, this assassin entered the security team sparring room as a possible impersonation of Maya Dela Jenkins. She was a Class A courtesan with a history of fine performance. The would-be assassin was killed by a strike to the optics circuitry. According to Dr. Monroe, the internal systems fried from the electric shock generated by the sparring dagger.” “If it’s an impersonation, where is the real Maya?” Reeva’s question was seconded throughout. Destiny held up her hands. “We’ll get to that. This is an inquiry, people. I don’t have all the answers yet. That’s why we’re here.” A medic tried to work on Kendra, but she brushed his hands away. Azros clenched his fists. It was all he could do not to call her out for being stubborn. Destiny’s hands folded elegantly against her stomach. “This assassin is in the employ of the Sheon regime.” 98
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“What does the Sheon want with us?” a voice called from the back of the room. Destiny’s gaze narrowed. The rumbling throughout the room surprised Azros. It seems his people weren’t the only ones suffering under Sheon abuse. “There are questions that need to be answered. We have two Sheon representatives among us…Shyla.” Destiny gestured to the robed woman. “And the other you’ve already known…Kendra St. Thomas.” Shocked gasps echoed around the room. The rumblings grew louder. Apparently Azros wasn’t the only one she kept her heritage from. “Our time is short, so we need to get straight to the meat of the matter.” Azros shot first. “Shyla, how did you know about the assassin?” Shyla’s arrival was too convenient for Azros’ comfort. She examined the body of the…whatever it was. Satisfied with something, she looked up at Azros. “I found out about the assassin the same way I got the schematics and security information, from my mother’s personal data logs. It wasn’t targeting you when I checked it the first time.” “Who was the intended target?” Kendra stared at her cousin. Shyla looked back at her. “You. It’s always been you. She wasn’t sure you survived, but months ago she started having nightmares about your return.” “Hold on.” Mase raised his hand. “The Sheon have been targeting the chief? Why?” Kendra sighed. “It’s a long story, and one we don’t have time for right now. I promise it’ll be a great one to tell over a keg when this is all over.” “Why didn’t you warn me about the assassin when you handed off the information earlier?” Azros was furious. “Earlier?” Kendra looked from Azros to Shyla and back. “Because it wasn’t necessary to know! If my cousin was dead, it would sit here indefinitely, doing the same job day in and out. I’m here because I get notice when one breaks down. Since I’m already on the surface, I had to track down the source of the malfunction.” “If I was the target, then why didn’t it take me down?” Kendra leaned against the dark wall and crossed her feet at the ankles. Shyla gestured to the assassin. “She had to reprogram it for Azros. Rumors about a tiger-striped man spread through your facility like a solar storm. Everyone was buzzing about him. It would be an easy thing for Skreeta to change targets.” The medic tried to touch her, and again Kendra brushed his hands away. Azros moved, and Kendra cut her eyes at him, shaking her head. She had murderous intent written all over her. He held up his hands with an internal promise to make her pay for her stubbornness later.
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“Did you have any interaction with Maya?” Destiny steepled her fingers. A narrowed gaze pierced Kendra. Kendra shook her head. “When she walked in, I recognized her face, but I couldn’t place her name so we never met. Who did her security scrub?” Destiny looked up. “Chris.” A dusty-haired young man stepped forward. “Get me everything you can on Maya. Her history, her family, with a focus on the last three weeks of her life…I want a full scope.” He nodded. “On it.” The door opened and he left. Reeva spoke up. “Shyla, can you erase the visual feed before Skreeta sees it?” Shyla shook her head. “I can’t access her data files while she’s plugged in. She constantly monitors everything that happens on her ship. They call her the all-seeing eye. I have to get in, erase the information, and get out without leaving a trace. Do you have any idea how hard that is?” “Bullshit. You set this up!” Azros was tired of Sheon politics and double talk. Shyla’s face grew red with anger and her eyes flashed with fury. “I gathered the information you needed to bring down the Calypso.” “First Xavier. Now this. It just seems a little too convenient.” Kendra looked over at him. “What are you talking about?” “Shyla has been a great help to us for some time.” Destiny spoke up. Kendra and Azros both stared at her in open-mouthed shock. She nodded at Shyla. “Tell them.” “I’ve been feeding information to Destiny for the past six months. Since your capture.” “She passes along flight path routes of the Calypso, potential ships Skreeta wanted to hit…you name it. I have been passing information along to appropriate people, so crisis could be avoided.” She gestured around the room. “Most of the people in this room have been involved in it.” “So you knew I was alive?” Kendra had grown pale throughout the revelation. “No.” Shyla shook her head. “I thought you died a long time ago. Until now nothing had given me reason to think otherwise.” She glanced at Destiny. Kendra looked at Destiny, but the woman stared straight ahead with no expression. Kendra turned her attention to Azros. “Who is Xavier?” “Your coma patient is one of my most trusted advisors. Shyla just happens to show up and provide me with everything I need to take down the Calypso. Less than an hour later, I’m targeted by an assassin of Sheon origin.” Kendra looked from Shyla to Azros. “Let’s get all the facts before we make assumptions.” The medic tried to touch her and Kendra growled. Destiny slammed her fist on the table and most of the room jumped in surprise. “I agree. Let’s see what we do know.” She glared at Kendra. “Let him do his damn job.”
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Kendra stared at the ceiling as though praying for patience. The medic tended to Kendra’s shoulder, clicking his tongue in disapproval. Azros admired her strength and dedication, but he still wanted to wring her neck for putting herself in harm’s way. A young doctor in a lab coat stood beside the assassin’s head. “My scans indicate very little biomass. It’s mostly synthetic.” The medic leaned close to Kendra, and Azros had to strain to hear his words. “A couple more inches to the right and you would have been lying on this table instead of that thing. You’re damn lucky.” The medic slapped esskin over the wound. Azros’ heart froze in his chest. It hadn’t looked like a mortal wound. The medic smacked the esskin and Kendra hissed a breath in through her teeth. Azros’ fists clenched and feral anger leapt to blaze in the back of his head. Kendra glared at the medic. “What was that for?” The medic glared right back. “Waiting. You did a bang-up job yourself, but let me do my damn job. I do have other patients to see.” He packed up his stuff. Azros caught the medic’s eye, and watched with satisfaction as all the color drained from his face. “This assassin is the same type that attacked Kendra two summers ago,” the doctor continued. Ice ran through Azros’ veins. Two summers ago. Realization dawned. The hunting would never stop. The doctor ran her fingers down the featureless assassin. “You’ll notice the smooth, faceless and genderless corpse. According to the file, this is characteristic of their…death.” A few mumbled comments told Azros the previous assassination attempt hadn’t been common knowledge. “How did you stop it back then?” Mase’s question was hesitant. Kendra would likely have to rebuild the confidence of her team after it was all said and done. Reeva stepped forward. “We shocked it, temporarily restrained it and dropped the thing in the middle of the Miora flats. The slimes did the rest.” Azros glanced at Kendra, noting the stone-faced expression that told him she was slamming up walls. He wanted to hold her, make sure she was okay. Azros’ attention was drawn to the assassin. “Is it a machine?” “Mostly. A small part of the body is human based, but not enough to live outside the body.” The doctor sighed. “It’s that small part that makes these killers legal citizens, and not war machines.” “So they haven’t done anything illegal, or violated any treaties,” Destiny mused. “Same old bullshit,” Kendra muttered. “Because of the direct blow to the central core,” the doctor gestured at the knife protruding from the eye socket and glared at Kendra, “I can’t extract any information.” 101
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Kendra pointedly ignored the comment. She flexed her arm, lifting it to test the bandaging. The doctor sighed, muttering, “I love being ignored. Kendra, I need a live sample of the tissue to determine whether it is lab created or not.” Kendra tilted her head. “I tell you what, Doc. Next time I’m faced with a deadly assassin, I’ll make sure you’re with me so you can poke and prod him to your heart’s content. That thing,” she gestured forcefully to the table, “nearly killed Azros, and if Shyla is to be believed, it was planted here to kill me.” “Thank you, Doctor. Do you have anything else to add?” Destiny’s clipped voice spoke of urgency and irritation. “Nothing more at this time.” The doctor shoved her hands deep in lab coat pockets, backing away from the table. Destiny looked up. “Reeva, you’re next.” “Was there a data upload before its death?” Kendra looked at Reeva. “Yes. Our systems couldn’t stop it.” The woman shook her head. “The ship is too close. The signal transmitted immediately. We have no way of knowing the full extent of the upload, or whether any data was corrupted by our systems.” Shyla pounded a fist on the table. “She’ll know you’re alive the moment she sees the playback.” “This isn’t the first assassin sent after me. How many more are there?” Kendra brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Skreeta is paranoid. I have a dozen on my roster, and who knows how many off it.” She considered Kendra. “Although now that I know you’re still alive, it puts her paranoia in an all new perspective.” Destiny planted her palms on the table. “We found Maya’s body, and from Dr. Monroe’s tests, her death occurred weeks ago. How did we not know there was an enemy among us?” Destiny’s voice was full of frustration. The body twitched and everyone jumped back. “What exactly are these things?” The question came from Reeva. Shyla sighed. “They’re called Kagami dolls, because of their ability to mirror the appearance of a target. It assimilates the DNA of the victim, and can draw on it for the rest of their lives.” “How did it get here?” And was the vehicle still available? Azros might need a quick way to get Kendra out of harm’s way. Shyla tapped her fingernail on the table, considering. “The Kagami likely came in as a customer, and then killed Maya. How simple would it be to take over her position?” “Jackson. Get me a list of all guests for the past six weeks. I want logs of all incoming and outgoing ships, people, supplies, you name it. This Kagami doll never left or we would have scanned her body, so I need to know who, how and when.” Her fingers tapped a restless pattern against the table. “And Jackson…” 102
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“Yes, Mistress?” “I need it yesterday.” Jackson nodded. “On it.” He strode from the room. “It’s easy to pick up gossip as one of the girls. Tactically it makes sense, and if she performed well Destiny wouldn’t know the difference.” Kendra pounded a fist against the palm of her hand. “I should have caught this.” Destiny clicked her tongue in irritation. “Useless talk. Figure out what we can do to keep it from happening again. I don’t like this. We seem to be in the middle of a brewing war.” She turned her attention back to Shyla. “Why did she plant her doll weeks ago? Are we sure Kendra was the original target?” Shyla shrugged. “I don’t know. My mother may be insane, but she has the most devious and dangerous mind of anyone I know. She had to have her reasons. Skreeta is the only one that has the codes to change the prime directives, and select a new target. According to the information I’ve accessed, she’s released multiple assassins all over this sector. Maybe she sees this planet as a tactical advantage, but I’m shooting the dark at this point. This could get ugly really fast.” Kendra paced. He could see her mind working, running all the angles. If he tried harder, he could just touch the feather wisps of her mind. A tiny thought here and there. He wished she would open up to him. She was so close they could almost touch. “My people can’t stay on her ship. They’re being drugged, abused and used for sex and slavery. I won’t let it continue.” He didn’t mention the next step would be freeing the mining asteroid. He needed his people and a ship for that. His gaze moved to the door. Was there a ship available? Should he mention the possibility? Shyla nodded slowly. “I hear you, Azros, but you can’t just storm the Calypso and expect to survive. You’ve seen the interior. You know it was luck that got you off the ship last time. The forces are too great, and my mother is constantly plugged in. She sees everything. Since you left, security is impossible to slip through.” “I have the schematics. We have surprise on our side.” A wry smile twisted Shyla’s lips. “Calypso has tactical advantage. The only way you’d make it onboard is if my mother left with her security entourage. Even then…” Azros clenched his fists in irritation. Her advice was sound, but it didn’t make it any easier to swallow. “Just how paranoid is Skreeta?” Kendra’s question was spoken with purpose. A smile ghosted across her lips. Shyla looked at Kendra, assessing her. “In her mind, everyone is out to get her. She prepares for almost every possible scenario.” “Even the return of a blood heir?” Azros stared at Kendra in surprise.
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Shyla shook her head. “She will stop at nothing to kill you, cousin. Her paranoia is extreme, to say the least. What are you going to do…call the T’oatha Balleh? You know how that will end.” Kendra’s expression hardened. “I am not the same unskilled girl I was back then.” “What is the T’oatha Balleh?” Azros asked the question, but neither of the Sheon chose to answer. That just pissed him off. Shyla stared back at her cousin, nodding slowly. “That may be, but you’d have to play to your advantage. She will cheat.” “I know.” Kendra leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. She looked at Azros. From the depths of her gaze, infinite sadness and regret pierced his heart. “The T’oatha Balleh is an ancient ritual of our people. Skreeta follows the old ways.” Azros clenched his fists against his body. “She uses torture for pleasure. Her sociopathic tendencies led to the murder of my crew’s mates. I can’t imagine this T’oatha Balleh is a tea party.” Azros spoke quietly, but his voice carried throughout the room. Kendra reached out to him, touching his arm. That small touch did more for his helpless fury than anything else could have. He covered her hand with his. Kendra turned back to Shyla. “Does she still believe my family wanted the throne?” “More than anything. She also believes that the blood spilled here on this planet cursed the queen with dementia. The only way to purify the line is through combat.” Kendra looked at Destiny. “She’s going to know I’m alive. I’d rather face her headon than wait for death from the shadows. This has to end. Now.” Azros agreed, but he planned to have Kendra far away by the time everything went down. Destiny nodded. She looked up at Reeva. “I want all personnel scanned for circuitry, but be discreet.” Reeva nodded. “Yes ma’am.” She gave Kendra a nod that she returned. “One more thing,” Destiny called to Reeva. Reeva stopped. “Until this situation is resolved, Chief St. Thomas is off duty. You’ll be taking on her roles and responsibilities.” Kendra gasped. Her cheeks blushed crimson. He could see the carefully reined in fury. Reeva looked at Kendra. Kendra gave a slight nod and Reeva left. Destiny looked at Kendra. “Your face is known by her people.” “I can’t just sit around and wait for the next assassin. What the hell am I supposed to do in the meantime?” “That’s easy.” Destiny smiled. “We have to make room for the Sheon Ambassador’s visit.” Kendra’s expression grew thoughtful. “The local Sheon Ambassador would have a security team with her.”
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Destiny nodded. “It’s the only way I’m going to let this go on. We’ll start the ball rolling on my territory. I won’t let her take you.” Kendra clenched her jaw and nodded. “Roger that.” Azros couldn’t fight the sense of relief Destiny had just provided him. Ambassadors have bodyguards, and he needed to stay close to her. Destiny’s gaze zeroed in on Azros. “I’m sure you’ve noticed that we are far more than just a brothel, Azros. There is a solid mission of territorial peace that I will enforce, but I won’t force my people into a slaughter. If you can come up with a viable plan for the rescue of your people, one that both Jackson and I approve, I’ll let any volunteer come with you.” She gestured around the room. “All security personnel in this room have been individually briefed. You’ll have your pick from them so memorize their faces.” Azros nodded. It was the best he was going to get. “I’ll give you limited access to David. He may be able to help you, as well.” Azros gave a small bow. “Thank you, Mistress Destiny.” Mase stepped up. “I’ll take him, ma’am.” Destiny nodded. Mase looked to Kendra, and she nodded. Azros tucked a finger under Kendra’s chin, lifting it. His mouth descended. Her eyes closed. When his lips touched hers, her mouth opened with a sigh. Their tongues met with a long-denied need. He stroked and teased, then gently ended the kiss. “I believe we have unfinished business.” He brushed his lips against hers. Kendra’s eyes fluttered back open. “I’m looking forward to it.” So was he, but he couldn’t help but feel there was an undercurrent of something dark in Kendra’s words.
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Chapter Ten Kendra watched him leave, couldn’t tear her gaze away from the way he walked. The quiet way he moved. The rest of the crew was dismissed, and now Kendra faced a ghost in her past. Destiny sat in a chair, and they followed her lead. For a moment, she wished Azros was with her. His strength would be a balm against the living nightmare of her past. “You have questions.” Shyla adjusted her robe. It was a robe Kendra recognized. Destiny Palace guests used them to remain discreet. “Why are you here?” Kendra remembered the darkest day of her life, and the shining moment when a little girl had left her a knife. That little girl had grown into a woman. Was she willing to go the distance to end this once and for all? “I’m on this planet because my mother believes others are plotting against her. It is my job to scout out any potential threat and report it.” “Are you going to do that?” Destiny asked the question with an icy calm. “No. I am here to stop a war.” Shyla shifted in her seat. “She wants everything, Kendra, and will stop at nothing to get it.” Stark sadness swelled in the depths of her gaze. Kendra wasn’t buying it. “You have no idea what she has done to the Valorians who were unable to escape with Azros. It’s horrific. The things she’s done…” Shyla shook her head. “The things I’ve had to do…” Her throat grew dry with emotion. “I should have stopped this a long time ago.” Kendra didn’t want to be swayed by her cousin’s words, but found her heart opening. You’re such a fool. Blindly trusting your blood, just like your parents. “How can you move around down here? Won’t your mother suspect?” “I appealed to her paranoia, mentioned an unsettling feeling I had about a few of the people here. I wanted to investigate and she gave me leave to do so. I’m already overdue with my report.” Shyla looked from Kendra to Destiny. “So what should I say?” Destiny leaned back in the chair, seemingly completely at ease. “Tell her everything.” She steepled her fingers. “Tell her that Kendra is alive, and that all her worst fears are coming true. Appeal to her paranoia. If we can get her off the ship, maybe your Azros will have a chance.” Destiny had a plan, but Kendra had one of her own. So far, they followed the same path. “I hope you’re right.” Kendra linked her fingers and pressed them against her stomach. “I hope both of you are right, otherwise we’re all going to die.” “No one knows the risks better than I do.” Shyla stood and bowed to them both. “If this is going to work, I’ll have to rush back to the ship.” She looked at Destiny, assessing 106
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her. “I, too, hope you know what you’re doing. She is ruthless.” She pulled the hood up, hiding her face. Destiny nodded. “So do I.” Her smile sent chills down Kendra’s spine. They watched her cousin exit. The door closed and Destiny finally let her mask slip. Worry and anxiety crossed her face. She regarded Kendra. “This is quite a mess, my friend.” “You didn’t tell me about Shyla.” Destiny’s gaze was steady. “It was the only way to keep you safe. I knew about the escape pods the moment they jettisoned from the Calypso.” “Why send me on the rescue missions then, if they were abused by the Sheon?” “Shyla’s arrival always followed a drop. We’ve been smuggling out refugees through the mining consortium.” She sighed. “I couldn’t risk you two finding each other. Skreeta was becoming too dangerous, too paranoid.” Kendra nodded. Some of it made sense, yet it still stunk of betrayal. Destiny rolled her neck and slouched back in the chair. “What happens next?” Kendra mimicked her friend. “A T’oatha Balleh is going to be called. It’s known as a blood feud, and determines who continues the royal line. Our people are tempered by blood.” “By blood? Well, that’s completely barbaric.” Kendra laughed at her shocked response. “It’s our way. If I challenge, I get choice of weapons and she picks the location.” Destiny considered the possibilities. “And if you challenge?” Kendra shrugged. “The opposite. She gets weapons, we get location.” The twinges of a smile touched her lips. “I like that you said ‘we’. If she chooses location, you’ll die.” “Either way I could die. I’d rather have tactical advantage, though.” Kendra sighed and tapped her fingers on the chair arm. “So she’ll have to challenge me. Well, that’s going to be a pain.” Kendra considered the possibilities. “It would have to be a public place, a place where witnesses can’t be silenced.” Destiny met Kendra’s gaze. “Are you sure you can take her?” Kendra laughed a bitter and near-desperate laugh. “It’s the only way I can ensure Azros and his people have a chance. The longer I keep her off the ship, the more time they’ll have to do what needs to be done. I’ve been training for this moment for most of my life. The truth is…I should have done this years ago.” “You would fight to the death over a man?” Destiny’s voice held some raw emotion Kendra couldn’t interpret. Over just any man? No. Over Azros? Kendra closed her eyes. How could any man get under her skin in such a short time? Yes, if it came down to it. Kendra pushed that thought away before it could show on her face.
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Kendra shook her head. “No. I would fight to the death for the right to live free. His people, my people, me…she would see the galaxy burn and think it beautiful. The insanity has to stop.” A light came into Destiny’s eye…the kind of glow that meant trouble. “I have an idea. Let me work my end, and you take care of yours.” She stood with her mask slipped firmly back into place. “Get your best dress ready. We’re going to have ourselves a party.”
***** Kendra walked across the stark floor, wishing for a carpet or rug to offset the obscene chill against her bare feet. They had a plan, sort of, and Kendra wondered if she could actually pull it off. Azros’ life depended on it. Hell, her life depended on it. She dropped her jacket on the back of a chair, continuing to the bedroom. She found Azros lying on the bed…naked. All thoughts of cold feet and death shredded into the mist of her mind. All she had was the Valorian. It would always be him. The pounding of her heart increased. Her gaze devoured his body. He was magnificent. The stripes along his skin emphasized every sculpted muscle in his body. His mouthwatering cock was engorged, ready. Her pussy clenched in greedy supplication. She wanted him. Just him. She tightened her hands into fists, biting back the need to run to the man. He sighed. “You are so stubborn.” He pushed up and turned, dropping his feet to the ground. “You waited too long.” His hand reached out, palm up. “We both did.” She couldn’t stop herself from moving to him, any more than she could stop breathing. His hand engulfed hers, tugging her between his spread legs. Fingers dragged her shirt up. Cool air brushed her skin. “I’m not insane like last time.” The overstimulated raging inferno had engulfed her. It had been terrifying. His mouth pressed against her stomach, and she slid her fingers through his hair. The brush of his breath against her skin warmed and soothed her. His tongue licked a burning path around her navel. “Last time you went feral. That’s something I should have seen coming, should have been able to stop.” The spice of his scent surrounded them. Kendra dragged in one greedy breath after another. She could almost taste him on her tongue. He kissed the underside of her breast. “I’m sorry.” Kendra cupped his head and brushed her lips against his sinfully soft hair. “There’s nothing to be sorry for.” His tongue licked up her breast, flicking across the nipple. “I’ve missed your touch.” “It’s only been a few hours.” Eternity.
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“Too long.” His words echoed her thoughts. He kissed her with possessive intent until they were both moaning. He gripped her long hair, tugging her head back. The relief from his touch nearly crippled her. She dragged in breath after breath as if she had been suffocating. His arms surrounded her. He dragged her off her feet and twisted them around until she was on the coverlet. His body pressed against hers. She arched against him, legs opened, locking around his hips. This felt so right. “What are you doing to me?” The hard length of his cock pressed against the sensitive vee of her thighs. “The same thing you’re doing to me.” Volatile emotion churned with dark lust in the depths of his gaze. His mouth descended. The touch of his lips sizzled her nerve endings. He licked and tasted. Teeth nipped, while his talented, rough tongue soothed. “Will I get a cat’s tongue?” Azros growled against her skin. “I don’t think so.” His teeth scraped against her throat. She moaned. “That’s too bad.” His tongue licked the mark he’d given her. A pulse fire of pleasure shot to her core. She cried out. Damn that was sensitive. “I like yours just the way it is.” He kissed her again, suckling on her tongue. She moaned, palming the hot length of his cock. Her fingers stroked, and he whispered words in a lilting language she couldn’t understand. He gently thrust, and his cock moved smoothly back and forth in her hand. Her thumb brushed a tiny bead of pre-cum around the head. He groaned. “Your touch drives me insane.” Powerful, calloused caresses whipped her body into a mass of electric sensation. Masterful hands tore the clothes from her body. Lips swallowed her gasp of surprise. Clever fingers delved into her moist heat, fucking her with skill that left her breathless. Her eyes burned with unshed tears. His touch was so good. She caressed the head of his cock. “It’s not enough.” It will never be enough. “More.” He spread her thighs and flicked his fingers inside. Pleasure spiked at every thrust, every twist of his fingers. Orgasm rose like a storm. “Not yet.” His heated whisper sent chills of pleasure down her spine. He withdrew his fingers, and Kendra couldn’t stop the desperate cry from escaping. “Shh. It’s okay. Just stay with me a little longer.” The head of his cock pressed against her pussy. His hands gripped her hips. With one stroke he thrust deep into the greedy recesses of her body, impaling her with his hard length. They both cried out. Kendra arched against him. The pleasure. Oh fate, the pleasure.
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He began to move, hard, intense strokes that stole her breath. Tension built and Kendra cried out, “Please!” She was so close. Her fingers plunged into his hair, dragging his mouth down for a kiss. His teeth nipped at her lips. His thrusts became harder, more erratic. She could feel his cock swelling. A final thrust sent her over the edge. Ecstasy crashed through her body in a brazen thunderstorm. He followed her over, the pulsing of his cock sending her body into small aftershocks of pleasure. He dropped his head to her shoulder as their breathing returned to normal. With a groan, he rolled them over, draping her over his body. Her head settled against his chest where his heartbeat was a steady, comforting sound against the whirlwind in her mind. He gently slid his fingers through her hair, massaging her scalp in tiny circles. She ran her fingers along the stripes on his chest. The velvet smoothness of the skin fascinated her. “You’re going to take the ship, aren’t you?” Kendra continued her caresses. Azros sighed. “Yes.” “What happens if this frenzy thing happens when you’re not around?” His fingers clenched in her hair, and she heard his low growl. “That’s not going to happen.” “How do you know?” He tugged gently until she could stare deep into his eyes. “I wouldn’t be able to leave you if it was a danger. It would be impossible to separate us.” “Are you sure?” He smiled. “Yes.” “You have a plan?” Kendra tried not to be irritated at his one-syllable reply. She wasn’t sure, damn him. “A detailed one, with several backup scenarios. Your Destiny is very thorough, and Jackson is a brilliant tactician. They’ve set me on a good path.” He was hedging. “This isn’t the first time I’ve had to do something like this, Kendra. It comes with the territory. It is part of my job.” Kendra tried not to imagine what they’d come up with. She couldn’t risk him delving too deep into her own plan, so she bit her tongue to keep her questions locked tight. Kendra spread her palm against his chest. His heart pounded against her touch. Would she ever get used to the different textures between stripes and skin? The scars on his body were ones of a warrior. He would survive. “Who will you take?” “Destiny loaned me Jackson. Mase volunteered. There are about seven or eight others. You saw them all at the meeting.” Kendra nodded, somewhat satisfied. Jackson was a master strategist, and Mase was made of tougher skin. Literally. “How long will you need for the success of the plan?”
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“Once we get off the ground and into position…three hours, max. It’s get in and get out. Nothing fancy.” “Is Reeva coming with you?” “She’s staying behind to keep the pleasure machine running.” She could hear the smile in his voice. “Her words, not mine. A small team is necessary to infiltrate the ship and take back my people.” He sighed. “I can’t take you with me, Kendra. I won’t risk you, not for anything.” Was he trying to convince her or himself? She didn’t tell him the distraction they’d planned for Skreeta was Kendra. By the way he acted, she knew Destiny hadn’t informed him either. They needed him focused on the mission. No distractions. “The only thing missing is how we’ll get Skreeta and her death squad off the ship.” Kendra’s stomach flipped in cold, stark fear at what was coming. “Destiny has that covered.” “What does she have in mind?” Kendra didn’t want to tell him. She knew he would stay if she did. He needed to keep his focus on his mission. This was their only chance to free his people, and by fate, she’d keep her side of the bargain. “I guess we’ll find out soon.” “Destiny tells me she’s smuggling you off-planet.” Azros brushed his fingers along her jawline. “There’s something you’re not telling me.” Kendra had to clear her throat to be able to speak past the lump of emotion building. “I know your men have to be saved, but why do you have to do it?” His hands stilled their soothing caresses of her scalp. “They’re my people, my responsibility.” He brushed his lips across her forehead. “You couldn’t leave your people behind any more than I could.” She huffed out a breath. “I would never ask you to leave them in hell, Azros. Free them. They need you…but I need you too. This had better be a damn good plan.” Azros’ breath came out in a breathless chuckle. “So don’t go and die on me, okay?” She could feel the burn of tears behind her eyes. Would he forget about her when he fought? Would his urge to mate leave him again? “Besides, you promised me a week of incredible sex. You’re not getting out of it that easy.” “I never break my promises. Can’t leave my mate unsatisfied.” He tucked his finger under her chin and she turned her head so she could see his face. Solemn eyes gazed at her, steady and true. “I promise I will come back.” “You’d better.” Emotion welled up and she deeply inhaled his scent, memorizing it. He brought her up for a tender kiss. Soft caresses followed. Kendra’s body tingled in the afterglow of sex, but his touches turned the tingles to simmering heat. He gently led her into a tender dance of flesh. He filled her, body and soul. As her body crested, she cried out, and tears spilled over. Tears of joy, and sorrow. Because at
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some point she realized the truth…hormone initiated or not, somewhere along the way she’d fallen in love with the Valorian. And losing him would shatter her heart.
***** Kendra opened the door to the general medical ward. The clinic supervisor looked up from her desk and flashed Kendra a smile. Kendra waved and continued down the row of beds to the ward’s single occupant. Xavier Cross. Bandages covered his eyes, and the bruises were healing. Now they were mottled brown and yellow instead of the swollen purple and red marks she remembered from the rescue. The burns were healing at a rapid rate. Kendra wondered if that was a Valorian trait, or a testament to David’s care. The AI was exceptional. “You look a lot better than the last time I saw you.” He inhaled slowly. “Ahhh. I was wondering when you would show up.” “I’m Kendra…” “I know who you are.” “Do you know why I’m here?” Kendra wished she could see his eyes. “You’re here because someone tried to kill my brother.” Shock hit Kendra like a stone. “Azros is your brother?” Mase had failed to mention that little fact in the debrief. “Yes. My older brother.” “You don’t have stripes.” Kendra pulled up a chair and sat. “The stripes happen in prime. Surely he told you that?” He rubbed the bandage covering his eyes. “I haven’t reached my first mating cycle yet.” Kendra remembered Azros mentioning it, but still… “He didn’t mention you two were related.” Xavier twisted his lips in a semblance of a smile. “As first in line to the crown prince, keeping my identity secret is a matter of security.” Kendra absorbed that information. He couldn’t be saying what she thought he was saying. Could he? “If you’re first in line, who is the crown prince?” “Azros, of course.” Kendra choked on a laugh. Of course. He was a damn prince. Pieces started falling into place. Little things he said and did. “So why tell me, then?” “Because you’re his mate.” He said it with a nonchalance she didn’t echo. “Wouldn’t he trust me with that information if I was his mate?” “It’s not my place to question Azros.”
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Kendra’s heart clenched. This was the second time in one day someone she trusted had deliberately kept information from her. “And you always do what your prince asks?” “No.” Xavier smiled. “Good. Neither do I.” He laughed. “I can see why he likes you.” “How do you know we’ve mated?” “Your scents have mingled. I can sense his bond with you.” He pressed his fingers against his head, as though it pained him. “It gives me hope that we can recover from this. Where do you hail from?” “I’m of Sheon origin.” The smile died on his lips. Raw pain carved harsh lines in his face. Xavier’s fists clenched and his movements became erratic. “Did you drug him?” Kendra was thankful he couldn’t see her, though she had no doubt his other senses were homed in on her. “No. I would never do such a thing. Our mating was…accidental.” Xavier inhaled slowly. “You’re speaking the truth.” “There’s no point in lying. I’m somewhat removed from the current situation, and was unaware of how far the Sheon had fallen.” Kendra interlocked her fingers. “Neither one of us were aware who the other was when this started. Is the fact that I’m Sheon going to be a problem?” Xavier’s laugh was raw and broken. “I’m sorry. Every Sheon I’ve met lately has been dark and uncompromisingly deadly. I trust my brother’s judgment, but will reserve my own until you prove otherwise. Our people do not soon forget atrocities thrust upon them, lady.” “I’d expect no less.” She cursed her aunt’s stupidity. Skreeta had drugged and tortured the Valorian prince, and his brother. This was a political nightmare, and a personal attack on the royal house of the Valorian people. War was on the horizon. Azros was a prince. He deceived her about who he was. Kendra tried to wrestle emotion out of fact. If she was honest with herself, it made sense for him to keep his identity a secret. The information had been there, all along. Bits and pieces. She cursed. The mating had blinded her. She pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a little less guilty about not bringing him in on the Skreeta plan. “What else do you know about me?” Xavier turned his face toward her voice. “I know you are my brother’s chosen mate, that you are head of security, and I hear that you are the one to thank for my rescue.” Kendra shook her head. “No thanks are necessary. And what do you mean by ‘chosen’ mate? He didn’t have a choice when this entire thing started. Neither one of us did. I told you…it was an accident.” 113
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Xavier smiled. “And I told you, I can smell the changes in your body. He’s taken you to Fera’na.” “What is Fera’na?” “It’s a spiritual bond between mates that allows greater empathy. You can feel the emotions of your mate, and occasional thoughts.” “How do you know this spiritual bond is even possible for my people?” Xavier sighed and let his head fall back against the pillow. “He hasn’t told you anything, has he? These questions should be his to answer.” “I doubt I’ll get a straight answer from him.” Xavier chuckled. “That sounds like Azros. Always the diplomat.” “Diplomat? Try dictator!” She shook her head. “There was an assassination attempt on your brother, but the assassin had been planted weeks ago. Do you know anything about it? Are there more?” Xavier put his hands behind his head and settled against the bed. “Months ago, Skreeta had a dream of blood and death. Murder by the true heir to the throne.” He turned his head in her direction. “She sent assassins to each of the heirs’ final locations.” Kendra swallowed. “How do you know this?” Xavier’s expression turned grim, haunted. “I was her…” He clenched his jaw. “She used the drug on me…often.” His lips twisted in a bitter smile. “Apparently, I wasn’t tame enough for her subordinates. Shortly after the dream, she became obsessed with the idea of vengeance…believed everyone was turning against her. She plugged herself in to the ship’s AI, and didn’t come out for days. In a fit of anger, she ordered my death. Instead I was handed off to…someone else. My master,” he spat the word, “helped me escape. And here we are.” “I had no idea it had gone so far. The Sheon people are not like this. Were never like this.” “If they are so wonderful, why didn’t any of the others stand up to her? Release us? Some of them joined in on the fun.” His voice shook with anger. Fury and shame knotted in her chest. While she was hiding here, avoiding her responsibilities, Skreeta had been stripping others of all dignity, torturing them for fun, enslaving them for profit. It wasn’t just her family, or Azros, or the mining colony. Skreeta wouldn’t stop. She should have gone to the queen years ago. Her people, her responsibility. A strange feeling came over her. It was time to stop running. Stop hiding. She put her hand over his. “I give you my word that she’ll pay for what she has done to you and your people.” “What could you possibly do to help?” “I will gain control of the Sheon Empire.” Xavier laughed. “You and what army?”
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Kendra smiled at the echo of her words. “I don’t need an army.” She stood. “I am the sole blood heir to the Sheon throne. Skreeta’s reign is at an end.” Xavier grunted in surprise. “Well what do you know? Not just Sheon, but the princess. Looks like my brother has got himself a whole mess of trouble.” Xavier turned his head away from Kendra. She could see the shimmer of tears sliding from beneath bandages down his cheeks. “She won’t give up her power without a fight.” “Among my people, blood combat is the only way to regain control.” Kendra rubbed her palms against her thighs, uncomfortable with the man’s tears. He drew in a shaky breath. “Do me one favor.” “Name it.” She would do just about anything to keep a man from crying. Anything. “Make her beg for her life.” Kendra nodded. “I promise. She will beg for her life. You have my word on that.” Kendra touched his hand. He jerked, then relaxed. “I have to go. Thank you for your help.” She turned to leave when something occurred to her. “One more question. What does Desh’ra mean?” Xavier’s smile widened. “Literal translation means ‘dear one’, but in our culture it means ‘one of my heart’. Try to keep my brother out of trouble.” Kendra laughed. “That’s like asking the world to stop spinning.”
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Chapter Eleven “A party?” Azros grumbled, watching Kendra walk around her tiny room. She wore a lace scrap of cloth for panties and a satin corset. The corset did wonders for Azros’ libido, and nothing for his irritable mood. “This is her big plan?” He gestured to the loose linen pants he wore. No shirt. A collar. He tugged against the leather, frustrated. “I can’t believe she invited Skreeta. Are we sure she’ll be there?” “Trust me. Destiny knows what she’s doing.” She slipped on a dress that fit her like a lover’s caress. The silky material swirled around her legs. “Have I told you how incredibly sexy your legs are?” He arched an eyebrow, and her eyes lit up with mischief. “Then you’re going to love this.” She slipped on heels that made him want to weep in lustful happiness. “Why don’t we stay here instead? I can think of a thousand positions I’d like to try…” He crossed his arms and grinned at the way her gaze dropped to his hardening cock. She licked her shimmering lips and his cock twitched in male appreciation. “Only a thousand?” Mischief glimmered from her eyes. He nodded. “Just to get us started…and every one of them involve you wearing those fuck-me heels.” Kendra looked up at him through her lashes, flashing an alluring smile. She put her foot on the bed and let the skirt fall all the way to her hips. Azros had an unobstructed view of the scrap of cloth covering her pussy, and the damp circle that told him she was just as turned-on as he was. His cock strained against the pants. She strapped a sheath to her thigh. The strap was made of some kind of silk, but the sheath was synthetic material. Kendra slipped the knife in. With a little shimmy, she pulled her leg away from his view. She fluffed out her dress and Azros watched her movement. He could barely make out the sheath. “Nicely done.” Kendra smiled. He could see her nerves in the way she fidgeted with the skirt. Azros stepped forward and took her hands in his. “Your hands are like ice.” Her fingers were slim and lovely. Nails were short and practical, yet long enough to leave marks, making him growl in happiness. Kendra was becoming his entire world. And that was dangerous. What if she walked away when this was all over? Would it be another Alicia? This was a critical time in the mating. A place where it could fall apart. He pressed light kisses against each of her hands. “You’re going to be fine.” Kendra put her head against his bare chest and rubbed her cheek against his skin. “I’m about to face my parents’ killer, the woman who tortured the man I…” She 116
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hesitated. “I care for, and is willing to enslave and degrade an entire race of people over mining rights and manpower.” Azros tried not to let his disappointment show. She admitted to caring for him. For now, that would have to be enough. “You’re doing great.” “It’s kind of a lot to get ready for.” Kendra pulled her hands free. “Hey.” He brushed a kiss over her forehead. She looked up and he cupped her cheeks with his hands. “You’re not doing this alone. Remember that.” Kendra didn’t smile back at him. If anything, she looked more haunted. He suddenly wanted to keep her locked up in the room, prevent them from leaving. The thought of something happening to Kendra shattered his soul. He had seen the depths of insanity in Skreeta’s eyes. She was capable of so much more than murder, and letting her anywhere near his mate made his skin crawl in horror. This was a stupid idea. He watched as Kendra walked over to a wooden box she’d brought from her room. It was carved in intricate and delicate patterns. The finest workmanship he’d seen in far longer than he could have imagined. She opened it and caressed something with reverence. “This belonged to my father. The chain is the purest form of Ardenium.” She turned and held out her hand. Azros’ eyes grew wide. A tear-shaped pendant hung from a shining black chain. Reflected light made the jewel gleam in the color and consistency of blood. It was some of the finest workmanship he’d seen in more years than he could remember. “This is the heart of our people. The jewel is from my planet, long before it was destroyed. It was an ancient’s relic.” She brought it to him and set it in his hands. Her fingers lovingly caressed the jewel. “I thought it might be appropriate to gift in honor of the Valorian prince.” Her gaze flicked up to his. Accusatory. Hurt. Azros’ throat closed. “Let me explain.” Kendra shook her head. “No need. You had your reasons. I had mine. When this is all over you owe me a full explanation.” She arched an eyebrow. “Or else.” He opened his mouth to reply when a knock sounded. “That’s our cue.” She stepped away and twirled. “How do I look?” “Incredible.” He slipped the necklace over his head, dropping the pendant through the collar so it could touch his skin. It pulsed against his chest. His hand tightened around the pendant. It grew warm and inviting. He tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and smiled. “I promise I’ll tell you everything.” She blinked up at him. “Clean slate?” “Promise.” He looked down at her. Her smile was hesitant. “How do I look?” He wiggled his eyebrows. Mischief erased the despair he’d seen. “Like a wild sex toy on a leash.”
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Azros raised an eyebrow. “A sex toy?” He tapped the door and the viewing screen showed Mase. The door slid open. Kendra laughed. “A wild sex toy.” Mase’s eyes widened and he turned violet. Kendra and Azros both laughed. Their laughs were tense, but at least they were there. He did an abrupt turnaround and marched ahead of them. Kendra couldn’t quite contain the giggles. They were nervous giggles, but at least some of the wire-tight tension had eased. Security was everywhere, as Reeva had recalled every member for this event. He was to act like a servant, a slave to Kendra. An illusion that Skreeta needed to believe. She needed to think he was within reach. Palpable hatred for the woman flowed through his body. They had planned for everything, yet he sensed the jaws of a trap closing on them. There was still time to get Kendra away from this. They arrived at the party entrance before he was ready. Mase turned around, and Azros noticed that the blue-skinned navigator had regained his bearing, and was back to an azure skin tone. “I’ll announce you as the Sheon ambassador to the mining consortium. Simien Suplato is here, and he’ll back up the title.” He held out his hand. Kendra and he clasped forearms. “Thanks, Mase. Good luck to you.” This would be the last time she’d see him before they left for the Calypso. “Al’akah, Chief.” Her expression turned solemn. She nodded. “Al’akah, Mase.” He released her and turned on his heel to disappear through the open doorway. Azros interlocked fingers with Kendra. “What does Al’akah mean?” She shrugged a shoulder. “A form of goodbye. Can’t remember the literal translation.” He opened his mouth to question her further when he heard the call. “Announcing the arrival of the Sheon Ambassador to the mining consortium…” They strode through the door. Azros expanded his senses, searching for unknown threats, ready for an attack. “Please welcome Ashamia ah’Kendrah Deshavin.” Azros blinked in surprise. She wrinkled her nose. “Did they have to use my full name?” “What? I think it’s beautiful.” He kissed her hand. “Much like its owner.” She shook her head. “You’re crazy.” “Shall we? I think your subjects are waiting. Unless you’d like to run…we still have time.” He grinned. She dragged in a breath. “Not in this lifetime.” They walked through the doorway and applause nearly deafened him. Humor disappeared as his skin crawled with awareness of violent intent. It was impossible to maintain tactical advantage in this environment. 118
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His gaze caught several attendants, familiar faces that he placed with the security team. He looked at Kendra, expecting to see the same nerves he was fighting. Kendra’s demeanor transfixed him. There was no doubt he stood before a future queen. A deadly smile touched her shining lips. Her mask was firmly in place, and in that moment he saw the brilliant transformation of the hunted becoming the hunter. His heart filled with pride and love for the woman she was and would become. He knew the moment Kendra saw her nemesis. Burning hatred poured through their tentative bond, and his gaze zeroed in on Skreeta. Stark rage fired his pulse. The bitch had two of his men sexually pleasuring her. Kena’l, Agmir. Their sluggish movements and dead eyes told him they were drugged. His fists tightened. “That drug is horrible.” Kendra’s voice was tight with controlled fury. She touched his wrist and he looked down at her. “We will free them.” It was all he could do to nod, and walk on. Death was too good for her. The settees were laid out in a semicircle. Skreeta glared at them. Her gaze traveled to him, and he could feel her examination like a poison. For a moment he was transfixed, dragged back to the hell of his capture. “Azros.” Kendra’s touch on his arm drew his attention down to his mate. He could barely control his breathing, and his hands were clenched into fists so tight his knuckles were whitening. “Kiss me.” Her eyes were full of righteous anger and barely controlled fury. He leaned down and gently brushed his lips over hers. When he would have pulled back, she grasped the back of his head and proceeded to kiss him. Wild. Untamed. He responded instinctively. He was aware of stares, and a flurry of movement from Skreeta’s area. She ended the kiss with a gentle slide of her lips on his. He smiled, allowing his mate to see the wicked intentions he fully intended to pursue when they were alone. “Let’s sit and relax.” He refused to let Skreeta sour what they’d built. He escorted her to the settee. She sat with a flourish and gestured for Azros to join her. She nodded at Destiny and the skrog seated between Kendra and Skreeta. That unfortunate man would have to be Captain Suplato. Not that he seemed to be aware of the ever-increasing tension. Several ladies were bestowing affection upon him. None wore collars, so he wondered if they were Destiny’s crew. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you to stop.” Jackson’s request carried to Azros’ ears. By the stiffening of Kendra’s body, he knew she heard it to. They looked over at Skreeta. It took a moment for it to register. “Blood.” Kendra growled the word. He knew she was wired for the event. Reeva was on the audio feed. They were leaving nothing to chance.
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Azros sniffed the air but couldn’t sense anything over the stoutness of perfume and oils. “Where?” He leaned close to her, whispering the word against the curve of her ear. “When we arrived, she scraped his back with her talons.” Azros dragged in a breath. “She keeps them sharpened.” “Did she ever…” “No. She never tore into my flesh.” But he’d watched her poison people with them. “These are my pets.” She dug her claws deeper into his skin. Agmir was so far gone that he didn’t flinch, didn’t notice. Blood trickled down his back. “As you can see, they are willing. What is the problem?” “Blood play isn’t allowed in this setting. It’s a sterilization issue. If sadism is your kink, we have plenty of options available.” He bowed. “We can even put on a show for your viewing pleasure.” “I’d like to offer one of my pets for the show.” Jackson didn’t even blink. “Of course. Just not this one.” He gestured to Agmir’s back. “We’ll actually have to ask you to send this one back to your ship for medical attention.” ”Medical attention? They’re animals. A species evolved from cats. I won’t waste the effort or supplies. He can have one of his cell mates lick his wounds.” She shoved him to one of her guards. ”Get him out of here.” The lights lowered and a haunting melody began. Kendra reclined against Azros on the settee, a warm, sexy and damn distracting presence against his body. She wiggled her tight little ass against his dick. This was not the place for teasing, yet here they were. His people’s greatest enemy sat across from them, within striking distance. It was all he could do to keep his expression neutral and his emotions locked away. ”Relax.” Her voice carried to him, soft and teasing. He tugged her against his hardening cock. ”Easy for you to say.” She laughed, a carefree and brittle sound. Skreeta’s eyes narrowed at them. She pushed Kena’l away from her pussy, and backhanded him across the face. Azros growled and Kendra dug her fingernails into his thighs. ”Don’t move. That’s what she wants.” Kendra ran her hand down his leg. Mase dropped down at Kendra’s side, kneeling with a tray of food in hand. His bright-yellow eyes were downcast, but Azros knew he was armed to the teeth. “I’m here for your pleasure, princess.” He held out an embroidered napkin. Kendra didn’t spare him a glance. “Where did the food come from?” “Your personal chef, princess.” Kendra nodded and reached for the napkin. She lifted a shiny, blood-red piece of fruit and inhaled its fragrance, before placing it back on the tray. “It’s not to my liking. You may go.” She waved a hand.
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Mase nodded and moved away. Kendra pressed kisses against his cheek. “Don’t eat or drink anything unless I give it to you. Poison is her favorite form of assassination.” “I remember.” Six months of captivity had opened his eyes to many forms of torture and death. “She likes to smile at them while they are dying.” Kendra’s fingers stopped their movement. “Some things never change.” He noticed the way she carefully folded the napkin. Was there something written on it? A voice joined in on the melody. It took only a moment to recognize the lyrics. “That’s the Fallen Queen.” “Appropriate music choice, don’t you think?” She handed him the napkin. He discreetly opened it to find a simple message. Comm Compromised. Shit. If the communications were compromised, they were in a world of hurt. How did she get access? “Princess.” Simien leaned over. His fetid breath slammed into Azros like a wall, dragging his thoughts back to the situation at hand. How did the women stand it? “What is this song about? I seem to have missed part of it in translation.” Kendra ran her fingers down Azros’ legs. “Betrayal and murder by the hand of a sister who wanted to be queen.” Simien shuddered in apparent glee. The reptilian slits in his eyes widened. “I love a good political bloodbath. What happens next?” Kendra smiled and glanced at Skreeta. The woman glared at them with seething fury. She had the Valorian facedown on the floor. “Dear Captain Suplato, the queen returns from the dead and exacts her vengeance.” Skreeta’s smile weighed heavy on him. “Fanciful nonsense. A fairytale, nothing more.” Suplato grinned and his jowls wiggled. At the moment he reminded Azros of a very fat toad about to croak. “You don’t believe in the paranormal? Ghosts and such?” Skreeta snorted. “I put my belief in the strength of the living, and what they can provide. Speaking of which…” Skreeta sat up. “I see you’re back from the dead, my sister’s daughter. Rumors of your rebel horde have bombarded the queen’s ear for years. It’s a shame we couldn’t meet under less pressing circumstances.” Kendra laughed. “What horde? Surely you wouldn’t think I could betray my own people?” There were layers in the conversation that confounded Azros. Political agenda and rebellion were rare occurrences in Valorian history. Kendra smiled. “Blood and tradition mean everything to me.” “Tradition?” Skreeta kicked the Valorian. He dropped to his knees beside the settee. “What do you know of tradition? It is our right to conquer those who are weaker. Glory by combat. That is our way. Not this terraforming project that would bind us to dirt.”
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Kendra waved her hand. “I grow bored with your tiresome repetition. Amazing how you haven’t changed throughout the years.” His hand casually brushed against the outside of her breast. She drew in a breath, relaxing against him. He knew the inferno of rage that enveloped her, because it ate at him in the same manner. “Captain Suplato, before tonight, did you know the lady next to you is my aunt?” Simien raised his eyebrows and looked between the two. “Why, no. I don’t see the family resemblance, but I’ve never been good at that sort of thing. I wasn’t aware you had any family.” Skreeta twisted her lips in a venomous smile. “My dear niece has been out and about, it seems. I hear she is the ambassador to the mining consortium. How did that happen?” Captain Suplato’s smile was stretched across his face. “Your niece gave some critical terraforming advice to my uncle. Seems to me, that kind of scientific genius should be appreciated, not destroyed. It sure got her a lot of friends without any bloodshed.” “Is the Captain threatening your aunt?” he whispered the question. Kendra looked at him. “It sure seems that way.” He glanced over at Skreeta. “With her incredible assistance, she’s become an ambassador to the backreach territories.” Destiny waved her hand. “Well, I’m about done in with politics.” She looked at Kendra. “I am sure you and your aunt have some catching up to do.” She eyed Azros. He suddenly felt like a slab of meat at market. “Wherever did you get that delicious specimen? I don’t remember him from before.” Her voice practically purred, and Azros saw a whole other side to the madam. He shifted on the settee, uncomfortable. “I found him. Can you believe someone actually let this incredible stud muffin get away?” Stud muffin. Azros growled lightly in her ear. Skreeta’s gaze was drawn to him. Her eyes narrowed. Skreeta’s gaze dropped to his chest and he saw her eyes widen. “What does he have around his neck?” “Nothing you need worry about, aunt.” “You would devolve our people? Have you no shame?” Kendra shook her head at her aunt. “I choose what I like, when I like. That is my right as a princess. One day I will be queen. You will marry who I say, when I say, as is the custom of our people. If I want you to marry a pig, you’ll do so.” “You will never be queen.” She spoke the words through clenched teeth. Kendra’s expression turned to one of pity. “She actually made you believe you had a chance, didn’t she?” She clicked her tongue in sympathy. “All this time…such a
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waste. Why did the queen send you here…to the far reaches of our people’s influence? Far away from the all-seeing eye of the court? Think about it.” He saw a spark of something in Skreeta’s expression. Danger had the hair rising on the back of his neck. “To find proof of your death. Proof that I would be more than happy to provide to her majesty.” “My death? Are you so sure she didn’t already know what you’d find?” A crack splintered in Skreeta’s armor. He saw her mask slip. Raw hatred burned deep in her gaze. “You cannot take a slave as your consort. It is forbidden.” Consort? What was going on? “Forbidden? Are you talking about the same laws that forbid your succession to the throne?” She clicked her tongue again. “You can’t pick and choose which laws to follow.” Skreeta was fuming. Danger skittered down his spine, and Kendra seemed completely oblivious to her aunt’s cruelties. It wouldn’t surprise him if Skreeta attempted public murder. Kendra raised her glass in salute to Skreeta. “I suppose I have you to thank for wiping out my competition.” She drained the wine. Azros took the glass from her hand and refilled it. She waved off the glass. “You’re one to talk about devolving. After all, wasn’t it your father who muddied the bloodline?” Skreeta shook with rage. “My father should have been king.” Tensions were rising, and even Simien seemed to finally be aware. Kendra shimmied against Azros, seemingly relaxed when in reality she was like a coiled spring. “The queen didn’t think so, and neither did the court. She would die before allowing your bloodline access to the throne.” No one was watching the sex show. All eyes were fixated on these two. Mase strayed closer to them. Azros caught Jackson’s movement. They were prepared for an attack. “Then maybe the queen should be replaced.” “Replaced? It’s treason to threaten your queen. You would kill her?” It was a toneless question. “If she stood in the way of my father’s legacy…yes.” The smile Kendra gave her aunt was wrapped in sweet intent. “I had no idea you were such a daddy’s little girl.” Tension mounted to near-palpable levels. “Kendra…” She dug divots into his skin and he shut his mouth. Skreeta’s hand shot forward and she jerked her arm to encompass the entire room. “You think you’re any better than me? Cavorting with whores and thieves.” She stabbed a finger at Azros. “Choosing animals over your own people.” A vein pulsed on her forehead. She was red-faced and furious. Why was Kendra baiting her?
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“Unlike you, I don’t have to drug my men to keep them in my bed.” She ran her nails down his leg. “He’s mine by choice.” “I test drove him a few times. Tell me, does he still quiver when you touch his stripes?” Azros growled. He would tear her apart. Kendra sighed. “So you’re the reason I had to re-teach him how to please a woman.” She shook her head. “Pathetic. Like your father before you.” Azros nipped at her ear. She was going to pay for that comment later. “I will not stand here and be insulted by the likes of you.” She leaned close. “I challenge you, Princess Ashamia ah’Kendrah Deshavin, to a T’oatha Balleh. Winner takes all.” Kendra rose to her feet and Azros followed. She was standing too close to Skreeta. Mase moved discreetly behind the woman. Skreeta’s guards closed in. “I accept your challenge.” Skreeta’s smile was smug. “I finally get to finish what we began so long ago.” Kendra’s smile was pure pleasure. “You sure you’re up for the challenge? What’s the matter? Run out of seven-year-olds to torture?” Skreeta’s hands drew into fists. She stood, and the entire room sizzled with tension. “Ladies. Ladies.” Simien shoved his considerable bulk between the two. “I sense a long-standing rivalry here.” He rubbed his hands together. That was a helluva understatement. Kendra never took her eyes off Skreeta. “Simien. You have an arena.” “One of the best this side of the known universe.” “I choose Suplato’s arena for the location.” Kendra tilted her head. “What is your choice?” She was pleased with these events. Dawning realization came over Azros. Kendra is the distraction. Anger boiled over in her mind. When he would have stood, Kendra pushed him back. Skreeta smirked. Her icy gaze slid to his direction. “Daggers.” “Dual-wield?” “Of course.” “I will need you two to sign a medical waiver stating that you will pay all medical costs. The Suplato, of course, is not responsible for any injuries, damage to property or person, etcetera.” Kendra waved a hand. “Of course. What day will you be available, Simien?” “Why, we just happen to have an event planned for tomorrow night.” He grinned. “It will be my honor to set you up as the main event, Ambassador.” Kendra nodded to Simien. She cut her eyes at Skreeta. “What would happen if we failed to show?” 124
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He twirled the point of a blade against his finger. “Let’s not go down that road. I would hate to have royal blood on my hands.” His grin belied his supposed sincerity. Skreeta seethed with barely suppressed rage. Her gaze fell to the pendant resting against Azros’ chest. “I will have that necklace, and your man-whore before the end.” Disgust curled her lips. “You may find, auntie, that your judgment day has finally arrived.” “Not by your hand.” Skreeta turned on her heel and stalked away. Her entourage followed, dragging his man with them. Captain Suplato raised an eyebrow. “I can’t wait to see this one.” He nodded to Destiny. “I will have copies of the rules forwarded to both parties. I assume you’ll be the witness?” Destiny smiled. “Of course. I wouldn’t miss this one for the world.”
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Chapter Twelve Azros came to in chains. He roared, jerking his wrists against the hold. “Where is my mate?” He bellowed the question to an empty room, in his cell. The cage that had held him for six months. Horror washed through him. This wasn’t happening! They had been drugged at the party. A door opened. In walked Kendra, holding a metal tray covered in a blood-red cloth. “Kendra. Thank the fates. You’ve got to get me out of here.” Something was wrong…her scent was different. Kendra walked to a table and set down the tray. She smiled the same brittle smile she’d sported at the party. “I can’t let you leave. Now that I caught you, I get to keep you. Remember?” She pulled off the cloth with a flourish. Three needles. He’d never survive. The first two had nearly killed him the last time. He jerked harder on the chains. “No. Don’t do this.” Kendra morphed into Shyla. Azros’ stomach clenched. “You’re one of the Kagami assassins.” “I’ve been one all the time. Couldn’t you tell?” She picked up the first needle and walked toward him. The chains were retracting, stretching his arms and legs spreadeagle across the wall. “This will only hurt for a minute.” Liar! Azros fought. “It’s a futile effort to struggle.” She stabbed the needle in his thigh, pressing the plunger in a slow push. The burning hit almost immediately. He growled and sucked up the pain. He’d be damned if they saw his agony. His muscles bunched and strained. She smiled in a parody of human emotion. “That’s my good little pet.” Her hand rose, patting his face. He tried to jerk away, but she clenched her hand in his hair, holding him still. “Did you think I wouldn’t find you?” Her voice changed. Became harsher, wilder. Shyla’s face melted into Skreeta’s. Insanity blazed in the depths of her eyes. “You will always be mine.” “I belong to no one!” Skreeta laughed. “Hear that, niece? He doesn’t belong to anyone.” Skreeta stepped aside. Stark horror clenched his gut. A cry of agony tore from his throat. In the center of a table was Kendra’s severed head. Azros! Azros sat straight up, dragging in breath after breath. His gaze darted around the room. No cell. He ran his hands over each wrist. No marks. He inspected his thigh. Nothing. Sheets were a tangle around his legs.
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A tentative touch to his back had him spinning around. “Azros?” She was alive. Brilliantly, incredibly, alive. He wrapped his arms around her, dragging her into his lap. “It was just a dream. Thank the fates….” He nuzzled her neck, letting her scent envelop him, and push the darkness away. “What the…” She wrapped her arms around him. “What can I do to help?” “Just touch me. Let me hold you.” She did just that, slid her fingers up and down his back in soothing caresses. “I couldn’t wake you.” She hesitated for a moment. “Do you want to tell me about it?” His sweat-soaked body shivered in the cool room. “It was a nightmare. A horrible nightmare.” Kendra cupped his cheek with a delicate brush of her fingers. “Seeing Skreeta triggered nightmares for us both. Mine involved watching the scientists die from poison, and reliving my parents’ deaths.” Azros gave a half laugh and looked down into the warm gaze of his mate. “Mine involved captivity and a severed head.” Kendra gave an assessing nod. “Not bad. I’d have to say we were pretty close on the nightmare scale.” Azros kissed her lightly on the tip of her lovely nose. “Not even close.” He brushed his fingers along her cheek. Losing her would devastate him. He pressed his forehead against hers, unable to say the words. Azros pressed kisses along her skin. How did she come to mean so much to him in such a short amount of time? His eyes burned with unshed tears. How much longer would she feel the effects of the mating? When she walked away, it was going to destroy him. “Let’s not think of these things.” She gently kissed him, a smooth tasting of his lips. He moaned at her delicious flavor. “Let me take the pain away.” “I need you.” He dragged in one breath after another, drinking in her scent. His hands traveled over her body. Clothes disappeared in moments. His lips surrounded a nipple. Teeth nipped and tugged, gentle and arousing. His fingers slipped between her legs. Hot cream surrounded his digits as her pussy clenched. Her rich scent surrounded him, helped him forget. He kissed down her body. His tongue lapped at her juices, stroking the little nub of her clit. He flicked his tongue over and over against it. Azros buried himself in her heat, tasting, sucking, until her thighs trembled. She writhed against him. Her body and scent told him she was close. Fingers fisted in his hair, pressing him against her moist flesh. Her sweet, little cries made his cock harder. “Azros, please.” Her whispered plea devastated him. She came around his fingers. “You’re so delicious.”
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She touched his face. He looked up. Her cheeks were flushed, and her lashes were lowered. She was like a wanton goddess. “I’ve never seen a more beautiful woman.” Azros took her lips in a slow kiss. “You taste like me.” She smiled. “I told you you’re delicious.” He kissed her, stroking his cock along her wet slit. She arched against him. “So wet for me.” Sliding into her pussy was like coming home. Her legs came around his hips. He stroked, long and deep thrusts that had them both trembling. He buried his face against her shoulder and nipped at the mark he’d given her. Her pussy clenched around his cock. “Sweet mate. I will make you burn for me.” His tongue laved the spot, and passionate cries left her throat. Kendra’s nails dug into his shoulder. “More. Please.” His teeth scraped the mark. He ached to sink his teeth into the skin once more. “Do it.” Her words were a raw whisper against his ear. “Bite me.” She gasped and moaned. Azros rubbed his lips against the mark. Her nails dug into his arm. “Do it!” He bit. Pressure released from his fangs in a searing gush of lambyre. Her cries grew wilder. Sweat glistened from her skin. This was his mate. His love. He stroked his tongue on the mark. Her blood mixed with the lambyre. Their combined flavor was incredible. Kendra arched. “I’m coming.” She cried her release into the pillow. “That’s it, Desh’ra. I love the way your pussy milks my cock.” His balls tightened, and his muscles clenched. He roared his release, sinking his cock as deep as possible in her welcoming body. He stroked his tongue against the new wounds on her shoulder. Her taste was unimaginable. “You are ambrosia.” Kendra’s body trembled in tiny aftershocks of pleasure. She gave a throaty sound that might have been an affirmative. He leaned back and saw a well-satisfied woman. His lips lifted in a smirk. “I think you wore me out, mate.” Kendra’s voice was husky in near-sleep. His heart hitched. She said mate. Azros nibbled on her lip, and she gave him a soft kiss. “That was the plan, after all.” He grinned. She cuddled against him and he held her close. Kendra had called him her mate. Twice now. Hope grew in his chest like a summer fire, threatening to consume everything. He inhaled her scent. Skreeta’s betrayals were the only obstacles standing in their way. He drifted off to a dreamless sleep, purring, content to hold his mate until they went to war.
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***** Azros gazed down at his mate. It was so tempting to curl back up in the bed and forget about all this, keep her safe. He smiled and brushed a tendril of hair from her cheek. Her warmth kept the darkness at bay, made him remember what it was like to live. He leaned over, inhaling the scent unique to Kendra. His internal chrono told him it was time. They had a schedule to keep. He brushed his lips across her cheek. “I love you.” The whispered words would have to do until this nightmare was over. He prayed to the fates that whatever plan she’d concocted would keep her safe. Azros picked up his bag and strode from the room without looking back. He stalked down the corridor, following a memorized trail to the clinic. Neither one of them had brought up the fact that she was fighting Skreeta. Azros checked the time. He had one last wheel to set in motion before they took the ship. One that required Xavier’s assistance. His part was crucial, and everything hinged on his compliance. He reached the empty night-staff corridor. A familiar scent reached his nose. He inhaled. “Xavier?” They were supposed to meet in the clinic. The underlying stench of blood and fear warped the scent. “Well, well. What have we here?” A familiar and cloying scent blanketed his senses, deadening them. Panic rose as bile in his throat. Hearing, taste, smell and his extra senses were smothered. Azros’ nails dug into his palms, as he tried to hide their trembling. His body broke out in a sweat. “Well done, Shyla.” Skreeta’s voice grated like broken glass. Shyla stepped from the shadows. He stared down the barrel of a pistol. Her body reeked of Xavier’s fear and blood. This wasn’t part of the plan. “What did you do to him?” His mind grew foggy, and Azros shook his head. Shyla shot. Pain arced down his arm. Azros jerked from the impact, but couldn’t work up more than a glance at the wound. A dart. They’d drugged him. Twice. He almost laughed. “Oh your little kitty?” Skreeta laughed. “Don’t worry, my pet.” Azros dropped to a knee. His strength was failing. Skreeta leaned close, and Azros swung. His hand met air. A fist plowed into his jaw, and they both jerked away. She cursed, shaking her hand. His jaw must have been harder than she thought it would be. He dropped to all fours to hide his smile. The curls of his hair blocked his view. He didn’t want to see Shyla’s betrayal. Azros held a tiny hope that she was still working with them.
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A kick to the side knocked him against the wall. Azros tried to push himself up, but his muscles wouldn’t respond. He stared up at Shyla. The twisted grimace of her smile was an echo of her mother’s. “Like mother, like daughter.” His throat croaked the words. Even his lips grew numb. She kicked him again, but Azros’ mind was slipping into darkness. His beast clawed and fought, desperate to regain consciousness. The flash of a blade sparked concern from someplace very far away. She jerked the pendant from around his neck. “I’ll take this to your whore. We’ll see how she takes proof of your death.” Skreeta slapped him across the face. “Mother.” Shyla gripped her shoulder. “We don’t have much time before they notice the Valorians are missing.” “Don’t worry, pet.” Skreeta brushed her fingers against his cheek. “I’ll bathe in the bitch’s blood before I’m done with her. Then I’ll come back and gut you.” He screamed in his mind, bellowing two words—Kendra! Danger! “Take him.” The drugs dragged him down into the hell of oblivion.
***** Kendra! Danger! Raw horror and rage flooded Kendra’s mind, jerking her out of bed. She didn’t question. Her senses told her Azros was gone. She growled. Betrayed meant Shyla. She knew better than to trust that bitch. “David.” She jerked her clothes on. David didn’t respond. She cursed. David was probably not accessible in the client rooms and suites. She hit the door, impatiently waiting for it to open. The moment it did, she was running down the hall, buckling her belt as she went. Her knife sheath would wait. The subtle odor of Azros guided her. It was too faint to determine anything but his path. She reached the night-staff corridor, and jerked to a stop. Fear. Raw and vile. She could taste his blood in the air, blood tainted with a metallic trace she couldn’t identify. “David!” she yelled to the ceiling for the AI. Xavier. Azros. Both were here. Both were taken. Her mind shied away from the alternative. “Yes, Chief?” The AI responded politely, vocally. Irrationally, Kendra grew furious at the calm reply. “Notify critical personnel that two guests have been kidnapped. Valorian Xavier, and Valorian Azros.” Kendra drew her weapon, jogging down the hallway. Azros’ scent grew stronger. She was gaining on them. I’m not too late. Affirmative. She prayed to the fates for mercy. Her cheeks grew cold as she ran, and her skin grew tight. Sensation prickled all over her body. She could feel the air slide past her
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skin with every footfall. Potent rage fueled her, rising in sharp relief against the fear. She would rip Skreeta apart. “David, lock down any ships that attempt to leave the surface.” I can’t do that, Chief. His cultured voice slid into her mind. “Why not?” I have to gain permission from the highest authority to do so. “Get it. Stop the Sheon ship from leaving.” I cannot. This particular ship has clearance to leave at any time. Kendra reached the bay doors. “Open them.” Chief, the doors are sealed as a ship is preparing for takeoff. “Open this fucking door, or so help me god…” The sound of a ship’s engines skittered fear down her spine. She went to the panel and with shaking fingers entered the override code. An error occurred and she cursed. She’d entered it wrong. She tried again. Your request violates safety protocols. The words slid across the screen. Kendra reentered the code. The doors slid open and the stench of burning pyothane assaulted her senses. She aimed at the ship, recognizing the Sheon emblem. Kendra fired her weapon, emptying her ammo into the impervious hull. It wasn’t until the ship lifted from the surface that she realized her voice was raw from screaming. She was still pulling the trigger, but there was nothing left. Her arms dropped to her sides and she roared her fury. She turned on her heel and jogged to her service room. Mase and Reeva met her there. Now more than ever, she was thankful for her small team. “What is it, Chief?” Reeva was tying her hair back. She froze. “You’re crying.” Kendra impatiently swiped at her cheeks. “They have taken Azros and Xavier. We need to hurry if we’re going to get them back.” Mase blinked and looked at Reeva. Kendra had a gut-wrenching feeling of déjà vu. “What am I missing here?” Her voice was raw, but tight with pain. Reeva swallowed. “That was part of the plan, Chief. Azros was to be taken by force to the ship.” “What?” Kendra palmed her door open. “Does Destiny know about this?” Mase stood by the door, hovering. “She was actually the one who suggested it.” Kendra’s rage burned hotter, and she stalked into her room. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?” She spun around. Reeva and Mase locked gazes for a moment before they followed. The door slid shut and Reeva spoke. “We thought Azros would have said something.” Kendra sank down on the bed. “Obviously not.” She glared at Mase. “What happens next?” 131
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Mase shrugged. “We wait for his call. I have to get the men ready and inform Jackson that the timetable has been accelerated. We’ll get them back, Chief.” He turned, glancing back once more before walking out of her room. “Chief, how did you know they were taken? We only just found out about the ship’s departure.” Kendra let her head fall against her hands. “I heard his voice in my head. His scream of…” She pressed her fingers against her scalp, suddenly aware that she hadn’t tied her hair back. They didn’t need to know the fear, the rage. “He was supposed to be captured.” She looked up at Reeva. “Something went very wrong. Skreeta will kill him, outright.” Reeva shook her head. “Odds are the woman will keep him as a hostage.” Kendra laughed, a hollow, angry sound. “You don’t know this woman like I do. Like Azros does.” She sat up and dragged in one breath after another. “If something happens to him…” She choked on the words. Tears spilled over and she dragged in breath after breath. Raw pain tore into her chest. Reeva dropped in front of her. “Don’t think about that. Think about what you’re supposed to do.” She held Kendra’s hands. “His capture was part of the plan. It was the only way to get him inside.” “You do realize we’re counting on the goodwill of a woman who slaughtered seventeen family members and countless Valorians…” “I didn’t say it was foolproof.” “No. It’s insane.” Kendra clenched her teeth. “No more insane than battling Skreeta in a public fight to the death. Did you tell Azros what was at stake?” Kendra stared at Reeva. The woman’s lips twisted. “I thought not. You two are ridiculous.” She sighed. “Six hours until show time. Prepare yourself for the upcoming fight. We’ll need to give the boys as much time as possible if we want them to succeed.” Kendra nodded. The gaping wound of fear throbbed in her chest. “A lot can happen in six hours, Reeva.” Her comm specialist squeezed her hands. “He will survive. And so will you.” Kendra prayed to the fates that it would be so.
***** “Ladies, gentle beasts, and all you rock biters out there…” The crowd went wild, screaming and stomping their enthusiasm. Kendra’s stomach clenched in nervous anticipation. Her thoughts swirled around Azros. “Tonight’s main event is about to begin…” 132
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Kendra blocked out the announcer’s voice to focus on the battle to come. Skreeta’s reign had to stop. She visualized the death of her parents, and the nightmare run through the swamps. She remembered the burn of Skreeta’s blade against her skin, and the scars she would wear for the rest of her life. Azros’ scream in her mind had torn open those memories. They rushed in like a whirlwind. She remembered the nearly broken spirit of Xavier, and the clinic personnel Skreeta slaughtered to get to him. The scars that lined her lover’s body. Six hours was a long time. Her aunt was going to pay the price for every moment she touched him. She would pay in blood. “I’m going to be pissed if you die.” Reeva finished plaiting Kendra’s hair. “That should hold.” “I have no intention of dying.” Kendra checked her sheaths, pulling the knives out for the hundredth time. Their weight was unfamiliar, but they were well-balanced blades. And sharp. Another bonus. “Communication?” She sheathed her weapons. “Simien has jammed incoming message feeds. His gear is some of the best I’ve ever seen. I wish I could have had longer to look at it.” They strode down a darkened corridor where light from the arena spilled in, outshining the hall’s dingy glow. Kendra dragged in a breath, trying to keep her stomach from rebelling. Her skin felt tight…alien. She ran her hand over her neck. It had to be nerves. Reeva gripped Kendra’s shoulder. “He’s going to be fine.” Kendra stared across the sand-covered arena. “He’d better be. I’ll storm the gates of hell itself to kick his ass if he isn’t.” “Princess Ashamia of the Sheon Empire.” Kendra stepped out on the hot sands. False light beat down on her head and the deafening crowd made further conversation with Reeva impossible. Reeva gave the sign for eternal victory before leaning a shoulder against the wall. She would be keeping tabs on the Suplato’s security feeds on a remote data pad. Kendra held up her hand and pumped her arm in victory. The crowd went wild. She turned around in a circle and pointed at Skreeta. It was time to put on a show. Skreeta had to be distracted long enough to give Azros the three hours he needed. She refused to think about how long Azros had been out of contact. Faces of the crowd blurred together, but their cheers increased. Wolf whistles and catcalls followed her across the sand. She brushed her skirt in a show of nerves. The outfit was ridiculous. A few scraps of cloth, some leather straps to keep it together, and bracers that wouldn’t stop a puppy bite, much less a knife blow. The only practical part of the ensemble was the kneelength boots. “Her opponent is Skreeta, captain of the Calypso.” Several boos followed the announcement, but most of the crowd cheered.
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Skreeta didn’t look at the crowd. She was focused, stalking across the sands, wearing the same assembly of cloth scraps and belts. Her blades were out of the sheaths. The referee eyed her movements as closely as Kendra did. Skreeta came to a stop by the referee. “Princess,” she sneered. Disgust twisted her features. This close, Kendra could see the bright flames of insanity in her aunt’s eyes. How long had this madness consumed her? “Captain.” Kendra tilted her head. “I find it interesting that even here in the back reaches of space, they don’t recognize your assumed title.” Her cheeks flushed pink and she glared at Kendra. “My title as Sheon heir was bestowed upon me by our queen. I will not suffer this insult. You will die today.” The referee cleared his throat. “Ladies. I must inspect your blades before you begin.” Skreeta smirked and held out the knives. The referee examined them with a hand scanner, gave an approving nod, and handed them back. Skreeta sheathed them. The smile she sported sent a chill of wariness down Kendra’s spine. Smug amusement cloaked the woman. She was up to something. Kendra’s weapons were inspected and returned. The referee raised his arm and Skreeta stepped back. Kendra mimicked the action, widening the gap between them. A whistle blew and Skreeta feinted toward her. Kendra jerked back. Skreeta laughed. “A little jumpy aren’t we, Princess?” Kendra dragged in a breath, then another. She calmed her breathing. They began circling one another. Each striking and feinting, testing one another’s skills and precision. “You’re no match for me little lostling. Your stance is sloppy, and you hold your blades wrong.” Skreeta held the blades in the traditional Sheon way. One blade up, another along her forearm. Kendra had both blades along her forearms. She’d learned her fighting style from a mercenary. Skreeta thrust. Kendra blocked and Skreeta swirled in, swiping a blade across her side. Kendra’s instinctive jerk saved her life. She brought down her blades and caught air. Kendra shook her head. She needed to focus. Skreeta had already moved out of strike range. Fire erupted on her side and she stumbled. Kendra shook her head. She clenched her teeth against the pain and glanced down. “We have first blood!” The announcer’s enthusiastic call sent the crowd into a deafening roar. The stadium erupted in stomps and applause. Kendra checked her side. It was a minor gash. The pain had her a bit worried, but it wouldn’t keep her from fighting. “What’s the matter, Princess? Miss Mummy and Daddy so much you want to join them?” Skreeta’s smile was too wide, too smug.
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“I’m not the one who’s going to die today.” Kendra launched an offensive attack. Skreeta blocked and dodged, staying one step ahead of Kendra’s blades. Kendra swept Skreeta, knocking her down on the ground. In a heartbeat Kendra launched at her aunt, straddling her upper chest, forcing her arms above her head. Kendra punched her aunt in the face with the pummel of her knife. “You killed my parents, you bitch. Tortured and murdered them.” Skreeta brought her knees up and slammed one against Kendra’s wounded side. Kendra gasped and punched her again. “Death is too good for you.” Another knee to the side was followed by a twist of her hips, and a countermove that tossed Kendra across the ground. Sand scraped along her side wound, burning and stinging. Her face felt like raw ground meat. Where the hell had she learned that move? Kendra tried to draw out the mating talents, but nothing happened. She rolled to her feet and eyed her aunt. That smug smile was firmly back in place. Of course, that could also be the swelling from Kendra’s punches. Skreeta spat blood on the ground. Kendra returned the smile. “Did you like that little ramped-up dose of sex you got from the Valorian?” Kendra and Skreeta began circling one another. “You’ll never know.” Skreeta’s laugh scraped along Kendra’s already frayed nerves. “Did it trigger his mating urges? Made him want to constantly fuck your brains out, didn’t it?” Kendra didn’t want to hear any more. Her aunt was trying to distract her. “He wasn’t the first one we tried it on, though he was the most resistant.” She laughed. “Made fucking him so much better.” Kendra’s mind raced. He’d been drugged into mating. Azros was just as trapped by this as she was. She struck a quick slice along the top of Skreeta’s hand. Her other blade caught air as Skreeta managed to move her torso. Kendra kept moving, dodging knees and blades, swiping and stabbing, looking for a weakness. “Well now, looks like I might have found your hot button.” She spun out of reach and smirked. Kendra shrugged. “No, I’m bored.” Appeal to her vanity. Kendra looked at her nails. “Maybe it’s your age. You’ve really let yourself go.” Skreeta’s smirk died. She flung a dagger and Kendra moved. The rush of air past her face told her it had been close. “What pissed you off the most? The fact that I’m still alive, or that even drugged the Valorian wouldn’t mate with you?” Skreeta rushed Kendra, knocking them both to the sand. Her aunt punched her in the solar plexus, and Kendra rolled them over. “He’s so happy to be back in my care.” Skreeta’s voice was poisonous in selfsatisfaction. “He bled so well for me.”
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Kendra roared and launched at her aunt, slamming her back to the ground. She drew back her fist to punch her, and fire erupted in her side. Kendra screamed against the pain. She looked down. No new wounds. She broke out into a cold sweat. “You’ll never be queen.” Skreeta shoved her down and stood. She swiped at the sand covering her legs. Kendra’s breath rushed out in a painful flow. “You think I don’t know your little game?” Her aunt sneered. Kendra saw the kick coming, but her muscles were locked in spasms. Pain exploded across Kendra’s ribs and she rolled, inhaling sand and fate knew what else in agonizing gasps. Every inhalation ended in gut-wrenching coughs. She couldn’t hear the crowd, only the frantic beat of her heart, the ravaging coughs tearing through her body. Searing pain radiated from the knife wound on her side. Her aunt had been devious. “Poison.” Kendra spat the word between coughing fits. Skreeta knelt beside her, brushing tendrils of hair from her face. Kendra weakly pushed at her hands. “It’s Kenda’sha, niece. There is no cure for the Sheon people. It is our Achilles heel.” Fire pulsed through her veins. The poison was spreading. Skreeta’s fist clenched in Kendra’s hair. Her cry of pain was instinctive, and Kendra’s hands clenched around her enemy’s forearms. Skreeta dragged her up until they were face-to-face. “What were you trying to do? Undermine my confidence? Work on my paranoia until I snap?” She pressed her other hand against Kendra’s side wound, delving into the split flesh. White-hot agony speared through her body, forcing her stomach to retch. Kendra slapped her hand against Skreeta’s face, thumb pressing into the eye socket. Skreeta laughed and jerked her face out reach. Her hand twisted in the gash and Kendra screamed. “These are my games, little princess. You and your players are all amateurs.” She pulled her hand away to smear fluid against Kendra’s cheek. Kendra tried to swallow the pain. The stench of blood made her gag, and it took a couple of breaths before she could speak. “Then why the poison?” “I leave nothing to chance, not anymore. Your death was the last unknown.” Skreeta shoved her away. Something pelted her stomach and Kendra glanced down. Her fingers closed over the familiar curve of the blood jewel. Azros. Her heart clenched in a pain so raw she couldn’t breathe. She looked up at her aunt through a haze of agony. “He died screaming.” Skreeta’s smile widened. Kendra’s soul shattered. Another kick to the stomach brought pain screaming back to her body. “Don’t worry, niece. You’ll get to join him soon.”
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Skreeta’s fist slammed into Kendra’s gut. Air whooshed out. Searing heat fired her nerve endings. Skreeta fisted her braid. A blade came down and Kendra brought her arms up. This was it! The sound of a blade slicing through her hair horrified her. Kendra tried to fend her off, and Skreeta shoved her away. Kendra collapsed in a heap on the ground, her head a much lighter weight. Skreeta held the braid up, stretching it out in victory and the crowd roared, their deafening stomps shaking the arena floor.
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Chapter Thirteen Azros came to in a drug-riddled haze. He shook his head to clear the cobwebs, and took stock of his situation. It felt like hundreds of hammers were slamming in his brain. Azros opened one eye and groaned. The ache in his muscles told him he had been out for quite some time. Bruises and tenderness in his abdomen spoke of Skreeta’s work. He remembered her punches in flashes. Living nightmares. He blindly reached out to find the cold bars of a cage surrounding him. The familiar hum of a lock panel told him he was right back where he started. His stomach lurched and for a split second he wondered if he’d ever escaped at all. He touched his chest and realized he was wearing a shirt. He opened his eyes and looked down. The same clothes he’d worn when he left Kendra. He wasn’t dreaming…or naked. Running around in the buff on an enemy ship was not his idea of fun. He tentatively inhaled, surprised that his senses were returning to normal. Based on scent no one else was in the room, though he had no doubts he was being monitored. He hoped that his comm. equipment survived and was active. There was no way he could tell by touch, though Mase had informed him that an EMP pulse or intense shock would disable it. He prayed to the fates Skreeta’s takedown hadn’t compromised the equipment. “I’m in. Do you copy?” “We hear you loud and clear, Prime.” Mase’s familiar accent slid over the comm. “About fucking time.” Stark relief uncoiled the fear in his gut. “How long have I been gone?” “Too long.” His mate. If something had happened to her… “Kendra—” “Stand by for location download.” Mase interrupted his question. He heard cursing over the comm. “You are near the captain’s suite. Three decks away from where you need to be.” “Where is Kendra?” A sigh at the end of the comm echoed in his ears. “By now she would be fighting her aunt in the arena.” Azros’ heart slammed painfully in his chest. The longer they were here, the more danger Kendra was in. He needed to get to her. Now. “Why don’t we try getting me out of here, then.” “Working on it. Don’t be so impatient.” 138
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“Easy for you to say.” Azros’ skin crawled with the need to be free. Sweat beaded on his forehead. He spent weeks at a time in a cage like this…no privacy, no dignity, and no chance for freedom. The lock disengaged and Azros flung open the door. The moment he crossed the cage’s threshold it became easier to breathe. “Thanks.” “No problem. Now how about we get you down here so we can get in on the action?” The sound of typing in the background filled a short silence. “It looks like there is a service elevator close by that has direct access to the captain’s quarters. She has the elevator locked down, but there seem to be no mechanical deficiencies. This map you have is awesome, man.” “There are cameras everywhere.” “Working on it. Wait for my signal. I’m going to have to disengage the door locks as well.” The door slid open and Azros dropped to a fighter’s stance. “There you go. Door should be open. Move into the hallway and turn to your right.” Azros didn’t hesitate, he checked that the hallways were clear and followed the instructions. “Get down to the end of the hallway. You’ve got less than a minute, by the way.” “Now you tell me.” Azros clenched his jaw and sprinted down the corridor, reaching the door as it slid open. He ducked in and rolled away from the door. “That one was close. Looks like I can only disable the cameras one at a time. The Calypso has a killer reaction time for repair.” “Are you tracking my movement?” The room was stark, free of any furnishings. A plated door drew his attention. He’d bet that was the elevator. “Yeah, you’re showing up as a bright blip on my map. The chips work.” Mase referred to the communication chips he’d injected under Azros’ skin, one next to his voice box, and the other behind his ear. “Yeah, well, they itch.” The awesome thing about the comm device was that he could speak at a level beneath a whisper and Mase could hear him. “You’re just jealous because I am an evil genius.” Mase was growing on him. “There should be a door to your right.” “Roger that.” He reached out and placed his hand on the door, palm first. “What is this?” “It’s the elevator shaft.” The door slid open and Azros jerked his hand away. Stale, recycled air rushed out and Azros covered his nose. He stared down the shaft into the inky blackness below. “It seems to be missing something.”
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Mase cleared his throat. “Yeah, well, I can’t move the elevator without triggering an alarm. So it looks like you’re on your own. Three floors down, buddy. Good luck.” He changed his mind. Mase was a pain in the ass. Time was a luxury they didn’t have. He looked inside. Gouges in the metal walls showed where a maintenance ladder used to be. The cable looked sturdy enough. Old grease and dust permeated the space. This elevator hadn’t been used in a very long time. “If I die, I’m going to come back and haunt you.” “If you die, Kendra is going to flay my hide.” Azros chuckled and jumped. His hands grabbed the cable and his feet locked him in place. He breathed a sigh of relief that it held. The cable didn’t seem to be attached to anything at the bottom. He slowly inched down. He reached the bottom and wiped his hands against his pants. “Okay, now what?” “Just follow the open doors, buddy.” Azros growled. “Can you stop calling me buddy?” “Ease up on the growling. It’s interfering with the equipment.” The door opened. “Move straight ahead to the end of the hallway.” Azros moved down the corridor. His hands itched to hold a weapon. The sound of talking sent chills down his spine. “Company.” “Door to your right.” It slid open and Azros ducked in. The door slid shut and he held his breath until the sound grew distant. He palmed open the door and sniffed. Azros clenched his jaw. “We must be close to the cages.” “What makes you say that?” “I can smell my men’s blood on them.” Azros’ fists clenched. Rage was a powerful beast inside him. “Don’t do anything stupid. Follow the plan.” He controlled his breathing. “Don’t worry about my end. I’ll do what needs to be done.” He continued down the path. “When you reach the end of the corridor, turn left. I can’t see the movement of personnel on my map, so keep alert.” Azros moved quickly. “You have got to be one of the craziest bastards I’ve ever met.” Shyla’s voice rang behind him. Azros’ muscles bunched. His hands clenched at his sides. “Don’t even think about it. There are three guards with me who’d love nothing more than to kill you. Of course that goes against mother’s orders.” Azros crept forward. The sound of four weapons charging froze him in place.
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“You may be fast, but you’re not that fast.” “What are your orders?” an unfamiliar voice asked. Shyla laughed. “Tranquilize and recage him.” “Shit. I didn’t want to believe it.” Mase’s voice came over the line. “We’ll get you out of there.” A shot fired and Azros was hit in the shoulder. He rounded on her and made it one step before his muscles stopped supporting him. Azros slid to the floor. Shyla knelt by him, and he could see the smirk on her lips. “I guess we’re going to have to give you some gravity cuffs. That sound like fun, kitty cat?” Azros growled and she patted his face. “So fierce.” She looked back at her people. “Let’s see how deadly he is when we declaw him.” Laughter rang out. “I will kill you.” Azros forced the words out of numb lips. “Maybe.” Shyla sighed. “Not today, I’m afraid. Pick him up before he passes out!”
***** Rage thundered blood through Kendra’s veins. She tightened her grip on the bloodstone, welcoming the bite of metal into her palm. Azros. Her soul screamed his name. He wasn’t dead. She would know if he was. Her heart hung on to that like a lifeline. A growl rumbled in her throat, and her skin grew tight. Hot. Her vision blurred from the poison’s effects. She needed her knives. Where were they? Her hands slid through the sand. Kendra’s ears captured the sound of air moving. She rolled away, narrowly avoiding her aunt’s aimed kick. The sound of every move thundered in her ears. She pushed herself up and expanded her senses. It was so easy. Why did she struggle before? A grin touched her lips. She didn’t need to see. Her aunt’s heartbeat thrummed. Every breath gave away her position. Every step, her downfall. Kendra rose to her feet, gripping her side. “It’s not over yet.” Her amplified voice rang out in the arena. The crowd went crazy. Kendra’s muscles cramped and stiffened, but she moved slowly, carefully, trying to make the woman think she was fine. Her feet stretched and burned. The scars grew pliant. “What’s the matter, auntie? Didn’t occur to you that our queen would plan for every contingency?” “You are soaked in sweat, niece. I see that you’re already blind. You’ll soon be a corpse.” Kendra shook her head. “She knows you, how you operate, what poisons you favor.” Kendra grinned and slipped the bloodstone’s chain over her head. It was a burning weight against her stomach, pulsing with a life of its own. Kendra lowered to a fighting crouch. “You’re so predictable. So expendable.”
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Skreeta let loose a battle cry and launched. Kendra trusted her instincts, letting her opponent’s momentum carry her into position. She gripped Skreeta’s forearm and twisted it, driving it against her body and shoving her away. “I thought you were a great fighter. I’m blind, dying. Are you so weak that you can’t take me down?” “I’ll kill you.” Her launch echoed in Kendra’s ears. Kendra ducked and swirled out of her aunt’s way. She stood with a flourish and the crowd cheered. She blocked a strike. The scent of metal and stench of poison told her Skreeta held one of the contaminated blades. Cramps tightened across her flesh and she shoved her aunt away. Kendra dragged in one painful breath after another. “I obviously didn’t poison you enough the first time.” Azros’ advice rose up in her mind. Inhale deeply. She inhaled. The burning pains from the poison lessened. Cramps across her muscles eased. Skreeta lunged and Kendra blocked a strike with her forearm. She moved too slowly, and her aunt’s fist grazed her stomach. The movement of the air was the lightest feather against her skin. Draw the scents in and let them roll around on your tongue. She drew in another breath and rolled it around on her tongue. Skreeta struck again, and Kendra heard the knee’s movement. It was an easy block, one she followed with an uppercut. The satisfying smack of fist striking flesh echoed in Kendra’s ears. Her aunt’s body skidded across the sand. “Oooh. That’s gotta hurt, ladies and gents.” Kendra grinned at the announcer’s comment. Laughter rang out in the stands. “Even the audience thinks you’re a joke.” You will be able to track your prey by the strength of his scent alone. Skreeta’s scent changed to anger, and grew fluid. Movement. Her aunt was trying to sneak behind her. “Your queen has no more use for you.” Kendra crossed her arms, grinning from ear to ear. “Even your crew has betrayed you.” Her aunt struck like a snake, moving in and out of range. Kendra blocked and lunged, fighting with every ounce of her concentration. Her muscles cramped and sweat slid down her face. Pain became constant. Kendra blocked a knee only to be hit across the face with an elbow. Pain exploded across her face and she stumbled back. “Your lies are useless. I know who to trust.” Kendra laughed and spat blood to the sand. She swiped her hand across her mouth, while her tongue tested damage to the inside of her cheek. The copper flavor of blood slid down her throat. She could taste Azros in it. His flavor. His lambyre.
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“What could I possibly gain by lying?” Kendra rolled her shoulders and took up a defensive stance. They were both breathing heavily from exertion. Her aunt lunged and Kendra knocked her arm back. Skreeta countered, and Kendra kneed her in the side. Wind rushed out of Skreeta’s mouth. “To distract me.” She forced the statement through clenched teeth. Kendra shoved her aunt away. Skreeta dropped to the sand. Exhaustion pulled at her limbs. “My family didn’t want the crown. You could have had the damn thing. But no…” Kendra laughed. “You just had to come find me.” Her aunt laughed as well, a rough and pained sound. “You’re such a little idiot. Just like your mother. Head in the sand.” She rose to her feet, a blurred image in Kendra’s sight. “Remember the way your mother begged for your life? Her death cries were music to my ears. In the end, she was weak. Useless.” Kendra’s gut wrenched. Her aunt threw something. Kendra’s arms came up to block, and sand sprayed across her face. Skreeta tackled her, slamming her shoulder into Kendra’s torso, forcing her into the hot sands. Kendra’s breath slammed out of her body in a rush. Her aunt’s breath fanned her cheek. “You just don’t know when to die.” She stabbed her side. Kendra screamed. The blade glanced off bone. Her rib cage. Her aunt stood against the lights, a black silhouette she could see. Fiery rage consumed her. Kendra jerked the blade from her body and swiped it across Skreeta’s chest, just below the throat. The spill of her aunt’s blood was warm against her skin. Skreeta jerked back and Kendra locked up Skreeta’s legs in one of Azros’ fighting moves. Her aunt tripped, falling back to the sand. “You bitch! Do you know what you’ve done?” Kendra stalked across the sand, hunting Skreeta the way she’d hunted her family. Without mercy, Kendra shoved her aunt with her foot, knocking her back to the sand. The crowd laughed. Her limbs were shaking, and parts of her body grew numb. “Where’s the antidote?” Kendra’s voice croaked from a parched throat. “There isn’t one.” Kendra laughed. “Then I guess we’re both dead, aren’t we? I can chase you around this arena all day.” Her aunt doubled over. Kendra could smell the movement of poison through her body. “I cut you close to your heart, aunt. You sure you don’t want to live?” “You’ll die before I will.” “Want to bet on that, Skreeta? You don’t have such a great track record when it comes to assumptions about me.” Her aunt stared up at her. “Name your terms.” Kendra pointed the blade at her. “Concede the fight.” “And make you the queen’s heir?” Skreeta choked on the words in a coughing fit. 143
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“I am the daughter of Ashamia the Great, a visionary scientist of our people. I am queen’s heir by right of my family’s blood, and this fight.” Kendra’s voice rang out across the arena. “Concede.” Kendra stepped forward and drew back her arm to strike. Skreeta stared up at her. “I concede.” The crowd went insane. Kendra stared at her aunt, waiting for the antidote. Reeva’s arms came around her. “The antidote.” She pointed to Skreeta. Reeva cursed and eased her down to the sands. People pushed forward, and the toad-like countenance of Simien appeared in her field of vision. She was vaguely aware of her body’s spasms, the choking coughs. Her arm burned and her skin itched. “What is she saying?” “Her skin itches.” “Did…we…give…time?” Kendra croaked out the words. Reeva entered her field of vision. “You gave them more than enough, Chief. Don’t you dare give up now.” Relief drained away the last of her anger. It seemed like as good a time as any to sleep. Her body relaxed, and she slipped into unconscious oblivion.
***** Azros came to with anti-gravy bracelets on his ankles and wrists. He could smell Shyla, and the tainted scent of Xavier. His head hung at an awkward angle, allowing his hair to hide his expression from view. “Find out how he escaped. Now.” Shyla’s voice cut into the silence. “Ma’am.” One of the men hesitated. “What is it?” Irritation grated in her voice. “Is it safe to leave you alone—” Shyla laughed. “Have no fear of the Valorian. He’ll be out for at least a few hours. The priority is finding out who is assisting these animals. That person has committed treason against the Sheon.” “Yes ma’am.” The questioning individual snapped to. He and his companions rapidly departed. Shyla blew out a deep breath. “You really are a pain in my ass, Prince Azros. You and your brother both.” Her hands touched his wrists. One cuff was released. His body fell forward. The other released. She never made it to his ankles. He had his hands around her throat and her in the air. Her weapon smashed against the wall. She struggled against him, clawing at his hands and wrists.
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“Xavier.” His mouth had difficulty forming words. The man was gone, and in its place was an animal. “Safe.” She choked the word. “He’s…” Azros jerked the key out of her hand and released her. She tumbled to the floor. Her hand rubbed against her throat. “He’s safe. I swear.” She coughed, dragging in low gasps. Azros unlocked one ankle cuff then the other. “You lie.” She shook her head. “He’s hurt. Skreeta got to him before I did. He wasn’t part of the plan, but once she found out about him…” Her gaze lowered. “He won’t be able to escape on his own tonight.” “Wrong.” He dragged her to her feet and shoved her forward. “We’re not leaving anyone behind.” “Mase.” His voice rumbled over the comm. “Yeah. Heard everything.” “How long have I been out?” Azros shoved Shyla against the bay doors. “Not long. Maybe ten minutes. We’re right in front of you.” Azros pointed to the doors. “Open them.” “Not yet.” She glared at him. “Now.” He stepped forward, crowding her into the corner. “Not. Yet.” She matched his step, shoving against his chest in irritation. Alarms sounded and Azros dropped to a crouch. “Now.” She hit the door release. The door slid open. Mase and the crew had taken cover. Shyla held out her hands. “We don’t have much time before they realize what’s going on. Get the Valorians out of here.” Azros gripped her arm. “What about the cameras?” Shyla held up her wrist. A black bracelet flashed. “It’s a jammer. I’ve been using it for weeks to interfere with image feed. It’s been driving the engineers crazy. You have a good twenty minutes before the cameras come back online, so I wouldn’t waste too much time.” She attempted to shrug out of his hold. “Now let me go.” Mase shook his head. “No way, lady. You’re staying with us.” Shyla huffed out a breath. “You want Xavier? I have to get him. No one else will make it there and back in time.” “How do we know we can trust you?” Jackson’s question was quiet. “You don’t have a choice.” She shrugged. “I stay here and Xavier will be trapped in my room. Skreeta will kill him. You let me go, and I’ll get him back to you.” She met Azros’ eyes with solemn appeal. “It’s your call.” “What made you change your mind?” 145
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“No man deserves what Skreeta will put him through. I can use the antigrav bracelets to make transporting him easier.” Azros dragged in a breath. He couldn’t tell if she was lying. Instincts battled with fear of betrayal. Instincts won out. He let her go. “Fifteen minutes.” She nodded. “Give me the key to the cuffs.” He dropped it in her palm and watched her disappear around the corner. “That was stupid.” Mase stood at his side, staring after her. “Yeah.” Azros agreed. “Your chief trusts her.” Mase scratched his jaw. “Yeah, well. She likes you too. Makes me question her judgment.” Jackson snorted a laugh, and Azros shook his head. “We have work to do, and not a lot of time to do it.” Mase nodded with a grin. He pointed down the corridor. “End of the hall. They’re being held close by.” Jackson held out a weapon. “Already locked and loaded.” He pointed out different components. “Release.” He turned it over to point at a dial. “Stun and kill. Here’s a clip.” Pill-like capsules glowed green in the clip. It was a weapon unlike any other. “Each tube has three shots.” Azros took the weapon and slipped the clip in his pocket. “How many tubes per clip?” “Fifteen. Make ’em count.” Azros nodded, under no illusions about his role in the team. Jackson ran the show. Azros wondered how Destiny had acquired so many assets. Two men remained onboard the cloaked ship. Another two would guard this corridor. Azros and Jackson plowed forward, clearing corridor after corridor while the remaining team split off to run diversionary tactics. They met no traffic on their way. The stench of captivity grew stronger, making the hair on the back of Azros’ neck stand on end. Every door brought him closer. “We’re almost there.” Jackson glanced over. “How do you know?” Azros clenched his jaw and dragged in a calming breath. “I can smell my men.” Jackson didn’t ask for an explanation, and no words could describe it. Mase knelt by the door. He plugged his datapad to a card. With a swipe, the door opened. It took only a split second to take in the room before Azros rushed the first scientist. His fist connected with the bastard’s jaw. Jackson laid down suppressive fire. Azros broke the arm of another. He moved through the room, tearing them away from his men. Their pain, their misery. His people were rotting in a hell of Sheon design where
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they were treated like animals. Rage was an inferno in his mind. Everything became a red haze. A hand grabbed his arm. Azros swung around and barely held back from crushing Jackson’s throat. He became aware of a cacophony of deafening alarms. “We don’t have much time. Get your men. We have to get the fuck out.” “Azros.” A familiar voice rang through the room. Azros swirled around and rushed to the cage of his mentor. He gripped the bars. The grizzled and haggard appearance of the great sage tore the animal loose inside him. Dion gripped his hands in his. “You are here, my Prince? This is not the work of that cursed drug?” His men were slowly coming around. Their exclamations began waking the others from their drug fugue. Azros nodded and pressed his forehead against Dion’s fingers in respect for his rank. “I am here.” “They took the mine.” Dion choked on emotion. “I know. We will take it back. You have my word.” He glanced over to Mase and Jackson. Jackson tore through paperwork and research material, dropping them into a bag. He looked up and met Azros’ gaze. “We need the drug.” Azros nodded and turned back to Dion. “Where is the drug?” Mase’s fingers flew over the release controls. Dion glanced at Jackson. He slipped into their tongue. “Can he be trusted?” Azros looked back. “Yes. He would do us no harm.” Dion nodded, switching back to trader’s dialect. “The white cabinet behind you. Type code AJ25 to open it.” Azros grinned at his mentor. “Still pretending to sleep, old friend?” Dion laughed. “It’s the only way to find out what’s really going on.” “Finally!” Mase grinned. “There we go.” The doors swung open and his men stumbled out of their cages. Most were still groggy. Some were unable to move on their own. Mase packed up his gear. Jackson took everything out of the cabinet. He looked up at Azros. “We’re done here.” “Listen to me, men. Your prince has returned to get you to safety.” Azros gestured to Jackson and Mase. “They are here to help. We have to move so those who are able will give assistance to the others. No one will be left behind.” “My Prince, they took your brother.” Dion helped another walk. “Xavier will meet us at the ship.” “But…how?” Dion’s concern told Azros the critical nature of his wounds. “We have to move. There’s no time for explanation.”
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Dion nodded. “Of course, my Prince.” They raced down the corridor. The old sage moved very quickly. Jackson took point, and Azros teamed up with Mase at the rear of the group. Mase glanced at him. “We’re going to have company.” Azros’ gaze fell on his men. Filth and blood caked their skin. Their once proud shoulders were stooped as though broken of spirit. Beneath the surface, however, beat the hearts of free men. “Let them come.” Jackson’s men fell back to cover their escape. Shots rang out. The group’s pace increased, and Azros was satisfied to see some of them slip into their extra senses. They made it to the bay before the Sheon caught up with the prisoners. Jackson and Mase laid down suppressive fire while Azros guided his men to the ship. A Sheon pilot ran at him with a pipe swinging, and Azros shot him. The pilot collapsed to the deck. “Azros!” Shyla’s voice rang out over the confusion. She raced toward him with Xavier on her shoulders in a fireman’s carry. Blood-soaked bandages covered several areas of his body. He swallowed down his fury. Even with the gravity bracelets, Xavier weighed her down considerably. Azros ran, meeting her. He hauled Xavier off her shoulders and grabbed her wrist. She wrenched from his grasp. “No.” “Skreeta will kill you.” Azros gestured to Xavier. “There’s no hiding this. Not anymore.” “No!” Jackson rushed over, laying cover fire across the bay. “Can you two pick a different time to argue?” “Jackson. Take her.” Azros ran toward the ship. Jackson’s weapon discharged and his heavy footfalls pounded the deck behind him. They made it to the ship. A split second after the door shut, the pilot took off. The bay doors opened with Mase’s assistance and they were racing back to the planet. Back to Kendra. “Hang in there, Xavier.” He held his brother in his arms, and prayed that the fates had kept his mate safe.
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Chapter Fourteen Azros strolled down the corridor. Each step was punctuated by the loud argument coming from the other side of the door. Some phrases were creative enough to leave his ears burning. Mase lounged against the wall. “What’s going on?” Mase glanced up. “Chief decided she was well enough to leave the clinic.” His mate’s voice cut through the others. Mase opened the door and Azros’ gaze was drawn immediately to Kendra. She stood at the doorway, pale-faced and furious, giving as good as she got…in more languages than even Azros understood. Short curls tumbled around her face in a red halo. He admired the new changes in her body. Her skin showed the first stages of a very special change. Azros and his beast were in agreement. Golden tiger stripes were sexy. “What does the doctor say?” “Dr. Monroe says two more days and she can be released.” Azros nodded. “What did she say when Kendra wasn’t around?” Mase laughed. “She’s fine to leave, but must be well-rested.” Azros grinned. “I’ll make sure she’s very well-rested.” He rolled up his sleeves. “Who all is in there?” “Destiny. Reeva. The shift nurse.” Mase slapped him on the back. “Give ’em hell, Azros.” Azros shook his head. “Feeding me to the wolves, huh?” “Better you than me, buddy.” He sighed at Mase’s refusal to stop calling him buddy. Azros stepped into the room and was immediately accosted. Reeva threw her hands up. “Finally. Someone who can talk some sense into her.” “To Destiny?” He glanced at her. “What about?” “Not me. Kendra.” Destiny’s hands were planted firmly on her hips. “You know, I was fully capable of taking care of myself before he crashed into my life.” Kendra glared at him. “He is not my keeper.” He held his hands up in innocence. “Don’t bring me into this. I just got here.” Kendra’s grip on the doorframe was white-knuckled. He could see the strain of recovery on her face. Her hands trembled, and he would bet she was exhausted. “Kendra, be reasonable.” Destiny threw up her hands.
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“If you two weren’t blocking me, I’d be out of this bed and resting in the comfort of my own room!” Kendra’s eyes flashed with frustration while her mind was a riot of fury. Azros stepped forward and cleared his throat. All three women turned their glares on him. Azros swallowed, realizing how deadly these three could be to his person. “Kendra, Xavier sends his regards.” Kendra’s expression softened. “How is he?” “Recovering. Spitting mad, like you. Telling me the doctors are keeping him prisoner.” Kendra chuckled. “I knew I liked him for a reason.” Azros took her hand and set it in the crook of his arm. “Let’s get your stuff before you head out.” He escorted her back inside. “Don’t bother us.” He spoke over his shoulder, and could hear Mase’s quiet laughter. The door shut behind them and he had Kendra in his arms. Her lips grew pliant and warm beneath his. He gently rubbed her shoulders and neck, loosening the tension. She groaned appreciatively, leaning against his body for support. “I should have known you had wicked intentions.” She nuzzled his neck. “Hmm. You know they’re worried about you.” Azros pressed feather kisses against her forehead. “It’s only been a week.” “A week with no word on Skreeta’s whereabouts.” The Calypso was Kendra’s by combat, and Skreeta was barred from the ship and the planet’s surface. There were rumors circulating that the queen was excited by Kendra’s reappearance. Other rumors suggested the queen’s assassins were on the hunt. For whom, no one could decipher. “Well, you did almost die from poison.” He ran a hand down her spine, pulling her close. “It wasn’t that bad.” His arms tightened around her, and his heart constricted in pain. “Yes. It was. I’ll never forget the way you looked.” He kissed her forehead. “You almost died. Let the rest of us fuss over you.” “There are things that have to be done, Azros.” She pulled back, tilting her head back to match his gaze. Her eyes were lovely and sincere. “Things have been set in motion.” He ran his fingers through her hair. It was incredibly soft. “Will you keep it short?” He ached for his mate. Ached to hold her, to love her. To wrap her up and keep her from all harm. Kendra blinked and widened her eyes in confusion. “I don’t know. Maybe.” She shook her head. “You’re changing the subject.” “I am fascinated with you.” He walked her backward until she reached the bed. “What things have been set in motion?” He tasted her lips. 150
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She moaned. “Now you’re distracting me.” She stroked her tongue against his. He smiled against her lips. “Is this distracting?” His fingers trailed down her arm, and up, caressing lightly against her breast. “I don’t know. Maybe you should show me again.” Her eyes dilated and her breaths grew heated. He chuckled and complied. Her mouth opened on a gasp. “I could do this all day.” Kendra stopped his hands from their exploration. Regret flashed in her eyes. “We have to talk first.” Azros’ smile died. Every man knew the death knell of those words. He watched his mate lock away her emotions. He remembered another time, long ago, when another mate had done the same. Then it had driven him to isolation. Now…it would drive him insane. “Tell me.” “The queen has sent a message. I’m to prepare for a political alliance.” Azros cupped her face. “That’s what us royal-types are supposed to do. Form alliances, trade agreements.” He tried to smile, but the sight of her eyes filling with tears tightened his stomach into knots. “You don’t understand. I have to take a…consort.” Azros froze, and his heart froze with him. He held his breath, as though afraid the pain would shatter him. “A marriage.” The words were flat…emotionless. He dragged in a breath. Then another. “Of a sort. It’s a legally binding arrangement.” Her pulse fluttered against his fingertips. Her hands clasped his. “Most of it doesn’t have to include sex.” Azros jerked back as though slapped. “Doesn’t have to include sex? Then what the hell is the agreement for?” “I told you. A political alliance. It lasts three years.” Her gaze darted around his face. The near panic of her emotions tightened her voice. “The partners rarely spend more than the required amount of time together.” “How much time is that?” The roar of his beast tore through his body. He was amazed his mouth could form words. “Enough time to consummate the relationship.” Azros dropped his hands. “Oh really, is that all? What do you take me for, an idiot?” Kendra threw up her hands. “Is being with me really that bad?” “No, Kendra.” He had her in his arms and against the wall. His mouth took hers in a fierce possession. Hard. Demanding. His tongue speared her mouth, tasting and consuming every emotion. Her nipples became hard little points against his chest. He cupped the curve of her ass, forcing her body against the hard ridge of his cock. Even through multiple layers of
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clothes, the woman simmered hot and ready. He broke the kiss. Her eyes glazed with passion and her lips were swollen with his kisses. “There will be no consort. Not ever.” Kendra’s attention snapped back to the moment at hand. Hurt flashed deep in her eyes. “I will have to take a consort, or spend the rest of my life running from the queen’s assassins. Birthing an heir is my responsibility to the people.” Her mind absorbed his expressions, his reactions. “I can’t give you up, Kendra.” He pressed his hands against the wall, trapping her with his body. Confusion had her shaking her head. “You don’t have to.” “I won’t be a kept man either.” Kendra sighed. “I was afraid of this. Marriage isn’t allowed until ascension. It gives the royal heirs time to ensure a good match before ruling the kingdom.” “I don’t need marriage, Kendra, but I do need commitment. The thought of sharing you with another man…” Kendra jerked in surprise. “Whoa there, tiger. Who said anything about another man?” Azros shrugged. “A woman, then?” That thought wasn’t so terrible. Kendra shoved her hands against his chest. “No other women or men. What kind of world do you come from where consorts cheat on their partners?” Azros refused to budge. “Let me get this straight. You have to take a consort for political reasons at a minimum of three years. During this time you have to attempt an heir, and having an outside love interest is forbidden.” “Yes. I don’t see the problem.” Azros threw up his hands. “Where do I fit in through all of this?” Kendra raised an eyebrow, piercing him with a look that suggested he had grown another head or some other ridiculous thing. “As my consort. What else would my mate be…” Her sentence ended in a yelp when he lifted her off her feet to swing her around. He buried his face in her hair and cursed, loud and profane. Kendra’s hands shook as they slid through his hair. “I won’t trap you, Azros. You don’t have to feel beholden to me, and I’d never force something from you that you weren’t already willing to give.” Azros started laughing and he kissed her neck and shoulder before setting her back to her feet. “I misunderstood the entire conversation, and I think you might have too.” He stepped back and bowed deeply to his mate. “I would be honored to become your consort, but only on one condition.” Kendra’s smile lit up the room. “Name it.” “You agree to a life sentence, because I don’t think I could ever let you go.” 152
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Kendra rushed into his arms, slamming into his body. “Easy, baby. Easy. You don’t want to bust those stitches back open.” “What did you think I meant?” Azros shook his head. “I thought you wanted someone else.” Kendra tilted her head to look at him. “Okay, now I know you are crazy. Don’t you know anything? I love you. Why would I ever let you go?” Azros hugged her tight against him. “I love you too. So why don’t you tell me what this consort thing means? Do I have to wear a suit?” Kendra grinned. “I don’t know…that slave collar and linen pants outfit seemed pretty great to me.” Azros lightly smacked her ass. “Minx.”
***** Kendra stood on the dais. Her gaze traveled over the faces, some familiar, most unknown relatives and political emissaries from the many factions in this sector of space. She fidgeted with the lace covering the back of her hand. The lace cuff folded delicately over her hand to be fastened around her middle finger, and was the only piece that adorned either one of Kendra’s arms. “Stop it.” Reeva’s whisper was tinged with humor. “Nothing. She’s nervous.” Mase grinned, and Kendra cursed her team for not allowing an earpiece during the ceremony. Reeva had unplugged her for “her own good”. It didn’t help her nerves any that the entire security team was teasing her through Reeva. “He’s on his way.” Reeva grinned and Kendra managed to paste a smile on her face. She was sick with nerves. What if he changed his mind? Her hands fidgeted with the belts and lace that barely covered her body. The doors opened and Azros strode down the aisle. His pants were made of rich material in blues and greens. A red sash adorned his waist, and the bloodstone pendant hung from his neck for all to see. He wore leather cuffs similar to Kendra’s, but far more intricate in design. Shyla and an older Valorian with spots adorning his swarthy skin followed close behind him, but she couldn’t take her eyes off of Azros. Her mate. Shyla carried a delicately carved box, one that seemed familiar somehow. Azros’ smile was all for her. He grasped her hands in his and dropped to a knee. “As is my right, in the tradition of my people, I ask for each line to bless this mating.” Kendra started in surprise. What was going on? From the front row Xavier stood. “As blood brother and first heir to the future king of the Valorian people, I give my blessing without reservation.” He eased back to his seat.
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Tears filled Shyla’s eyes, threatening to spill over. A tickle of moisture built in Kendra’s as well. “As blood cousin and first heir to the future queen of the Sheon people, I give my blessing without reservation.” Azros squeezed her hand, and rose to his feet. The older Valorian stepped forward to place his hands upon their joined ones. “By the blood of our peoples, may peace and understanding flow as far as the universe is long. We bless the union of Prince Azros del Mar, Valorian Prime and Princess Ashamia del Mar, Sheon Prime, and first female Prime in all of Valorian history.” The crowd cheered. Shyla stepped forward. Her hands shook as she opened the box. She took out a rope made of spun silk. The Valorian elder stepped forward to take the box. “In the tradition of our people that we honor a consort with the tying of the hands as a bond between the two that will never be broken.” Kendra stared deep in Azros’ eyes. He meant more to her than she ever imagined possible. His emotions were bared for her to see. Love. Honor. Cherish. The words of an ancient tradition. Shyla slipped the rope over Kendra’s finger. “This ancient silk rope is soft and pliant, yet unbreakable by strength alone.” She wound it around Kendra’s right wrist and began weaving the intricate knots of binding between the joined hands. “A consort is not rigid and uncompromising. He is strong and flexible, rising to the challenges that he’ll face at her side. He will be her lover and protector.” Azros’ hands tightened over hers. Their love glimmered with fire and passion. She was blessed by the fates to have him in her life. “He will be her right hand, and her confidante.” The knots wound in a beautiful pattern, seamlessly moving from finger to finger. “He will accept the charge of his office, and uphold the values of the Sheon people.” Azros nodded at each statement. His lips twitched in a smile at the word ”values”. Kendra heard a few mumbles among the discontent in the crowd. Skreeta had created many enemies. The knotting ended and Shyla ran her fingers over the incredible arrangement. “You are now joined under the unblinking eye of the Sheon people.” The crowd cheered. Azros kissed her with such tenderness that Kendra’s tears spilled over. They trailed down her cheeks. A tremor of heat slid down her spine. Azros’ gaze shot to her. Her blood sizzled. It had been too long since she’d taken her mate. Kendra turned to the crowd. “This is a great time in our lives. The Sheon and Valorian peoples have mated, creating a new future of hope and prosperity. I name
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Xavier Cross, Valorian minister, and Shyla, captain of the Calypso, as the ambassadors of our message.” Azros blinked in surprise. Xavier looked furious, and Kendra could feel the outrage from her cousin. Kendra squeezed Azros’ hand, willing him to trust her. “You are all welcome to the reception. The Palace has arranged some lovely entertainment.” Kendra raised her voice to be heard over the crowd. Shyla quickly untied the securing knots from the beginning and the entire knotted piece slid off their hands. “You shouldn’t have done that.” Kendra clapped her cousin on the shoulder. “No one knows the world of Sheon politics better than you, Shyla. Your mother has supporters throughout the known universe. I need them ousted, their funds strangled, and their cause dead by attrition instead of martyrdom. The slaver trade has to stop.” Shyla sighed. “You want me to do this alone?” Azros shook his head. “You have Xavier. Find those you trust. Create a network. Do what needs to be done.” Shyla glanced over at Xavier. There was a chasm of pain between the two that seemed almost palpable. Another flash of heat tore through Kendra’s body. Lust was a tightly coiled spring ready to release in her body. Azros grinned and pulled her into his arms for a breathtaking kiss. They ran down the aisle to the side door of the entertainment room. “Where are you going?” Shyla’s voice called as they rushed away. “To consummate our contract!” Azros laughed, and Kendra grinned.
***** Kendra couldn’t stop the lust raging through her body. She ached for him to fill her, fuck her, take her. “Azros.” Her desperate plea had him tugging at the mess of buckles and lace crossing her body. “Who the hell designed this thing?” His frustrated growl made her laugh. Fingers brushed against her nipples and she groaned. Her pussy clenched in ravenous lust. “It’s traditional.” Her nails dug into his shoulders. “Hurry.” “Traditional? Try insane.” He pulled a knife from his boot and knelt. His fierce gaze locked with hers and the powerful emotions looking back at her filled her with hope. The lust burning from his eyes sent shocks of pleasure through her body. “Don’t move, Desh’ra.” Dear one. She knew the words now. Knew what they meant. They were mated. Truly mated. I choose you. His words echoed in her mind. He made quick work of the belts and lace, slicing the pieces from her body with precision and focused energy. Cool air tightened her nipples to aching points. The knife slid back into the sheath and his
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mouth latched onto one of her nipples, tugging with sharp teeth and soothing with his wicked tongue. “You’re burning me alive.” His fingers stroked over the stripes on her neck. Pleasure arced down her body to clench in her core. Her fingernails dug into his hair. “What the hell was that?” He gave a breathless chuckle and licked one of the stripes on her shoulder. “You’ve become a Sheon Prime. The only one of your kind. Your stripes are proof of the mating. Proof of your warrior spirit.” His fingernails ran down the line and Kendra swore it was her pussy he stroked. She moaned. “They have pleasant…” His tongue swiped against the point of a stripe and Kendra’s knees shook. “Side effects.” She’d noticed his reaction to this touch way back in the terraform lab, but had no idea how raw the sensation could be. “So I see.” Her fingernails scraped lightly on his stripes. His moan answered hers and she smiled against his lips. “Works on you too, then.” “You know it does.” His words ended in a growl and she found herself tossed in the air to land in the center of their large bed. “It was very nice of Destiny to upgrade your room to a suite.” He took off the ceremonial robe and let it fall to the floor in a whisper of silk. Kendra’s mouth grew dry at the beauty of her mate. Her consort. Every scar proving his ability to fight, to protect. Her warrior prince. “You are an incredibly built man, my love.” She rose up on her elbows and appreciated the raw male beauty stalking to the bed. Every muscle moved with efficiency and power, like the predator she knew him to be. Her heart clenched with the knowledge of how much he’d given up for his people. “You are beautiful to me, Kendra del Mar.” The new name twisted something deep inside her heart, opening it to the final belief. “Show me.” “It will be my pleasure.” His lips and tongue began a torturous path up her ankles and legs, teasing and tormenting her until she writhed on the bed. Her fingers dipped between her thighs and stroked the aching nub, desperate to ease some of the need. His tongue licked at her fingers, nuzzling them away from her moist flesh. He spread her thighs wide and lapped at her juices. Deft fingers slid into her aching channel and stroked her higher. She let her legs fall open in ecstasy, knotting the sheets in her fists and crying out her pleasure. “You taste like summer wine.” His breath fanned across her pussy, and his fingers slowed their pace. Kendra cried out in denial. “Shhh.” His fingers twisted softly inside her. “Let me take you higher. Will you be mine forever?” His fingers scissored and she jerked in pleasure. “Yes. For as long as you’re mine.”
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His gaze burned back at her. Fierce. Loyal. Her heart and soul. “Make me yours, Azros. Forever.” His fingers slipped free of her pussy. He came above her and she wrapped her legs around his waist. The head of his cock rubbed against her soaked entrance. “I love you, and will always love you, Princess.” “I will always love you, my prince.” She wiggled against him. “Now, will you please fuck me?” He laughed and slammed deep. “Stubborn woman.” She took some satisfaction in how breathless his voice was. His tongue lapped at the mark on her shoulder. Pleasure shot to her core and she arched against him. His mouth suckled at the point and she cried out. He set a pace that had them both gasping. Sweat slid down her back and throat, soaking the sheets. She cried and begged, but he kept her just on the edge of oblivion. “Go wild for me, kitten.” He nipped at her throat. “Let it go.” She writhed and ached. Something built in the back of her mind, a pressure, causing her eyes to glaze over. She wanted to bite him. To taste him. Her teeth nipped at his shoulder. “That’s it, princess.” His muscles strained and every thrust of his incredible cock sent her spiraling further into pleasure. “Bite me.” He pinched her nipple and rolled it. The pleasure spike released the dam and she bit, hard. Mine! Her lips suckled against the fresh mark and Azros lost control. He pounded into her. The sound of wet flesh and the spicy scent of wild sex surrounded them. Pleasure built at the base of her spine until finally she crested, crashing over. Distantly she felt Azros follow behind her, his face buried against her neck. They struggled to regain breath, and his arms surrounded her with heat, and love. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.” Kendra brushed her fingers through his sweat-soaked hair. “Azros…” “I almost lost you, Kendra. My heart. Don’t ever leave me like that again.” It was the raw pain in his voice. The same pain that echoed in her heart. “I won’t.” She held him against her heart. Her fierce warrior. Her Valorian Prime. Forever.
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Epilogue Shyla watched the entwined lovers, patient, calm. Her fingers gripped the barrel of her weapon with only the slightest tremor. The setup was perfect. A hidden alcove. No one aware of her true purpose. All she had to do was pull the trigger. Shyla scanned the room. She screwed on the suppresor, and watched her target rise from the bed. He had finally left the room. It was time. She held up her weapon and fired one shot. Then another. Her body slumped to the floor, and Shyla walked over, observing the life drain from her once-expressive eyes. Dark fluid stained the carpet, and Shyla tilted her head. It was over. She walked back into the hallway. “Is it done?” Shyla jerked to a stop, her weapon aimed at Destiny’s chest. Destiny’s voice held no anger, no cruelty. Just a quiet question. Shyla’s hand trembled and the weapon dropped a bit. “It’s done.” She cursed the wobble in her voice. “Killing in self-defense versus cold-blooded murder takes its toll on a soul.” She stepped closer. “Let them be, Shyla.” Unshed tears burned her eyes. “I can’t. My cousin will never be safe with them out there.” She looked back toward the door, and the dead assassin she’d taken out. A woman she’d once called friend. A loyal servant to the Sheon cause. One more casualty in the perversions her mother had wrought on her people. “Stay here. You can be part of the security staff. You know she’ll want you with her.” Shyla shook her head. “There is too much bad blood between us. Too many years I have to redeem. I have a mission to fulfill.” “You’re the one who saved her life all those years ago, aren’t you?” Destiny’s voice was melodious. “The little girl who dropped a single dagger on the ground, in spite of her mother’s orders. Just a little thing.” Destiny touched the barrel and gently pushed it down and away from her body. The man called Jackson stepped from the shadows. Shyla holstered the weapon, ignoring Destiny’s assumption. “This one was mostly human, so the body will remain the same. Only the face will smooth over.” She watched as Jackson stepped into the room. So many years wasted. So many times she skirted death at her mother’s hands. She gave a rough laugh. Skreeta may yet get the chance. “My mother will kill me for this.”
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“She won’t be able touch you.” “She had to have a rendezvous set up.” Jackson’s voice was quiet, unobtrusive as always. Shyla wished for that kind of stealth. “If the assassin had succeeded, what was it supposed to do?” Shyla sighed. She was bone weary of her mother’s tricks and traps. “It was supposed to bring her proof of their deaths. She would have rendezvoused with the ship my mother had escaped in. I was lucky to find the kill orders in the Calypso database. It’ll take me years to comb through the information Skreeta had compiled.” “Can we get the information from the assassin?” Destiny’s gaze grew hard, and Shyla wondered just how far Destiny was willing to go. Would it be enough? “Yes. Since I have no idea how much information she could gather from the assassin, I was careful to keep the module intact. I just disabled its optics and motor function nodes.” “Good.” Her smile was not a pretty one. “Here’s what we’re going to do. You’re going to give her different coordinates…”
***** “This is the very spot you left your own princess, isn’t it?” It was the way she said it, the ice-cold nothingness in Destiny’s eyes. Skreeta knew her life was at an end. And it pissed her off. “I was obviously too merciful.” She wiped the back of her hand across her mouth, unsurprised to see the crimson stain of blood smeared across the skin. “She sent you to do her dirty work, did she? One whore is the same as any other, I suppose.” It was a joke how easily they’d overtaken her crew. Humiliating to have fallen into the whore’s trap. Destiny’s gaze burned and Skreeta laughed. She eyed the ground support team and gauged her chances. Slim. Slim was better than none. She’d survived the blood wars. She was Skreeta, future queen of the Sheon Empire. Fuck this backwater rock and its wastes. “All those loyal to your princess heir have one chance. Board the ship now.” Several moved. Rage launched in Skreeta’s gut and she let loose a cry, making a cutting motion in the air. All but Destiny froze. “I will not have a whore undermine the strength of our empire.” Skreeta watched sudden fury leap into the bodyguard’s eyes. A light touch by Destiny relaxed his muscles, but it was enough. Skreeta smiled, showing sharpened canines. Even the whore had a weakness. “Hold her.” Two guards grabbed her, locking her arm joints before she could blink. Pain flared across her shoulders and down her back. She sucked a breath through clenched teeth.
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Destiny strode down the path. “You should really expand your vocabulary. Better a whore than a warmonger and child killer.” The bitch jerked the Sheon royal emblem from her cloak. Shadows moved in her peripheral vision. They were abandoning her! “What I did, I did for the empire!” She launched at Destiny but the blue-skinned bastard twisted her arm until she dropped. Pain raced along her arm before it went numb. Any further pressure would break the limb. Skreeta was pissed, but she wasn’t stupid. The touch of Destiny’s fingers on her chin made her skin crawl. “What you did, you did for greed. Now you’ll have the same chance you gave Kendra so long ago.” Skreeta spat blood on her perfect face. “I made her who she is today. It was my choices that made her the strong warrior she has become.” Destiny smiled. It was not a lovely smile. “She is the heir, and you are the slag waste.” Destiny grabbed a corner of the fallen cloak and wiped her face. Blood smeared across the skin. “Dawn is coming.” She gestured toward the rock formation in the distance. “I’ll even make it easy. No ropes on your limbs. Make it to the rock, and you’ll live.” Skreeta sneered at the hope that leapt in her heart. “How long do I have?” Destiny dropped the cloak to the mucky ground in a whisper of fabric. “As long as it takes.” The bitch walked back to the ramp and gazed around. Skreeta took stock. Three of her team remained loyal enough to stay. “No weapons?” A sixth sense had kept her alive, one that told her when someone was lying, when danger was close. Her skin crawled. Something was coming. Destiny gave an unladylike snort. “A seven-year-old child raced across this very land without boots. Be thankful I allow you to keep yours.” Her guard handed over a wet towel and Destiny wiped down her face. She paused, as though considering. “It wouldn’t surprise me if she could beat you even then.” She turned her back and Skreeta raged, fighting against the hold of her armed guards. When Destiny reached the top of the platform, she turned and stared down at Skreeta with eyes as cold as deepest space. “You will never hurt another soul.” The guards dropped her arms and danced out of her reach when she tried to take their weapons. The dark-blue one grinned. “I’d run if I were you, your highness. Dawn brings some interesting critters around here.” He laughed and walked backward until they reached the safety of the ship. “Highness.” One of her loyalists touched her arm. “We must run for your survival.” Skreeta didn’t speak, she just turned and sprinted. The buzz of danger surrounded her, tapped deep into her reserves. Years of training, preparation for a throne war coalesced on this one point in time. She’d show them. The sound of her ship’s launch set her teeth on edge and she used the rage to push her body further.
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The fight with Kendra replayed in her mind. Every move. Every calculated maneuver. A tinge of red pierced the sky and Skreeta winced away from the light’s glare. How had that bitch survived the poison? A sickly sweet stench rose around her. The reports had given no indication of carnivore activity in this area, so why was she running? A scream pierced the morning and Skreeta turned. A red slime had engulfed a soldier, trapping her, devouring her. Skreeta swallowed back the bile rising in her throat. “Run. Highness!” A shove on her arm had her running. “Run!” Another scream fell behind her but she dug deeper, running harder. Slime oozed out of the cracks in the ground, sliding over the muck. “Don’t let it touch you!” the woman screeched in her ear, rattling her eardrums. “I have no intention, I assure you.” The dark shadows of trees drew her gaze and she raced in that direction, ready to climb the haggard branches for safety. She heard the dogged steps of her companion. Crimson slime oozed around them, coming up through the cracks. She wished for a gun, any kind of weapon. The trees grew closer and the twisted branches offered a small shimmer of hope. Her lungs burned and her breaths came in ragged gasps. A slime sprang at her and she rolled, desperate to escape its touch. She reached the tree and launched at it. “Highness, no!” Her companion’s cry came too late. A tar-like substance held her fast against the trunk. She jerked her hands away from the black muck and her skin ripped. A scream tore from her lips. The black substance oozed down her arm. The scream of her companion tore through the silent woods. An overwhelming sickeningly sweet odor permeated the air and Skreeta dragged in a breath. Yellow slime oozed around the trunk, sliding toward her. A rugged laugh tore from deep within. “I hate this fucking planet,” she screamed.
***** So that’s the story of how I got the Valorian Prince and the Sheon heir to the throne on my staff. They found each other. I got an extra-hunky body and efficient fighter on my security staff. The would-be queen never made it to the rock, and not a sign of her was ever found. We made quite a profit on the arena fight and have consolidated our gain with the Abject Mining Corporation to make the pit fights a regular event. Apparently, the grunts like to watch scantily clad women wrestle. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. Of course we’ve sexed it up a little. Gotta give those deprived men and women a little heat to offset the frigid cold of deep space. Incidentally, our business is booming. Every day is an adventure at Destiny’s Palace. Thank you for your patronage and it will be our pleasure to serve you again. 161
About the Author Dawn writes to give her mind a break from the voices clamoring to tell their stories. She has traveled the world twice over. While her days were filled with long hours and hard work, her nights were left for dark, lustful fantasies in and out of strange hotels and cities. Alaska and Texas are the places she calls home. She currently resides in the frigid north with her family, neurotic dog, and the moose and bear that encroach on her land.
Dawn welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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