Lisia’s Journey Rebecca Airies
Lisia Fariel only wants to go home. She‟s willing to try anything to get there. She never expected to meet a large Aridi male or to feel such a connection to anyone, much less someone so handsome, dominant and possessive. Jarritt E‟Sain‟s clan has been under attack and in desperate need of help that never seems to stay long enough to do anything. Finding a female Aridi helping the United Defense Alliance gain access to the planet is surprising, but even more so is the connection he feels to her. He‟s not going to let this beauty slip away from him when the tie between them is so strong. Lisia‟s determined to resist his attempts to bond them together, but Jarritt isn‟t making it easy to ignore the attraction. Toss in the threat of space pirates and suddenly “complicated” takes on a whole new meaning.
An Ellora‟s Cave Romantica Publication
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Lisia‟s Journey ISBN 9781419929564 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Lisia‟s Journey Copyright © 2010 Rebecca Airies Edited by Helen Woodall Cover art by Dar Albert Electronic book publication September 2010 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 authors‟ imagination and used fictitiously.
LISIA’S JOURNEY Rebecca Airies
Dedication To the fellow dreamer in the family, good luck on your journey. May your dreams become reality. Thank you for the help and the support when I needed it. To my editor, Helen, thank you for being so fabulous at your job and for suffering through the “huh” moments so that the readers don‟t have to do it.
Rebecca Airies
Chapter One The blaring horn sounded, breaking the relative silence and sent birds darting out of the trees. Lisia jumped. The loud noise startled her and made her ears ache, but she leapt forward and ran toward the obstacles that filled the clearing in the lush forest. Even after hearing it when the first man ran, the jarring sound surprised her. She didn‟t know how the other Aridi stood it over and over again. She wasn‟t exactly dressed for the complicated course, but when she‟d decided to wear the bright blue shirt and silky dark, gray pants, she‟d envisioned something a little simpler. This definitely wasn‟t simple and she had a feeling that more was going on than some power game. That didn‟t concern her though and she pushed back the curiosity. She wasn‟t going to be here long enough to need to know about the politics and manipulations that went on behind the scenes. She had to get those damn green and yellow flags and complete the obstacle course under the time limit to fulfill her part of the deal with Lieutenant Commander Carson. She sprinted forward grabbing the first flag as she leapt over the low, dark brown brick wall. It shouldn‟t be that hard, the course was enough like the ones at home that she‟d spotted all the flags. Even the flags that had been half hidden by the bushes. That had been her second clue that something was strange on Enoch. The man in charge was doing everything he could to make sure the time wasn‟t broken. His methods bordered on outright cheating. Nothing had been said about concealed markers. She pushed the first flag into the elastic band at her waist even as she headed for the second. Rolling into the short tunnel covered by a mound of dirt, she grabbed it and focused on the next barrier, the wall. She felt a tug at her right leg and heard a small rip. She kept going and tried not to think about the fact that she was probably ruining one of her favorite pairs of pants. She climbed the man-made rock wall plucking the flag off as she flipped over it. The fast pace, exertion and challenge set her pulse racing. She enjoyed the thrill and the test of her skills. It was something she hadn‟t experienced in a while and it was better than the fear and worry she‟d felt over the past few weeks. The fourth flag hung amid the leaves of a squat thorny bush, but she grabbed it ignoring the scratches on her palm. Annoyance rose, but she focused on getting to the next flag. She snatched the fifth from the top of a pole and plucked the sixth flag as it fluttered in the gentle wind midway up a slope. She dragged in a gasping breath and knew that it had been too long since she‟d run freely. A simple course like this shouldn‟t make her breathe hard. She reached the top of the incline and jumped down from the edge to the base of the wall bracing the slope. 6
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She found the flag in the water-filled rut behind it. Slogging out of the brown liquid, she noticed the mud on her black knee-boots and her pants. If she didn‟t need the Lieutenant Commander‟s help, she‟d make him pay to replace them. With a not-so-silent curse, she ran for the eighth and ninth flags, on opposite ends of a climbing net. She bypassed the simple rope swing to grab the tenth flag off the corner of the platform. Jumping down, she landed lightly and grabbed the eleventh before leaping the final short wall. Satisfaction coursed through her as she saw the brown-haired man‟s dropped jaw. The Aridi man had shown he was a fool from the first. He was one of the few shifters who considered humans weak. She hadn‟t met many Aridi who felt that way. It gave her a thrill to surprise him. He clearly hadn‟t expected anyone to finish in time. It wasn‟t her fault he didn‟t know she was also an Aridi. She hadn‟t done anything to hide it. The open space and the fact that she was with a group of humans would go a long way to masking her scent, but now that she‟d worked up a sweat, her scent would be stronger. There were ways she could hide her smell, but she hadn‟t done it. Basically because she didn‟t expect to be here that long. She wanted to get her job done and go. She knew he‟d probably put those flags in the bushes and on the back of that wall just so no one would complete the course. If she hadn‟t expected trickery, she might not have taken the time to spot them all first. At her first sight of the man claiming to be in command, she‟d known there was something wrong. The brown-haired man running this show didn‟t have the muscles or scars that a Shi’an, a clan leader usually had. He definitely didn‟t have the attitude, the carriage of a man accustomed to holding and using power. He was just too damn perfect-looking to have fought in more than a handful of fights. It was obvious he wasn‟t the leader he was pretending to be. That and his clear disdain for the Universal Defense Alliance soldiers were enough to warn her. According to Lieutenant Commander Marsh Carson, they‟d asked for UDA help. A man like him wouldn‟t ask for help from someone he considered beneath him. That wasn‟t the only thing that had raised her suspicions, but it had been enough to make her very wary. The men who‟d met them at the shuttle had been much too young, too inexperienced for the guards of a colony out on the edge of known space. She‟d never heard of a group of Aridi out this far. She pulled all eleven flags out of the elastic belt at her waist and let them flutter into the palm of a young guard standing to her left. Smirking, she waited for the man running this test to find his tongue. She smoothed her hands down her sleeveless blue shirt, brushing at a bit of dirt on it as she waited. The shirt at least looked salvageable, but the pants were probably ruined. “It seems you beat the time and managed to find the flags. Was the course challenging for you?” The man‟s lips compressed into a thin line and he glared at her, his body half turned away from her as if he really didn‟t want to look at her.
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She held the growing laughter inside when she wanted to let it flow. His fast clipped words told her even before she caught his scent that he was furious. He wanted to force them to leave but was held by his word. “No, the course was a little easy. I didn‟t expect it to be that simple. Are you the Shi’an of this group?” She cocked a hand on her hip and smiled. She knew that it would irritate him. His irritation was probably the only satisfaction she‟d get out of this little jaunt other than a trip home. Curiosity spurred the question. Well, that and a wicked desire to see him squirm. She wanted to see how he‟d react to it. From the sharp glance of the young guard to her right, she already knew the answer. He definitely wasn‟t the Shi’an, not even one of them if they had shared ruled here. How far would he go with his lies and half-truths? “What do you think?” The man threw his shoulders back and puffed out his chest as he did his best to give her a quelling look. As if he could even come close to the searing glances she‟d sometimes get from her brothers. “I think that any man who won‟t openly claim his position has something to hide.” Lisia smiled, not at all intimidated by the young fool. Color swept up the man‟s cheeks. She watched as his hands tightened into fists. He was so easy to provoke and obviously not the alpha he was pretending to be. Drawing in fast, deep breaths, he seemed to be trying to gather his courage. “I am the Shi’an!” he screamed. She felt the faint brush of his fury and then fear. She shook her head. Very stupid move. He‟d just lost what little support he‟d had. The men around him moved away as if he‟d suddenly become diseased. His temper had probably sealed his fate as well. For all the infighting that went on within a clan at times, no one claimed the title of Shi’an without earning it. “I didn‟t think you‟d be that stupid, Hern.” A deep voice rolled from the dense vegetation to the right. Lisia turned and noticed the muscles and size of the man emerging from the leafy growth first. Now here was the kind of man she‟d expected to see when she‟d stepped off the shuttle. She felt the light brush of his anger as well as a small hint of amazement as the black-haired man came closer. He was dressed in dark clothing as were the other Aridi here, but his appearance highlighted the weakness and youth of those she‟d first encountered. The clothing didn‟t appear to be a uniform in the official sense, merely a type of clothes they all favored. She pulled her lips into a straight line. She didn‟t know why he‟d suddenly decided to make an entrance, but she immediately shut her mouth. Playtime was over. She‟d drawn enough attention to herself. Getting home had already been much harder than it should have been. She didn‟t need to add more complications to the mix. “I am Arik E‟Trin,” he announced, his eyes sweeping the group in front of him.
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Keeping her ultimate goal in mind, she walked slowly back to the group of UDA. She did her best to blend in among them and be as unobtrusive as possible. The difference in her clothing from the UDA guards did make her stand out from them. Her vibrant blue shirt and loose pants definitely weren‟t standard green Guard uniform. She knew she wouldn‟t be successful, but hoped they‟d overlook the differences in her clothing. More large warriors emerged from the forest. They moved among the young Aridi present, questioning them. Eventually, two men escorted the pretender away from the area. The large man who was apparently in charge turned to face the group of UDA guards still waiting for some formal word of welcome. She saw the man begin to walk toward them. Marsh drew her attention away from the man. “Thank you so much. I don‟t know if we‟d have ever broken that time without you. Not to mention getting past his lies. I‟ll make sure you get on the next shuttle.” Marsh clasped her hands between his. “She‟s not going anywhere.” The man‟s hard, deep voice overrode Marsh‟s promise to fulfill his side of the bargain. “She‟s the one who won your right to be here. Until someone else beats the time set, she stays on the planet.” Lisia‟s eyes narrowed, but she didn‟t try to mask her surprise. She hadn‟t expected that. None of the Aridi had talked to the soldiers since the warriors had arrived. Even with that, she‟d gotten the impression that they hadn‟t approved of the pretender‟s actions. From the surprised looks of some of the other Aridi males, she knew they hadn‟t expected that condition. Could that big warrior suspect, or even worse know, that she was more than she seemed? She hadn‟t ventured close to him, but he could have detected a hint of her scent depending on where he was before he‟d emerged from the forest around them. Glaring at the man, she didn‟t attempt to hide her anger or the fact that she was staring. The man hadn‟t introduced himself other than by name. She had to wonder if he even had the authority to make the condition. Probably. She didn‟t know exactly what position he held, but he most likely did have the clout to back the decision. His attitude screamed power, but she didn‟t think he was the Shi’an. No one had addressed him by that title. They would have if he‟d actually held it. The delay infuriated her. She‟d been barred from any way home for months by slavers. Her only hope had been Lieutenant Commander Marsh Carson. She‟d known the UDA soldier would have the resources to get her back into a safe region of space. She‟d also known the help probably wouldn‟t be free. He‟d asked her to help him get past a test to aid some shifters in a pirate-plagued area. It hadn‟t made any sense to her that they‟d refuse help, but she was willing to do almost anything to get back to Deshra. Of course, she hadn‟t known at the start that they were Aridi like her. When she had discovered that they were the same species, she wasn‟t too worried. She should have been able to leave the planet in a relatively short time. The large shifter talked to Marsh for a few more moments and left. She wasn‟t sorry to see him go. Angry and a little frustrated, she drew in a deep breath. She couldn‟t go 9
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home immediately, but she hoped this was only another delay. She hadn‟t brought her clothes down to the planet, because she‟d still have to go up to the ship and change shuttles. There hadn‟t been a reason to have them with her. She‟d planned to leave as soon as she‟d fulfilled her side of the bargain. “I‟ll need to send a message that I‟ll be delayed,” she told Marsh as soon as the large warrior moved away from them. “I‟ll also need my bag since I‟ll be staying down here for a few days at the least.” “We‟ll get someone to redo that course and beat the time as soon as possible so you can go home. I‟ll have your bag brought down and send an explanation of your delay to those you love.” Marsh assured her. He left with two of the other UDA guards, escorted by three of the Aridi warriors. They all began walking toward the clan holding.
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Chapter Two Lisia‟s eyes kept straying to the trees around them. The deep greens and vivid colors of the flowers and berries drew her. Even the sounds of the animals chittering and chirping made her want to go explore. She doubted she could slip into the forest without being spotted, but she wanted to do it. Knowing that she‟d be here for even a short time didn‟t make the urge any easier to handle. Her eyes lingered on bushes and trees. She thought she saw a faint path leading into the forest. The dense forest on each side of the path called to her beast. Just the sharp, crisp smell of the trees and the sweet scent of the flowers lured her toward the cool darkness. Her skin itched and tingled and she had a hard time resisting the desire to investigate. She wanted to go run through those trees, tear off her clothes and let the wind move over her skin. It had been so long since she‟d run in her animal form or even walked in such a lush area. The temptation was almost too much to resist. The hair on the back of her neck rose and an uneasy feeling crawled up her spine. The feeling tore her thoughts away from the forest. Someone was watching her. She rolled her shoulders, unconsciously trying to lift the almost physical weight of someone‟s stare. Cautiously, she looked around the group of people, but couldn‟t see anyone even looking at her much less focusing on her with the intensity she felt. Something moving across a faint gap in the bushes caught her eyes. The big dark feline shape continued moving. She saw it walk past a tree just in front of the first Aridi males. A big black Aridi in animal form stepped out in front of the group. A ruff of black hair surrounded the large round head, designating it as a male in the prime of his life. Dark brown eyes looked over the group, locking onto her. The big male stalked forward, powerful muscles moving beneath the sleek, dark coat. He growled as he moved, snarling at one of the UDA soldiers who just happened to be in his way. His lips pulled back revealing dagger-sharp teeth. The soldier hastily backed away. Lisia frowned. She could feel his arousal and a strong wave of possessiveness pulsing over her. An intense, clear feeling. Not the light brush of emotion an Aridi usually felt from another person. His scent hit her, musky with a spicy undertone and too appealing. Who was he? She was sure she hadn‟t met him anywhere. She‟d have remembered feeling this connection with someone. He came closer until his muzzle pressed into her leg. He drew in a deep breath and rumbling purr rolled through his body. Lisia practically felt the jolt of arousal slam through him. His head moved and pressed against her crotch. Her mouth dropped open in shock. At first, she just stared down at him. Shaking her head, she pushed away
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the last of the surprise. She grabbed handfuls of the rough black hair on the sides of his head and held him. Stepping back, she looked down into the large rounded face. “Get your face out of there. I don‟t know you.” She frowned down at him, keeping her arms straight. “For future reference, the Shi’an‟s name is Jarritt E‟Sain,” Arik advised. “I‟d say he wants to know you.” “This is the Shi’an?” She glanced over at the man, but didn‟t loosen her fingers from the thick mane she was holding. The big Aridi was still trying to get close to her. Fortunately, he wasn‟t using all of his strength. She knew he was letting her put some distance between them, but she was simply happy for the space. The combination of his emotions hitting her and her embarrassment over the position was a little overwhelming. That wasn‟t a common greeting even among an exclusively Aridi group. She ran her eyes over the large animal. Just judging from his size and build in animal form he had to be tall and well muscled. “Yes. Now do you have something to tell us?” Arik‟s voice sounded annoyingly cheerful. She took a deep breath and then licked her lips. The situation had just exploded in her face and she couldn‟t think of a way out of it. She didn‟t know if it could get any worse. If it could, she didn‟t want to know about it. There was no denying the truth now. Not after Big and Furry had gotten personal. “I think you guessed it already. It‟s why you didn‟t let me leave the planet when I wanted to. I‟m an Aridi.” Lisia took a sliding step back maintaining her stiff-armed hold as the large male tried to press close to her again. “I suspected that you were more than human. What is your name?” Arik tilted his head and his eyes locked on her hands holding the large Aridi away from her. A smile tilted his lips. There was nothing funny about the situation. She wanted to scream at him. She settled for glaring at the large male in animal form whose rudeness was causing her cheeks to heat. “My name is Lisia.” “And how do you come to be with a group of UDA soldiers?” Arik asked. Lisia shook her head at that aggressive tone. Suspicious, territorial males. “I‟ve been having a bit of trouble getting back home. The Lieutenant Commander offered to help me if I helped them. Since I know I can trust him to keep his word, I agreed. Can you get the big, dense brute of a cat to back off?” “As I said, he‟s the Shi’an. He wouldn‟t listen to me. He likes you. How do you know the Lieutenant Commander will keep his word?” Arik just smiled and stood there seemingly content to wait days for an answer. “He‟s worked with my clan. If he gives his word to you, he‟ll keep it. He went against one of his superiors to keep his word to us. He‟s a good man.” She looked over at Arik and fumed at his seeming enjoyment of her predicament. He was probably one
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of the Ferot, a sort of second-in-command although there was usually more than one Ferot. A deep growl rumbled from the huge black cat. She could feel an intense wave of disapproval and possessiveness rolling from the large male. Frowning down at him, she drew in a deep breath. What had set him off? His scent had intensified with the strong emotions. The mixture of musk and a sharp spicy bite pulled at her, but she didn‟t forget her goals. She wanted to go home. She knew she‟d better make her position clear now or risk him getting the wrong idea. “I‟m going home. This trip out to the ass end of nowhere is just a detour. So don‟t get any ideas. As soon as it‟s possible, I‟m leaving.” She tightened her fingers in the thick ruff and glared down at him. When dealing with an alpha, a woman had to make herself clear. Lisia knew that even that bold declaration probably wouldn‟t dissuade him. He was a Shi’an. His word was taken as law. That kind of man didn‟t back away just because he faced opposition. The large cat chuffed just once and pulled back. She felt the amusement rolling from him. Annoyance and relief mixed within her. She was happy he was finally backing off, but she wanted him to take her seriously. She knew he didn‟t. After dealing with her brothers for years, she knew that superior male attitude all too well. He thought he‟d be able to handle her with ease. Arik led the way. The big cat took up position on her right side, between her and the UDA soldiers. They kept their distance from the large feline who looked more than ready to use those flashing white teeth and long claws. She glared down at the cat. Why did the Shi’an have to be taking a run through the forest now? She could have done without the complication of meeting a male obviously looking for a mate. He glanced back at her and his jowls pulled back showing sharp teeth in a feline smirk. Arik led them out of the forest and into the city. The sight of the large round marrohls, multifamily houses, up close sent a thrill of excitement through her. Almost immediately it was followed by a feeling of homesickness. The buildings looked almost exactly like those on Deshra. The roofs of these buildings were brown instead of the deep green of the houses in her clan, but the walls were all standard gray. Only the color, the people and a few of the minor details were different. In that moment, the differences didn‟t matter. Sadness and anger washed over her. She wanted to go home. Arik led them to one of the large buildings. He called to several people and spoke quietly with them. The men and women nodded and went quickly into the marrohl to begin their tasks. “This is where you‟ll be staying. They‟ll show you to the rooms you‟ll be using.” Arik moved to the side of the entryway. Lisia smiled. Relieved at the chance for even a few moments privacy, she moved forward with the group of soldiers. She knew the Shi’an was still somewhere near her. She could feel his amusement, but she didn‟t see him. As for Arik, she could also feel
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his amusement, but not nearly as clearly as she could the Shi’an‟s. They could find her funny if they wanted. She didn‟t care as long as she got into that building. Arik reached out as she neared the doorway and stopped her from entering. “That isn‟t where you‟ll be staying, Lisia, but nice try.” She gritted her teeth and stepped out of the way of those behind her. Even halfexpecting a move like that, it still frustrated her. Macho males taking over as if they had some kind of right. She hated that attitude. “They‟ll be bringing my clothing here.” She crossed her arms over her chest. Her voice sounded clipped and tight even to her own ears. It was a struggle not to just start screaming. Only manners ingrained since she‟d been barely walking kept her from letting her anger rule. “And someone will bring them to you when they get here.” Arik turned and began walking away from the building as soon as the last UDA man had entered. She glared at his back for a moment before looking at the door so very close to her. It was almost too tempting. She could rush into the building and find an empty room in moments. Locking herself in would gain her a little time to think. It was the load of lectures and explaining that would follow that held her back. Firm pressure against her thigh drew her attention away from the tempting prospect of zipping through that door. She looked down at the large black head of the male in Aridi form. Apparently the Shi’an hadn‟t taken her obedience for granted. The man obviously wasn‟t stupid. “You know I don‟t need protection from them. I‟d be perfectly safe among them.” Lisia took a deep breath and tapped her fist against her thigh. This insistence that she not be with the UDA group was frustrating her. The big cat tilted his head and looked pointedly in the direction Arik had gone. She shook her head, but began walking slowly down the street. No sense in giving them a false impression. She didn‟t always follow rules or orders no matter who was giving them. The big Aridi feline didn‟t leave her side. Arik waited for them at an intersecting street. He raised an eyebrow as they approached at little more than a stroll. “We still have a few streets to go before you get to your new home. Dragging your feet isn‟t going to change things.” Arik propped a hand on his hip. He looked so arrogant, so confident that she wanted to knock him on his ass. If she thought she had much chance at succeeding, she might have given it a try. “This isn‟t my home!” Her hands fisted at her sides. She didn‟t belong here and she wasn‟t going to pretend that she was going to accept his dictates. “You‟re going to have to take that one up with Shi’an Jarritt. I‟d say he‟s made up his mind. I don‟t think you‟re going to have much luck changing it.” Arik laughed and turned leading the way down the street.
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He walked along a straight path, but finally turned left onto a side street and stopped in front of a large home. This marrohl was almost on the opposite side of the small city from the one where the UDA soldiers had been housed. The door opened as Arik neared it. He stepped to the side and waited until she entered. She paced into the well-lighted entryway. The large cat took the lead. He padded on almost silent paws to the large central area shared by all the occupants. It all looked so familiar that she again felt a pang of homesickness. There was an eating area with tables and an area off to the side with hot and cold drinks. Chairs and large couches created a cozy relaxing area near one of the larger fireplaces. People relaxed there even now. He didn‟t hesitate as men and women called out greetings, but headed for one of the doorways leading off the central hall. She stopped, not sure where she was supposed to go now. He was heading for his section. She wasn‟t giving him any ideas by just following him into his private territory. The man already had some very possessive intentions. She wasn‟t going to encourage them. The door opened in front of the large dark-furred cat. He looked back and growled. Stalking back to her, he nudged her thigh. His intent was obvious. He wasn‟t going through that door until she did. She sighed and headed for the door. He stayed at her side, his stride stiff, annoyance rolling off him. The door opened again. She went through and this time she followed as he led the way down a hallway and up a staircase to the upper level. He stopped at a door. It opened. He looked at her and then into the room. Okay, that was clear enough. This was to be her room. Judging by the lack of personal touches it looked to be a simple guest room. The bed was covered in a dark gray blanket with silver trim. The pillows looked as if they‟d never been used. A full-length mirror hung on the wall next to a dark brown wooden dresser. The top of the gleaming piece of furniture was empty. Other than a small table next to the bed, there was nothing else. The furnishings were sparse. Relief swept over her. She‟d half-expected him to take her to his rooms. Then she would have argued very loudly until he listened. She was not going to stay in his room. She walked into the room and waited until the door had shut with him on the other side. Flopping onto the bed, she ran her hands over her face wearily. Why had her life suddenly become so complicated? She wasn‟t mystified over how he knew she was Aridi. In animal form their senses were stronger than they were in human form. He could have caught her scent on the slightest breeze. She didn‟t want this type of entanglement although she knew his intentions were very likely honorable. That didn‟t help. She didn‟t want any ties here so far from everyone and everything she knew.
***** Jarritt E‟Sain let the change roll over him as his door closed behind him. Leaving her alone in the other room had been one of the hardest things he‟d ever done. He‟d
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wanted to bring her into his room and show her the truth. Every action, every step back told him that she was resisting the pull. Denying the sexual hunger hadn‟t been as hard as holding back his animal half‟s need to claim her and prove that her denials were useless. He‟d felt the draw of a possible mate before but there‟d always been something missing. With her, he‟d had no doubts. The rush of her emotions hitting him had been so strong and clear that he could almost read her mind. He didn‟t question it. Her looks appealed to him, but were only part of the attraction. The blue and green blanket on the bed large drew his eyes. She‟d look good there. He couldn‟t wait until he could dispense with the formalities and get her into his room where she belonged. He wanted to see her things with his in the closet and bathroom. He‟d like to wake up beside her or even just sit and talk with her in the chairs in the corner. Shaking his head, he focused his thoughts. He needed to wash before he went after some answers to the questions still plaguing him. A smile curved his lips as he thought about her. The image of her face just after he‟d found her burst into his head. Large gold eyes had popped wide open, seeming to dominate her oval face. Her pink lips had dropped into a surprised „O‟. A honey-gold braid had fallen over her shoulder as she‟d grabbed for his ruff to keep him from pressing closer to her. The end of that braid had swung across one full mound, emphasizing the round swell of her breasts against the tight blue material of her shirt. At his first scent of her delicious pussy, he‟d wanted to press her to the ground and fuck her until she couldn‟t think. The memory of the humans with her and the ones in the city had pulled him back from his enjoyment of her curvy form. Caution, not embarrassment, had ruled him. He wouldn‟t put her in a vulnerable position if they were attacked. Stepping out of the spray, he glanced at the deep black tub as he ran a thick cloth over his broad chest. He had definite plans for her and a long, uninterrupted bath. First, he had to get some answers out of the woman. He knew almost nothing about her and he wanted to know everything. He dressed in a brown shirt and black pants. Stomping his feet into black boots, he headed for the door. A smile pulled his lips upward as he thought about her reaction to what he had to say to her. She‟d probably try to stall. She‟d balked every step of the way and hedged her answers to each question. He‟d felt her irritation and distress. She hadn‟t wanted anyone to even know she was Aridi. Stopping in front of her door, he knocked when the door didn‟t automatically open. He could have just opened it, but he wanted to give her a chance to cooperate. He heard footsteps from inside the room. The door slid open and she stood to one side of it. Her hair was still in a braid and she looked at him through narrowed gold eyes. Cautious little cat. “It‟s time to go talk.” He ran his eyes down her body, lingering on the sweet curves. “And why should I go with you?” She cocked a hand on her hip and her chin rose.
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“Because I‟m the Shi’an, Lisia, and I want my questions answered.” He took satisfaction in her rounded eyes and her slight gasp. Her momentary surprise didn‟t last long. Her eyes narrowed and her jaw clenched. Anger rolled off her as well as a strong feeling he could only describe as determination. “I don‟t feel like talking to you right now. I‟m not a member of your clan and I don‟t have to obey your orders. Go away.” She stepped back and the door swished closed. His mouth tightened, but he wasn‟t angry. Her behavior did surprise him. He hadn‟t expected her to be so blunt. Not just yet. She didn‟t even know how serious he was yet. He‟d thought she‟d avoid a full confrontation until after he‟d revealed what he wanted from her. He keyed in the code on the pad at the side of the door. It swished open almost silently. She‟d been walking across the room, but whirled around at the slight sound of the door sliding into the wall. Those golden eyes narrowed even more and her lips thinned. Her hands bunched and landed on her hips. She almost looked ready for a fight. Anger practically crackled around her. “I didn‟t dismiss you, Lisia. I am the Shi’an here and you will respect my authority. If I have to, I‟ll redden your ass to make you see the truth.” He strolled into the room. His cock hardened at the thought of that soft body draped over his knees, that gorgeous round ass bared to his hand. He resolutely took control of his thoughts before they ripped away his control. “I don‟t recognize your authority over me. I don‟t even want to be here.” She folded her arms across her chest. The wild little cat obviously hadn‟t learned enough respect from her Shi’an. He‟d have to correct that mistake. The animal half of him wanted to prove that he had authority over her immediately and in the most fundamental way. He stepped closer to her and stroked his fingers up her inner arm. He had to give her credit. She didn‟t back away from him. There weren‟t many women who had maintained his stare this long. She shivered and swallowed audibly. “Now, we‟re going out into the communal area and we‟re going to talk.” His fingers wrapped around her wrist taking the decision out of her hands.
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Chapter Three As he turned away, Jarritt heard a low growl, but ignored it. She‟d learn her limits just as any other female did. Her lessons would only seem harder to her because they came so late in life. He‟d enjoy teaching her everything she needed to know about life in this Aridi pack. Although her pace was slow, she walked beside him out to the large communal area. She cast him a cautious glance from beneath long golden lashes. He didn‟t try to fool himself that she‟d learned her lesson already. She was just a little wary right now and trying to think of some method to get her way. It was going to take more than a little physical intimidation and threats to get through to her. He led her past the large gathering area near one of the fireplaces to one of the rectangular polished wooden tables. The dark wood gleamed in the overhead lights. He pulled out a chair for her and waited for her to take a seat. It wasn‟t good manners he was demonstrating so much as good sense. He wasn‟t going to take a chance that she‟d make a run for it right after he sat down. Only when she‟d relaxed against the back of the chair did he go around the table and sit opposite her. He was willing to let her make her own mistakes, but he wanted answers right now, not to have to chase her. She sat calmly at the table her fingers laced together, her mouth turned down in a slightly mutinous expression. He liked her spirit and had no intention of breaking it, but she needed to learn to obey his orders. Time to stir that temper a little. He didn‟t want her thinking and plotting when he asked her questions. “Go get us something to drink. I prefer culdri ale.” He leaned back against the cushioned back of the chair and watched the heat rise in her face. He felt the fury rise in her so clearly. He reveled in the connection between them. Her mouth opened, but she closed it with a distinct clack of her teeth. The chair legs scraped loudly as she pushed away from the table. Her palms slapped against the top and then she rose and whirled away from him. Quick clipped strides carried her to the corner where beverages of all types were kept available morning and night. He let his gaze linger on the firm curve of her buttocks in those gray pants. He saw her draw a mug of culdri ale for him and pour a glass of something for herself from one of the carafes. As she set his mug in front of him, he caught the sweet scent of maca wine. She dropped into her seat and glared at him. “Your explanations earlier left a lot unsaid. So we‟ll start with the basics. What‟s your full name?” He asked. “Lisia Fariel.” She cupped her hands around the glass and seemed to be staring into the wine. 18
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“Where do you come from and what‟s your clan‟s name?” He took a drink of his ale and waited. Her lack of eye contact didn‟t worry him. Not at the moment. He had a feeling that giving her name hadn‟t been that important to her. It was the more in-depth questions that would probably cause her to become reluctant to answer or even stubbornly refuse to answer. She might fight to the last. He would get his answers. One way or the other. Her mouth opened and her head lifted. She drew in a slow breath, but didn‟t say anything for a moment. “I‟m of the clan Arragi on Deshra.” The name of her planet and clan didn‟t mean anything to him, but he‟d expected it. She‟d said they were out on the edge of known space. Deshra was probably on the other end of the known universe. Since she didn‟t know the area, she couldn‟t know that the galaxies in this area were filled with Aridi and other shifters. “Now, why didn‟t you introduce yourself as Aridi? At least after Hern had been taken away.” Jarritt leaned forward. Now onto the more interesting questions. “I know you‟re going to find this hard to believe. I only wanted to go home. Getting the UDA soldiers access was only a means to an end.” She sighed, lifted her hand and flipped her braid back over her shoulder. Jarritt chuckled. “You said you needed the Lieutenant Commander‟s help to get home. What‟s keeping you from just boarding a shuttle and going home?” She tensed. “That‟s not your business. I‟m here only because of your Ferot’s whim, but I don‟t have to tell you my life story.” “Do you think the Lieutenant Commander would hesitate to tell me if I asked him about it? I‟m sure he could be induced to tell me anything I wanted to know.” He didn‟t explode out of his seat and demand an answer. He could tell that that was what she expected from him just by the tension in her body. He relaxed back into the seat. “Don‟t you want to tell it your way?” She glared at him. He could practically see her thinking, trying to find a way not to tell him. Tension, anger and worry ruled the emotions he could feel from her. She squirmed in her seat. He knew that he‟d know the answer soon either way, but he wanted her side of the story. Finally, her shoulders slumped and her full lips turned down into a frown. The jut of her lower lip caught his eyes. She looked so sexy. His attention was drawn away from those pink lips and expressive golden eyes by the arrival of his men and the Lieutenant Commander. They came across the room. The Lieutenant Commander carried a small maroon bag. If that held her clothing, she had maybe three changes with her. One of the first things they‟d need to get for her was few more clothes. The Lieutenant Commander smiled at her and she smiled back at him. Jarritt wanted to reach across the table and haul her into his arms. Part of him only wanted her to smile for him, but he knew that was irrational. He didn‟t like the raw edge of jealousy slicing through him. Her firm denial of what was between them only made things worse. She was his and part of him wouldn‟t be satisfied until she admitted it. 19
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“I‟ve brought your bag for you, Lisia.” Lieutenant Commander Carson stopped a few steps away from her. Jarritt eyed him narrowly. Maybe the man wasn‟t entirely stupid. He hadn‟t gotten any closer to her. The Commander‟s hand rose holding the bag out to her. “Thank—” Lisia began as she stood. “You could have given the bag to one of my men. They would have brought it to her. They would have known where to find her.” Jarritt overrode her soft thanks. He wanted the man away from her, at least until he could stake his claim on her. “I also have a message for her from her brother.” Lieutenant Commander Carson straightened, but didn‟t budge after the bag left his hand. She grimaced. “What did he say?” “You want to talk here?” The Lieutenant Commander looked pointedly at Jarritt. Jarritt smiled. “She‟s not going anywhere so give her the message from her brother.” “It‟s all right. You can tell me here. I doubt things could get much more difficult than they already are.” She shrugged and chuckled ruefully. “He said „Tell them soonest.‟ Oh and when you get your mess cleared away to contact him,” the Lieutenant Commander relayed. “Thank you. I expected that, but it‟s not necessary. They already know.” Lisia stepped forward and took the Lieutenant Commander‟s hand briefly before stepping back. Jarritt had had enough. He couldn‟t take any more of her embracing other men. He suspected the Lieutenant Commander felt more for her than friendship and gratitude. He knew that he felt more than that and he‟d just met her. Without a second thought, he surged to his feet. He stalked around the table to where she stood. Stepping up behind her, he curled an arm around her waist. She tried to pull away, but he tightened his arm. She turned her head and frowned up at him. Her fingers gripped his forearm and tugged. When it didn‟t move, she rested her fingers on top of it. “We‟ll be getting in touch with her brother soon. I‟ll want to talk to him.” Jarritt stroked his fingers across her stomach. “I‟ll be over to talk to you soon.” He enjoyed her swift intake of breath. She tensed, remaining totally still. He felt the tiny thrill that went through her. He wanted to see how she‟d respond to a more intimate touch and watch her eyes glow with arousal. The Lieutenant Commander didn‟t look as if he was going to take the dismissal for a moment but he nodded. “If you need anything Lisia…” “She won‟t and if she does, I‟ll help her.” Jarritt felt the growl rumbling in his voice. “I‟ll talk to you later, Lisia.” The Lieutenant Commander nodded and turned and left.
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Only when the Lieutenant Commander was out of the marrohl did Jarritt loosen his hold and step away from her. Just as the door closed, it opened again and one of his Ferot, Arik came into the communal room. Jarritt gestured for Arik to come join them. “Go get Arik a mug of ale and then take a seat again. We still have things to talk about.” Jarritt walked around the table and sat. Lisia turned and shot a narrow-eyed glare at him. Jarritt smiled. Oh, yes, the passion burned high in her. He looked forward to feeling something other than anger pouring from her. She exhaled loudly and went over to the refreshment table. Grabbing a mug, she drew a glass of ale and returned to the table. She put the mug in front of Arik where he sat beside Jarritt. Walking back around the table, she sank onto her seat. He saw the light of mutiny in her eyes. Her lips were compressed into a straight line as she put her hands palms down on the dark wood and just stared at him. “Now, what‟s keeping you from returning home?” Jarritt asked. She opened her mouth but closed it before she said anything. For a moment he wondered if she was going to try playing stubborn about it. He was determined to get his answers. He needed to know exactly what type of situation she‟d gotten herself into that had resulted in her coming here. “I had a little trouble with a man who had some powerful friends. He‟d pretty much blocked all the avenues back to my home planet. So I found Lieutenant Commander Carson and asked for help.” She shrugged and looked to the side as if she wasn‟t worried about the problem. “What was the trouble?” Jarritt leaned forward and steepled his fingers. She continued to hedge and delay. He‟d been very obvious in his actions. She had to know that this wasn‟t negotiable. It wasn‟t just idle interest on his part. He‟d found his mate and he wasn‟t going to let her deny it. “You do realize it‟s not your business what trouble I had.” She crossed her arms and looked straight at him. “I have no connection to this clan. I‟m here only because there wasn‟t any other choice.” Arik laughed. “Everything about this is my business. Now tell me why you had the trouble.” Jarritt smiled. He knew he‟d get his answer. Her body language told him everything he needed to know. She was leaning a bit away from him and spent some time studying the contents of her cup. “The man wanted me…for a pet.” She gritted from between her teeth. Jarritt felt his mouth drop open as the surprise hit him. He was stunned. Of all the answers he‟d expected, he‟d never thought of anything remotely like that. And what exactly did she mean by that? Aridi were recognized as sentient beings with all of the rights and privileges of any other sentient being.
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“What do you mean by he wanted you for a pet? You weren‟t running around on some strange planet in animal form were you?” He sat forward, his forearms braced on the table. “No, I wasn‟t running around in animal form. I was much as I am now. I only intended to be on that space station for a couple of days and then go home.” She shook her head. Even if he hadn‟t felt the frustration, her sarcastic tone and rolled eyes more than illustrated her impatience. “That didn‟t quite work out.” “Tell me why he wanted you as a pet. Why he even thought he could have you as a pet.” Jarritt knew she was probably trying to avoid that aspect of the question deliberately, but he wanted answers. “No need to growl. He thought I‟d make a good pet. A leashed little cat shifter he could show off to his friends. He thought he could have me because almost all the wealthy men and women on his planet have some sort of exotic humanoid pet,” she snarled. He saw her nails change to claws, an indication of her feelings on the matter. Just hearing about it made him angry. “So when you said no, he blocked your way home?” Jarritt asked. She nodded. “He managed to block every avenue he thought I‟d take. He never really asked me if I wanted to be a pet. The only reason I know he wanted me is because some of his men cornered me and talked while they tried to put the collar on me.” “How did you get off the station? Was that when you contacted the Lieutenant Commander?” He leaned forward. He wouldn‟t have believed it even moments ago, but he actually felt grateful to the soldier. “I got on a passenger shuttle taking me farther from home and tried to work my way around that little galaxy, but every station I tried I was a marked woman. I couldn‟t get on any shuttle that would get me home. I was running low on funds. That‟s when I contacted Lieutenant Commander Carson.” Lisia sighed and ran her finger over the thick braid of her hair. “Your brother knows about it? And what about the government that oversees the space stations? They tolerate enslavement?” Jarritt frowned. As far as he knew the UDA frowned on slavery. They had just recently joined the group. According to the regulations and constitution he‟d been given, the Universe Defense Alliance, the UDA, opposed it. “The stations weren‟t under UDA rule. There are entire galaxies in that area which aren‟t part of it. I had a problem because any direction I tried to go, the shuttle stopped on one of the stations that recognized slavery. He‟d sent out a notice that I was an escaped slave.” She looked up and met his eyes. Licking her lips, she straightened. He saw and felt exactly what she had when she‟d realized that she couldn‟t get home. Trapped, alone, scared. He wanted to go find that man and rip him apart. Her eyes held such sadness. He stood and rounded the table in a few strides. Picking her up, he took her seat and arranged her in his arms. She stiffened immediately, drawing in a 22
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sharp gasp, but as soon as he sat, she seemed to relax a little. Not as much as he wanted. He‟d have been more than happy if she‟d curled up and nestled her head against his chest. That was a sign he knew he‟d have to wait to see. “What were you doing there then?” Jarritt frowned. The only drawback to this position was that he couldn‟t see her face. “Dropping off a load of cargo. We‟d done it before with no problems. As to your question about my brother, he knows. I have no doubt he‟ll even the score in some way.” Her hands pressed against his chest, but she wasn‟t trying to move away from him. “So the Lieutenant Commander was going to help you get past those blocks,” he surmised. He let his palm skim up and down her back for a moment. She nodded. “He said he‟d arrange transport on a UDA ship. They don‟t stop for loading or unloading on those planets. So I wouldn‟t have to deal with those planetary governments or their regulations.” “You‟d still be marked as a slave. You wouldn‟t have been able to go anywhere near those planets.” He tightened his arms around her. He didn‟t like the thought of her in danger of any kind, much less hunted. “Eventually, he‟d lose interest and the bounty would be dropped. It has happened before.” She looked up at him with a confident smile. It had happened before. That outraged him. “You won‟t be going near that area again. How can you sound so calm about becoming a virtual prisoner on your planet?” “I told you they don‟t persist long in the search. It would have been only a year. We can‟t change the government of those planets.” Lisia put her hand on his arm, her fingers gently tracing a circling pattern. “Your people could stop trading with them.” “We do stop when it‟s proven they take slaves. Not all the planets in that region do. Yes the government of that region supports slavery, but not all the planets do. For the most part, those we meet on the stations delivering cargo don‟t have them.” She looked up at him and grimaced. “I can only be glad that your journey brought you here. I might never have met you if you hadn‟t had to help the Lieutenant Commander.” Jarritt pulled her body a little closer to his. She grimaced. “When I saw the man running your little test, I didn‟t think that I‟d have much of a problem.” “He wasn‟t supposed to be testing or requiring the UDA soldiers to beat a certain time. When there wasn‟t any help after two visits, I became curious about what the man was doing. So we left the planet on the trade run as he expected, but came back to watch what he was doing.” Jarritt smiled. “If there was never supposed to be a time or a test, then there was no reason he should have made me stay after I completed the course.” She shot a glare across at Arik.
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“As you were running through the obstacles, I saw a few moves that looked very familiar. So I decided to keep you around for a little while.” Arik smiled smugly. “Aren‟t you glad?” “Not quite.” She shot a frown at him. Jarritt laughed. She really didn‟t appreciate having her plans changed by others. He was tempted to disrupt her plans just to see that look. He looked at Arik and his Ferot nodded and left. Jarritt curved his arm around her waist, tugging at her shoulders. He wanted to haul her back to his bedroom, but he still had a few questions. There wouldn‟t be time to fully enjoy her. The meal would be ready soon. He could smell the delicious scent of roasting arak and sweet michcon leaves. He wasn‟t going to rush through their first time together. He wanted the questions answered before they ate. “Are you going to try to tell me that you feel no attraction to me?” he asked. She shifted a little in his arms to look up at him. She seemed a little surprised that he‟d asked. That question was just one of many. He wanted to know everything about her. Most of it he was willing to wait to learn. He needed to know that answer. It wasn‟t anything in her body language. That very clearly told of her desire for him. Her attitude rejected any claim he made. It was her mind, he‟d have to get past if he wanted to claim her. She wriggled in his arms. He felt her caution, discomfort, as well as little bit of fear. She took a deep breath and finally settled. She must have realized he wasn‟t going to release her. “You know that I want you. Hell, you probably smelled it even before you felt it from me.” She looked down at her hands where they rested on his forearm. “If you don‟t find me unattractive, it must be the thought of mating itself. Why don‟t you want to mate, marry?” Jarritt asked. “How about we do this question and answer session from different chairs?” She glanced up at him through long gold-tipped lashes. “No, we‟re doing this my way. Now give me my answer.” He slipped his hand beneath the fabric of her shirt and skimmed up her back. He loved the smooth feel of her skin and the warmth that seemed to radiate from her. “There‟s really nothing in marriage for me. It would only limit my life. As an unmated woman, I have the freedom to go to other planets and so many places. I‟d never have been able to do that if I had a mate.” She looked up at him. He could feel her sincerity. “You could go places if you were mated. Marriage doesn‟t mean a woman‟s restricted to a planet.” He frowned. Her clan couldn‟t be that different. There had to be some nuance in her reasons that he didn‟t understand. This was an answer he‟d never expected. He‟d expected maybe something about being so far from everyone she knew. Even something about wanting a male she knew.
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“Only with my husband and his presence would limit some of the locations.” She grinned and a rosy blush swept up her golden cheeks. He scowled as he realized she was talking about brothels and clubs that catered to women. Just thinking about her going into one of those places sent a wave of determination through him. She‟d never get near one of those places again. She wouldn‟t need any other man to take care of her needs when she wed him. Jealousy roiled inside him. He wanted to erase the memory of every other man from her mind. “You won‟t need the services of some stud. I‟ll make sure you‟re satisfied and content,” he growled. He wouldn‟t share her. She was his. Irritation flashed through her. He smiled as he felt the snap of her emotions. The sharp feelings sizzled through her and stiffened her spine. She planted her hands on his chest and leaned back glaring at him. “I don‟t intend to marry you or anyone else while I‟m here. If I wanted a mate, there were plenty of men in the Arragi clan who would have been happier for a closer tie to the Shi’ans.” She tried to scoot her way off his lap. “Why would I want to be so far from my home and everyone I know when I will eventually find a suitable match there?” He kept his hold on her and waited until she finally calmed. She didn‟t relax and kept her hands on his chest, but she did stop trying to slip off his lap. At least, she wasn‟t actively trying to move away from him. He made a note to ask her relationship to the Shi’ans and why she thought men would want to marry her to gain a better relationship with them. The mention of multiple Shi’ans didn‟t surprise him. There were a few groups in this area with multiple Shi’ans. If he‟d been able to find a man where the connection was there, he would have had no problem with sharing the rule. “Ah, your intentions will change I‟m sure. I can be very persuasive and I have so much to show you. And suitable just isn‟t good enough. Extraordinary is what everyone should want to find.” He stroked his thumb over the base of her spine. She shivered. Her body was so responsive. He looked forward to kissing her and learning what excited her. Holding her and not exploring her deliciously curved body was pure torture. He wanted to see and touch every curve and every plane. “Why don‟t you just let me go? Or are you going to hold me here against my will as the man on that space station wanted to do?” she asked, her chin rising in open challenge. “You won‟t be leaving the planet, but you‟re not a prisoner. You can go anywhere you want here. And you know I won‟t force myself on you. When we have sex, it will be because you want it. Even more than you already do.”
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Chapter Four Lisia had the distinct urge to run screaming from the building. The man would have to stand up and shout, “I claim this woman for my mate” to do it any more blatantly than he already was. Every single person at that meal received the message just as easily from his behavior. He‟d held her on his lap until the women had begun bringing the food from the kitchen. Only then did he stand and slowly lower her to her feet. On top of that, he‟d insisted that she sit next to him at the table. That position was reserved for his chosen Lady. Some men might play games like that. He most likely wasn‟t one of them. From the expressions on the faces of his people, she knew he‟d never let another woman take that position before tonight. Just from his attitude and his bearing, she knew he wasn‟t the type of man to change his mind. This wasn‟t a game to him. He‟d really chosen her as a mate after meeting her once. She grimaced and admitted the truth. He‟d chosen her after just smelling her. She wanted more than biology and a strong mental connection. She didn‟t know him. As she finished the last of the succulent meat on her plate, she glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. His long, black hair hung well below his shoulders. She wondered if he knew just how much of a temptation that thick mass posed. She wanted to smooth her hands through it to see if it felt as soft as the hair of his ruff had when he‟d been in animal form. She had to figure out what she was going to do. As much as it appealed, running into the forest wasn‟t really an option. If she got into the forest, she knew she wouldn‟t be able to resist shifting. Her more basic instincts would be sharper in animal form. One whiff of his scent and she‟d probably jump him. She couldn‟t run, but staying offered just as much danger if not more. She didn‟t want to accept a claim of any kind. The only problem was that he wasn‟t going to walk away. Jarritt stood and held out his hand. Lisia looked at her empty plate and then at his hand. She slid her fingers over his palm. He drew her to her feet and away from the table. “You can meet the others tomorrow.” He urged her through the door into the privacy of his section of the marrohl. Fuck. Lisia cursed silently as the door slid into place behind them. He turned back and pushed a small button on a keypad near the door. She heard a light chunk from the wall and realized that he‟d locked the door behind them. She knew he wouldn‟t force her to have sex. He wouldn‟t hurt her. She could feel his protectiveness almost as strongly as she could feel his desire. 26
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No, her problems rested on the fact that she did want him. The urge to get close to him had been building in her even when he‟d still been in cat form. The possessiveness in the feelings she‟d sensed held her back. She knew better than to play around with a possessive Aridi. He didn‟t want a single night. He wanted the rest of her life. The question was, would she be able to keep it to a few kisses and touches when she wanted so much more. He stopped at the door to her room and turned to face her. His body brushed against hers as he stepped forward. She edged back, not ready to make any kind of decision about him yet. Just because he had the potential to be a mate with her didn‟t mean she had to take the first man who stirred her interest. If she‟d been that desperate, she‟d have already been mated and had children. He leaned closer and his lips brushed over hers. Even in that soft caress, she felt the demanding claim he wanted to stake. Her back pressed against the wall. Frustration and anger mixed with her desire. She had to clench her hands to keep from running them up his chest. The fact that she‟d been reduced to retreating only fueled her emotions. She wasn‟t some trembling little virgin. She had to stop backing away him. It would give him the impression that she was afraid of him. She wasn‟t afraid, but caution demanded she find a way to resist him somehow. Without anywhere else to go and nothing snappy coming to mind, she tried edging to the side. His hips pressed against hers pinning her against the wall. She felt the hard ridge of his cock nudge against her stomach. His scent teased her and lured her. Part of her wanted to do nothing more than snuggle against him and savor his delectable smell. Her hands flexed. She ached to touch him, to discover if his chest was hairy and if his skin was that light brown color all over, or if it was a tan. She groaned. By Asaen’s gold cloak, she was making herself crazy. Each thought only heightened her arousal and made it harder to resist. She needed to find a way to distract him and herself from thoughts of sex at least until she could manage to slip into her own room and leave him outside. “Um…what kind of trouble have you had with space pirates here? She licked her lips. At that moment, it was the only question she could think of that didn‟t revolve around his body and how it looked without clothing. “They take our trade goods and shipments. They do it to almost everyone in this area.” He smiled and his right hand traced over her hip and up, slipping beneath her shirt. “Do you think I‟m going to let you distract me with questions?” “Maybe for a little while.” She looked up at him, noticing the shadow on his hard jaw and the way his brown eyes sparkled with gold. “Not when I have you in my arms.” He chuckled and his thigh slipped between hers. She heard the beginnings of a purr in his words. She could feel the vibrations everywhere they touched. Her already-hard nipples tightened even more. His chest rubbed from side to side against the hard nubs. The feel of his muscles moving against
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those sensitized tips broke the last of her control. She had to touch him. She ran her hands up his sides. He leaned down, brushing his lips along the line of her throat. “Invite me into your room.” His teeth scraped along the side of her neck. She shivered. This was getting so out of control, but she didn‟t want to stop it yet. She arched her neck giving him more access to the sensitive skin. He obliged, nipping and sucking at the skin just where her shoulder met with her neck. His hand slipped up her ribs, cupping one full globe in his large palm. She tried not to press her breast into that big warm palm, but she ached to do it. Her nipples had tightened into stinging hard nubs. “Take me into your room,” he whispered, lifting his head from her neck. She looked into his eyes and leaned toward him. Her lips brushed his. He sucked her lower lip between his, but didn‟t deepen the kiss. She frowned at him, frustration mounting. “Do you want me to kiss you?” he asked with a smile. His finger brushed across the tight tip of her hardened nipple. “Yes.” Lisia slipped an arm around his shoulders lifting into him. Why was he teasing her? She knew he wanted her. “Then let‟s go into your room and get more comfortable.” He dropped kisses along her cheeks as if he was in no hurry at all. She nodded, eager to feel more of his touch. He smiled widely, showing a lot of teeth, and opened the door. A small flicker of worry fluttered through her mind, but she pushed it back. This felt too good. His fingers tangled with hers as he led the way into the room. His arms swept around her drawing her close as soon as the door closed behind them. His hips teasingly brushed against hers. The thick ridge of his cock pressed against the soft mound of her stomach as he walked over to the bed, urging her step by slow step backward. Releasing her for a moment, he sat on the dark gray blanket. He reached out and tugged her off balance. She landed in his lap. His hands clasped around her hips and he arranged her legs across his thighs. His lips opened over hers and his tongue swept across her lips and into her mouth. She hooked her arm around his shoulders and leaned into him. At first, she didn‟t notice his fingers slipping under her blue shirt. But when his fingers brushed against the underside of her breast her eyes snapped open. Her nipples tightened into hard stinging points. She made no move to stop him and arched, pressing the full globe into his palm. He chuckled, the sound rolling across her lips. He drew back and raised his brows as he pushed up her shirt. It bunched just over her breasts. She took over and pulled off the clinging fabric. She let it fall to the floor. She saw his brown eyes lock on her dusky brown nipples. His tongue slicked over his lips. A thrill shot through her just at seeing that intent look and the thought of his lips on her breasts. 28
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“Lean back against my arm. I want to taste these,” he urged. His fingers brushed over one taut peak in a fleeting caress. She leaned back. His lips traced over her collarbone. Her tongue swept across her lips. His supporting arm remained steady behind her. Warm, moist breath fanned across the slope of her right breast a moment. She opened her eyes, watching, anticipating the feel of those firm lips on the tight bud of her nipple. His mouth hovered over the peak and she drew in a sharp breath as her hunger built. His tongue circled the hard bud. She shivered and moaned at the tingling sensation that swept over her. By Asaen, she wanted to feel him sucking at her breast not licking at her, teasing her. One of her hands fisted in his long black hair trying to bring him closer to her. He chuckled and the vibration rolled over her skin. His other hand squeezed and flicked the aching nipple of her neglected breast. “I need your mouth on me. Take my breast into your mouth.” She drew in a shuddering breath. Even to her own ears, her voice sounded strained, thready. “Whatever you need.” His eyes met hers just before his mouth lowered to her breast. His tongue curled around the distended nipple. She felt his mouth firm. The pulling suction shot through her and she felt an echoing pull in her pussy. Hunger roared inside her and her clit ached. She wriggled, impatiently. Squeezing her thighs together, she groaned. She needed the feel of something inside her clenching channel. His fingers gave a last tormenting pull on her nipple before his hand slid down her stomach. She felt a slight tug on the band of her pants, but his hand didn‟t slip under it. It glided over the fabric to the top of her mound. A single fingertip skimmed over the cloth shielding her pussy. At the first touch, her thighs widened in invitation. She wanted to feel his hands on her. He traced a burning path along the top of her mound. Her eyes closed as his finger traveled lower. That touch was so light, teasing, she felt almost no pressure at all. It sent a shot of pure, sizzling heat through her. Her body trembled, poised on the edge. Her hips rocked against his finger. His mouth left her breast, trailing a path of kisses up her chest and neck. “I‟d like to lick you all over, to taste that sweet arousal that fills my senses. You‟re burning for me.” “Please…” She breathed the word against his lips as she reached for his hand. “What do you need, my liana?” Jarritt asked between swift kisses. “Touch me.” Her thighs widened even more. “I am touching you. Where do you need my touch?” He nipped at her lip and then soothed the small sting with gentle strokes of his tongue. She groaned, a shudder rippling through her body as his hand squeezed her breast. All she could think of was the exquisite sensation and the pounding need pulsing inside her. She grabbed his hand trying to push his fingers to where she needed them most. His hand didn‟t even budge.
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“I can‟t give you what you need unless I know what you want,” he told her in a voice just a little above a whisper. “My pussy. Please touch my pussy.” Her fingers tightened on his arm, her nails digging in just a little. She wasn‟t above begging and she‟d be screaming for it if he kept playing his games. His hand lifted and went to the waistband of her pants. She released his arm, letting him work on the fastening. She wriggled in his lap and the bunched fabric slid over her hips. A low growl burst from his lips at the movements. His hand hovered over her thigh for a moment. Her breath caught in her throat. Finally, his fingers touched her skin, trailing over the slick hairless lips in a fleeting mimic of his earlier torture. His fingertips stroked between the plump lips circling the hard nub of her clit. She pressed kisses along his cheek, his neck, anywhere she could touch. She needed the contact. Two long fingers stroked into her quim. She screamed as a blinding wave of pleasure hit. Her body shook as he continued to stroke into her. She held on to him, feeling as if she was being pulled apart by the sheer force of the sensation. Gradually, her breathing returned to normal and the last rippling pulse faded. Her eyes rose to meet his and she blinked as she saw the wide smug smile on his face. Why was he so happy? He hadn‟t come. She could still feel the hard ridge of his cock pressing against her hip. “That was beautiful, my arra.” A distinct purr rumbled in his voice. His hand pressed against her pussy driving his fingers deeper into the slick clasp. Her mouth fell open and she shook her head in horrified denial. Arra, the word echoed through her head. He couldn‟t have called her his mate-to-be. She knew that he had said it, but it made no sense. Her eyes locked with his brown eyes. “Oh yes, my arra,” he affirmed. His fingers withdrew and slowly pushed back into her. Lisia felt her inner muscles clench around his fingers and desire ripple through her. She kept her eyes on his satisfied smirk and concentrated on his words and figuring out why the man thought he could get away with claiming her as his mate-to-be. “I am not your arra and I haven‟t agreed to anything with you.” She clenched her fists. The sting of her nails biting into her palms helped her focus beyond the slow stroking of his fingers. Sharp descended canines flashed in Jarritt‟s wide smile. “Did your people move away from the old ways?” She didn‟t trust his all-too-helpful tone. She grabbed his wrist and pulled it away from her pussy. There was only so much temptation she could resist. If his fingers stayed between her legs, she knew she‟d be wild again long before she managed to get an explanation from him. He lifted his hand sucked the slick juices from his fingers. His tongue swirled across his palm and fingers gathering any bit that had been missed. She swallowed loudly. The
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sight of that tongue moving over his finger brought to mind images of him licking her pussy, lapping at the cream or feasting on her breasts. “I don‟t know what old ways you‟re talking about. Just remember I haven‟t agreed to anything.” She folded her arms across her chest and immediately dropped them as the contact caused a riot of stinging prickles to radiate from the sensitive nipples. “I‟m fairly sure you‟d know the laws if your people hadn‟t moved away from them. You‟d know what you just agreed to,” Jarritt informed her. She wanted to smack that smile off his face. He sounded so amused by the fact that she didn‟t know some ancient custom. From what he‟d said, it tied them together. She‟d have to find out just how binding it was and what her options were. There had to be some way of breaking that ridiculous tie. She didn‟t know if she‟d even be able to ask about it yet without screaming at him, but waiting wasn‟t a good idea. She took a deep breath and groaned when the heady scent of his arousal filled her senses. If it had only been the scent she could have probably ignored it without much effort, but she could feel his cock pressing against her as well as his emotions thrumming through her mind. That reignited her desire. She knew that before it totally burned out of control, she had to get out of his arms. The only way that would happen was if she asked the questions he obviously wanted her to ask. “What are these laws that you think give you some right over me?” She leaned as far away from him as possible, but it didn‟t put much more space between them. His hand gripped the curve of her hip with easy strength. “Oh, it gives me more than a right over you. It‟s an unspoken promise that you‟ll marry me. And every step was done according to the letter of the law.” Satisfaction rang in his voice. “And you think you‟re going to hold me to some promise I didn‟t even know I was making?” she asked through gritted teeth. “I think your honor will ensure that you keep your promises.” His hand glided possessively over her hip. “It might if I‟d made any promises. All I did was let you touch me. And since you‟re making such a scene about it, you can bet I already regret it.” She frowned and grabbed his hand before he could repeat the action. “You did more than that. You just promised to marry me.” He tugged her close and dropped a kiss on her forehead. She was so shocked by what he‟d just said that she barely registered the kiss on the head. Married… She shook her head. It was impossible. How could she have promised to marry him without even saying the words? He sounded so certain and acted as if he knew something she didn‟t. That attitude was already grating on her nerves. “How did I promise to marry you without even once saying a word about marriage? I wasn‟t even thinking of anything remotely permanent,” she said. She felt like pacing, but she couldn‟t get free of his hold.
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“It‟s one of the ancient laws and still very much binding here. You invited me into your room.” His hot breath fanned across her neck as he pressed kisses up the slim column. She blinked. “You wouldn‟t do anything more than kiss me until I did. I don‟t believe that simply inviting you into my room constitutes a promise to marry in anyone‟s eyes.” “Not on its own. There‟s more that had to be done to satisfy the law.” His teeth closed around her earlobe nipping once before he sucked on the tender flesh. “What else did I do?” she asked, but she had more than a suspicion. He‟d planned everything. The bastard had driven her beyond thought deliberately. She remembered now his insistence when she‟d been burning for his touch. She hadn‟t thought it was anything more than him making sure she wanted everything he did to her. “You asked for my touch on your breast and then on your pussy. So by the ancient law which is still binding, you promised to marry me,” he whispered the last words into her ear. She planted her hands on his shoulders and pushed back. She didn‟t know if it was surprise or if he simply let her put some space between them. Narrowing her eyes, she glared at him. Anger pulsed through her and she felt trapped, caged. The emotions made her want to fight, to hit out at the man responsible. “I didn‟t even know about that stupid ancient law before today so there‟s no way I could have realized what I was doing by letting you touch me. And I don‟t live here. I‟m just visiting so it doesn‟t apply to me.” Lisia tossed her head, sending her braid flying over her shoulder. “You had to obey the laws on the planets you visited, didn‟t you? You weren‟t allowed to just go do anything you wanted were you?” Jarritt asked with a knowing grin. She knew exactly what point he was trying to make. “It‟s not the same. I knew about the laws on those planets. I could avoid problems for the most part.” “Your knowledge or lack of it has no bearing on the fact that you are bound by the law just as every other woman is.” His hand smoothed up her side cupping over her ribs. “You knew I had no idea about it though and you just kept pushing.” She tried to twist her lower body and slide off his lap before he could catch her. He hauled her closer. “I knew when you invited me in so easily that you didn‟t know about the law. Did you think I‟d let you keep a distance between us when we both know we belong together.” “It‟s possible mates. The connection doesn‟t mean that you‟re the only man who could be my mate or that I‟m the only woman for you. It only means the potential is
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there. You know that. I‟m probably the first one not to try to rush you into a mating the moment the compatibility was discovered.” She rolled her eyes. He hadn‟t even tried to see her point of view before he decided to seal their union. Infuriated, she wondered if she could manage to punch him. Not that she had much hope of actually hurting him, but hitting him might just satisfy some of her anger. “I‟d have been pushing for more from you even if you‟d decided to cooperate. There is something more to our match than I‟ve felt for any other woman,” he told her with quiet confidence and a leisurely perusal of her body. She planted a hand on his shoulder. Most of the anger she felt was directed only at herself. She should have expected his scheming and trickery. He was an alpha and it was in their nature to at least try to get their way. She wouldn‟t forget it again. “Don‟t think I‟m just going to let you push me into this marriage. If the ancients had a way for a woman to promise to marry someone, then they probably had a way to undo it just as easily. I‟ll find it,” she promised. “You‟ll try. As my promised mate, you won‟t be leaving the planet without my permission. Now, we can get back to what we were doing.” He cuddled her close. “Not a chance, you sneaky, conniving…” She took a deep breath and held her tongue before she landed herself in a situation she wasn‟t ready to handle. He smiled and stood, still holding her against him. Her hands clutched at his shoulders as he held her weight easily. Her toes bumped against his shins, well above the floor. His lips moved over hers, slowly lingeringly before he moved back and lowered her to her feet. “Sleep well. One night soon, you‟ll be in my arms and in my bed.” He dropped a kiss on her forehead, turned and walked to the door. Lisia relaxed as the door slid shut behind him.
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Chapter Five Lisia looked skyward as she heard the quiet purr of an engine whirring overhead. It was the second one that she‟d heard coming in for a landing in a short amount of time. With the thick, leafy branches of the trees over her head, she hadn‟t seen much more than the gray bottom of a large ship. She‟d left the marrohl very early this morning. A wry smile twisted her lips. She‟d practically set a new record showering and throwing on a bright yellow shirt, sturdy pants and boots suited for walking. She hadn‟t wanted to chance spending the day with Jarritt. She needed the time alone to think about how to proceed, to figure out how to deal with Jarritt and his possessive attitude. Of course, the obvious step was to learn about that law and if it really existed. She didn‟t have much hope that he‟d lied about that. He wouldn‟t take the chance of using a lie when he knew she could easily discover it. He wouldn‟t just let her go about her research and sleep alone in her bed at night. He‟d press his claim. She had no doubt about the sincerity of his intentions to bond with her. This wasn‟t a game to him. She‟d felt it in his emotions when he‟d told her she was his chosen Lady. That was one thing she couldn‟t change. He controlled his needs and desires. She‟d just have to find a way around them. Walking back through the lush forest, she kept her pace slow, in no hurry to return to the marrohl. She‟d come to no real conclusions on her long walk. There were a few options. She could try avoiding him, but she was almost certain it wouldn‟t work for long. Ignoring his claim would only push him into making her acknowledge it. Finding someone else certainly wasn‟t an option. The other men wouldn‟t express an interest in her. They wouldn‟t even look at her in that way. Every Aridi male in this pack probably already knew of his claim. On the other hand, “considering” his claim just might buy her some time. It wouldn‟t be easy to convince him that she was seriously thinking about marrying him and it did hold some risks. She‟d be playing a dangerous game. There wouldn‟t be any way to keep him at a distance. He‟d need some kind of proof that she was serious. It was the one option that she thought actually had a chance of success with him. The only problem was she had no idea how she was going to get off the planet before he actually scheduled a marriage. He wouldn‟t be cooperating and letting her board a shuttle. She strolled into the holding well after the noon meal. She didn‟t like how limited her choices were, but she had to work with what she‟d been given. One of the first things she noticed when she walked onto the streets was all the activity. People moved down the road between the marrohls at a quick pace. From the various scents she caught she knew that some of these people weren‟t Aridi. She 34
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stepped to the side as a man came toward her carrying a crate. She had to admit that she was curious about what had caused all the traffic. And why those ships had been here. “There you are. The Shi’an has been looking everywhere for you. Where have you been?” A young woman with red-brown hair hanging to below her waist came toward Lisia at a fast clip. Lisia raised a brow at the woman‟s exasperated tone. The woman was wearing a flowing green shirt and loose green pants. Those things definitely weren‟t made for the forest. Lisia knew the woman hadn‟t bothered to check there, just by the pristine state of her clothes. She‟d seen the other woman last night in the Shi’an‟s marrohl but they hadn‟t been introduced. The Shi’an had been more interested in establishing his position in Lisia‟s life than letting her meet the other people around them. “Well, where were you?” The woman put a hand on her hip and her tone sharpened. Lisia‟s eyes narrowed but that was the only outward sign of her annoyance. Whoever this woman was, she had a lot to learn. The first being that Lisia did not intend to answer to anyone here and certainly not some upstart female. Although she didn‟t plan to be here for long, she wouldn‟t take such presumption from any woman. Lisia continued on her way with no more than a final glance at the thin, rather short woman. The woman gasped. “No, she didn‟t just walk away from me.” Lisia smiled with satisfaction. She might not make a lot of friends here, but they‟d know that she wasn‟t some minor female to be ordered around by the end of the day. Without doubt, she knew what was going to happen would do that and more. The woman‟s quick anger would lead her to do something even more foolish than trying to tell Lisia what to do. Lisia heard the woman‟s boots hitting the ground as she chased after her. Lisia could have spun around and met her opponent before she got close to her. She chose not to do it. She wanted to make a very definite impression on this woman. If it stopped even one more incident like this, the whole scene would be worth it. The woman‟s hand landed on Lisia‟s shoulder. Lisia spun quickly. Her hand streaked forward taking the woman by surprise. The woman had barely drawn in the first of a stunned gasp before Lisia‟s hand tightened on her throat. Lisia let the woman feel the sharp tips of her claws. A strong scent of fear rolled off her opponent. Her grip didn‟t loosen even a bit. “Don‟t move. You might just offer me more temptation than I can resist. I already want to rip your throat out.” Lisia couldn‟t suppress the low growl in her voice. The woman gulped and drew in a shallow breath. “If you try to give me orders again, I‟ll take you down and pin you as you deserve. You obviously still have a lot to learn if you can‟t tell when you‟re out of your depth. I‟ll
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be more than willing to give you a few lessons, but you‟ll come out of it with scars.” Lisia leaned close baring her teeth. “I-I don‟t need them.” The woman‟s eyes lowered. “Good.” Lisia turned and began walking away from the woman. “But the Shi’an wants to see you as soon as you‟re found.” “Well, it‟s just a little too bad that I don‟t want to see him right now,” Lisia said with relish. She glanced back just to see the woman‟s shocked expression. She continued to the Shi’an‟s marrohl. Lisia had almost reached the huge building when she again heard rushed footsteps behind her. These were heavier than the woman‟s had been. She stopped and looked back. She saw Arik moving quickly down the street. She couldn‟t miss him in the camouflage pattern shirt and black pants. At first she wondered if she should move out of his way. Then she noticed how his eyes were fixed on her specifically. The woman must have run to him when she‟d failed to gain Lisia‟s cooperation. Grimacing, she waited for him. As much as she‟d like to be able to take care of him like she had the woman, she knew it was impossible. She could do tough bitch. Fighting a warrior was just a little beyond her capabilities. She couldn‟t take him down without a stunner. She was tempted to go find one and use it just for the extra time she‟d gain, but it really wasn‟t worth the trouble it would cause. “The Shi’an wants to see you. You‟ll come with me.” Arik shot a warning glance her way. “Are you going to try to threaten me, too?” “That wasn‟t a threat. If the little idiot tries to order me around again, she‟ll discover it was a promise.” She idly looked around the area. The woman couldn‟t be too far away if she‟d found Arik this soon. Arik shook his head although she caught a glimpse of a smile on his face. “The women haven‟t had a female alpha in years. It‟s little wonder that they‟re having some trouble knowing what to do with you.” She gritted her teeth and shook her head. “I am not their alpha female.” “Not officially, but you just took a huge step in that direction. You made them see you as the strongest female here. Since the Shi’an has chosen you, it‟s only a matter of time until you take up that position.” He glanced over to where two of the women were talking near the entrance to one of the marrohls. Lisia watched the two women for a moment, noting their quick glances her way. He was right. Word of what she‟d done was already making the rounds. The fact that there hadn‟t been a strong female leader here for a time did explain the woman‟s actions. It didn‟t change Lisia‟s plans. She didn‟t intend to take the position of alpha female. There had to be a way out of this engagement and some way to get off the planet without his permission. She didn‟t belong here. “Since he apparently has to see me, can we get going? I‟ve been walking since I left this morning and I‟m hungry,” she said on a long sigh. Arik wasn‟t going to budge without her. 36
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He nodded and gestured for her to walk at his side. Suspicious man. He wasn‟t even going to trust her to follow him. She might have been tempted to make a run for the shelter of the forest. She wouldn‟t have done it though. It would be a waste of energy. Even if she succeeded, it would be a temporary reprieve. She couldn‟t stay in the forest. If she wanted to get home, she‟d have to face Jarritt some time. It might as well be now. Arik took her to the landing area. Jarritt stood to one side, watching as a shuttle landed. Wearing a long-sleeved black shirt and black pants, he stood out among the UDA men unloading a shuttle nearby. He glanced over as they approached and frowned at her. His eyes swept over her from head to her scuffed boots. “Where did you find her?” Jarritt asked, coming forward to meet them. His hand cupped her elbow and he stepped close to her. “She just came back to the holding, Shi’an. She says she‟s been walking in the forest during the morning.” Arik stepped back as soon as Jarritt‟s hand touched her. “You rose early today.” Jarritt looked down at her. Anger glittered in his brown eyes. Lisia sighed and looked pointedly at the shuttles. She needed the time to get her temper under control. In typical alpha style, he expected answers immediately if not sooner. “Yes, I did. I usually do. I wanted to walk and I did. It‟s not as if I had anything pressing to do today and after all, you said I wasn‟t a prisoner.” She refused to be intimidated by his glowering stare. “You are not free to just disappear. If you weren‟t found soon, I was going to begin a search starting with a thorough check of every marrohl in the holding,” he growled. “You‟re the one keeping me here. If you don‟t like the way I act, put me on a ship off the planet.” She folded her arms across her chest and smiled smugly up at him. Irritating him most likely wouldn‟t get him to send her home. He would definitely know she wouldn‟t be accepting his dictates. If she gave him enough trouble maybe he‟d reconsider his decision. Even if he didn‟t, she‟d have fun in the meantime. His fingers cupped her chin making sure she looked him in the eyes. “Don‟t make any plans for a long trip. You‟re my woman and you‟re not going anywhere. I think you need something to keep you occupied.” “Did I ever tell you I don‟t follow orders that well?” She smirked. While not technically true, she‟d cultivate the behavior just for him. Even knowing it would earn her some punishment in a few cases, she‟d be willing to risk it. “You‟ll learn,” Jarritt growled. “I‟m not interested in learning. When you find something I am interested in, maybe I‟ll pay attention. Right now, all I‟m interested in is a long bath and something to eat,” she taunted. She tried to step free of his hold, but his arm merely tightened securely holding her.
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Jarritt‟s stern expression seemed to lighten as he looked at her until she could see the amusement in his eyes. “You think you can play games with me? You should realize I don‟t play by the rules you know, not with you. If you defy me, you won‟t get punished like every other woman would. Since you‟re my woman, I‟ll punish you in private and in a way guaranteed to make you remember it.” She saw the heat in his eyes and swallowed hard. The intense feelings of anticipation and hunger practically beat her. She knew that those punishments would be sexual in nature. “Why did you have to see me?” She took a deep breath. Time to get the discussion off this risky subject. “Because I wanted to.” His smile was smug. She sighed and looked skyward. She saw a ship begin to descend through the atmosphere. Were they bringing something down? She wasn‟t going to ask about it. “You‟re bored and you have nothing to do here.” Jarritt seemed to be considering the words. “Isn‟t that what you said?” Lisia looked at him. Caution kept her from answering immediately. She knew that he wasn‟t asking for clarification. He knew perfectly well what she‟d said. He was planning something and wanted to trap her with her own words. She couldn‟t see a way to stop him. Silence wouldn‟t work. He‟d keep insisting. “I did say that, but…” she began. “I can take care of that for you. Since you‟re bored, I‟ll give you something to do.” He glanced over as the ship swung in for a landing. “You‟ll certainly be busy for a while.” “Doing what?” She glared at him, not trying to hide the anger in her voice. “You‟ll be finding places for about sixty people and getting our temporary guests settled in marrohls.” He gave her a stern look. “How am I supposed to do that? I don‟t know anything about the marrohls and who lives where and what space is free.” She didn‟t know a thing about this clan. If she‟d been at home, she‟d have been able to do it without a problem. “You won‟t be doing it on your own. The other women will help you.” He didn‟t look at her as he spoke. He watched the ship land. She looked at the dark gray shuttle. “Who are these people and why are they going to be staying? How long will they be here?” “They‟re passengers rescued from a ship attacked by the space pirates. They‟ll be here until another ship‟s sent for them.” He looked over at her. “You‟d better get back and get started or you‟ll be trying to find space for them when they‟re milling around the marrohls. I imagine that would be a little frustrating.” She sighed and turned to go. As much as she‟d relish disobeying his order, it wouldn‟t be for something like this. Something that involved other people. This battle was just between her and Jarritt. She wouldn‟t get others into trouble along with her.
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She did have to admit that there had been a bit of truth in what she‟d told him. She was a little bored and the thought of actually doing something appealed to her.
***** Lisia glared at Jarritt. She drummed her finger on the arm of the chair and stared across the small space separating her and Jarritt in the seating area in front of one of the smaller hearths away from the large grouping near the huge fireplaces. It was one of her favorite places in the communal living area. It had a cozy feeling, comfortable chairs and was one place that people could have a quiet conversation and normally not get interrupted. If she‟d known the trouble that going along with his little plan would cause, she‟d have screamed and fought before she‟d helped find a place for those people. The temporary visitors hadn‟t caused a problem as far as she knew. If it had been them, she wouldn‟t have worried at all. That would be Jarritt‟s problem. No, all of her trouble came from the Aridi of this clan. Every one of them was now taking it for granted that she‟d be marrying the Shi’an. It irritated her that no one had even asked her if she wanted to join with him. That wasn‟t new and she‟d half-expected it from his attitude and behavior in front of the others. What really made her so angry was the fact that they were treating her as if she already held the position. Some of the women came to her with problems and since she knew very little about this group, she couldn‟t answer readily. She‟d have to go find the Shi’an or one of his men. Denials that she had no power here did no good. The women just pointed out the ways Jarritt had already staked his claim. She hadn‟t been able to make anyone listen. It was really no wonder. He was always touching her. When they were in the same room, he was close to her or watching her. His attitude was openly possessive. Lisia had been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn‟t notice that Jarritt had left his seat until he‟d picked her up and slid into her seat. He cradled her in his lap. She stiffened in surprise as his arm slid around her waist, his hand resting on her thigh. “If you‟re going to sit there glowering at me, I want the benefit of having you in my arms while you do it,” Jarritt murmured a moment before his lips brushed over hers. She held her body stiff in his arms for all of two breaths. That was as long as she could last. She liked the feel of his lips against her and the warmth of his body too much to deny herself the pleasure of enjoying it. His scent swirled around her, pulling her to him just as much as the desire she felt pouring from him. Knowing that he wanted her so much was a potent aphrodisiac. Because they were in the middle of the common room, she felt safe enough to let the desire take her. She knew that nothing would happen here. Just like it hadn‟t in the past few nights when she‟d kissed and held him. He‟d kissed her and his hands had roamed, but he‟d restrained himself from more than that. Even in the privacy of the hallway outside her door, he‟d held back and stopped when she‟d asked.
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That had surprised her a bit, but she didn‟t pretend to understand the way his mind worked. He could be starting with the idea of having her come to him and initiate the contact. She didn‟t really care what he was scheming right now. It allowed her to enjoy the pleasure of his touch without taking their “engagement” to the next level. He lifted his head and threaded his fingers through her hair. “I love the way you taste, the way you respond. I can feel your hard nipples pressing against me even through the fabric of your shirt.” She looked up at him, her mind clouded by desire. “You smell so good.” She wanted to snuggle into him and draw in that intoxicating scent, but his hand tightened in her hair, holding her away from him. “Do you like the way I touch you? Is your pussy wet for me?” he asked. She frowned confused. How could he ask that? He should feel her desire just as she felt his. He should be able to smell her desire. Why did he need her to say it? “I love the way you touch me. No one‟s ever made me want them as badly as I want you.” She drew her fingers across his cheek. He kissed her again and held her close before drawing back. “I‟ll make you feel like that every time I touch you.” Lisia licked her tingling lips. Arousal hummed through her body. A bed, she needed a bed and him in it. Or at least a wall. At first, all she could think about was how much she wanted that. Slowly her mind began functioning beyond the desire she felt. She couldn‟t give in to the urge to drag him to the nearest bed. He‟d see that as a definite commitment and press for more. “Are you ready to eat?” Jarritt asked. She stared at him a little stunned by the change of subject and his attitude. He didn‟t seem half as aroused as she felt. She didn‟t know how he could sound so calm. She nodded. Eating would give her time to think and time for the need to cool. She desperately needed that. The food was already on the table. She began to realize just how much she‟d missed. Lisia walked over to the table at his side. Succulent meat dishes, vegetables and grain dishes filled the tables. “Are you still angry with me?” Jarritt asked as he began to fill his plate. “What do you think?” She turned and leveled a disbelieving stare at him. Of course she was still angry with him. That kiss hadn‟t changed anything. If anything, it had intensified the feeling. Now, she was aroused and angry. “What are you angry about?” he asked, a broad smile on his face. He knew very well what had angered her. That smug smile told her that much. His attitude practically screamed his belief that he could talk her out her of that emotion. That arrogant confidence only made her even more determined to stay furious with him.
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“What I‟m angry about hasn‟t changed. I still don‟t like the fact that I‟ve been pushed into the position of your Lady when I haven‟t agreed to anything.” She kept her voice low so it wouldn‟t carry far. “You‟ve already given your promise. The position is yours. There‟s nothing wrong with you taking it before you assume the role formally as my mated wife.” He sounded too cheerful. When he reached over and patted her on the hand she tensed. He could have meant it as a soothing gesture, but to her it seemed like the condescending pat someone would give an annoying child. She took a deep breath and tried for calm. Screaming and jumping up from the table wouldn‟t solve anything. She had to calm down and think. Only if she managed to find a way out of that promise she‟d made would she have a chance of getting off this world unmarried. “So you say, but I haven‟t seen any proof of this law. As far as I know, you could have made the whole thing up that night.” She put down her fork and folded her arms across her chest. As much as she‟d like that to be true, he wouldn‟t leave an opportunity for her to wriggle through. “Are you saying that I‟m lying to you?” A growl rumbled in his voice. She blinked. Realizing she‟d unintentionally questioned his honor, she silently cursed. Now, she had to calm him down and think of a way to say it that didn‟t make him a liar. “I wasn‟t saying you were lying. What I don‟t know is if this law you mention is actually a law or just a custom. Customs aren‟t as binding as a law.” She licked her lips. “It‟s no custom. It‟s a written law. You can look it up tomorrow.” His narrowed eyes hadn‟t softened a bit. “Not tonight?” she asked. She couldn‟t resist pressing the issue. “I don‟t think seeing the actual law will change the way you feel.” He gave her an assessing stare before returning to his meal. He was right. Seeing the law in print wouldn‟t change her mind or how she felt about that “promise”. She‟d still try to find a way out of it. She‟d had some slim hopes that it was some kind of unwritten custom, but that had been erased.
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Chapter Six They made it through the rest of the meal without any more arguments or misunderstandings. She breathed a sigh of relief and left the table. Luckily, he didn‟t follow her. He went to talk with Arik and a few of the other men. She talked with a few of the other women until she began to get tired. Bidding them good night, she headed for the door to the Shi’an‟s section. She slipped through the door and into the hallway with a sigh. She was relieved to get out of there without another confrontation with Jarritt. He seemed determined to make her think of him as much as possible. She saw him at almost every meal. The only reason it wasn‟t every meal was because he‟d been busy during a few of those. Skipping out of the marrohl again hadn‟t been an option. He‟d always met her in the hallway in the mornings. She wondered sometimes if he‟d put an alarm on her door so he‟d know when she was leaving. She hadn‟t been able to find any indication he had, but the way he was always there did make her wonder. The door behind her opened and Jarritt walked into the hallway just as she reached her door. She pushed the button to open her door, but looked back over her shoulder at him. Smiling he continued walking down the hallway. He seemed to be in a good mood. “Trying to slip out on me? We still have things to talk about, liana.” He didn‟t hurry but his long stride carried him down the hallway before she could get into her room and shut the door. “I‟m not trying to slip out on you. I‟m just tired. I didn‟t realize you wanted to talk about anything else.” Lisia met his eyes as he stopped just in front of her. “There‟s always something I want to say to you even if it‟s just „I want to kiss you‟.” His hand lifted and briefly cupped the side of her cheek before his thumb traced her lips. Her lips tingled even after his finger lifted. She slicked her tongue over them. “Is that all you want to say tonight?” “No, I did need to talk to you about tomorrow,” he said as his mouth lowered, stopping just before their lips touched. His lips were so close, so tempting. She could feel his desire for her. Its effect on her hadn‟t changed. She wanted him to kiss her. Almost without thinking about it, she leaned into his body. Their lips touched and brushed. She drew his lower lip into her mouth, sucking on it. His hands settled on her waist and then slid around and down molding over the curve of her buttocks. Her tongue slicked over his lip just before she released it.
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Jarritt took over the kiss. His mouth slanted over hers and his tongue drove into her mouth. She sighed relaxing against him and enjoying the feel of his hot mouth on hers His taste and scent flooded her senses. His desire almost seemed to pulse through her mind. It was so strong. She lost track of any thought other than how much she wanted this, him. His hands tightened on her, pulling her snug against him. She could feel his hard cock pressing against her stomach. His thigh slipped between her legs. She wriggled, rubbing against the hard muscles of his leg. A low groan rolled from his throat and his hips arched into her. She wanted to get his clothes and her own off. She needed to explore more than his arms. Her breasts ached and the swollen flesh tingled where it pressed against the tight fabric. He urged her slowly backward. She heard a slight swish but ignored it. The noise barely registered as they kissed and his tongue dueled with hers. She knew even without looking that it had to be the door to her room closing behind them. Slowly, as if they had all night, he lifted her off her feet, aligning their bodies. His cock pressed against the covered mound of her pussy. She lifted her legs locking them around his hips as he walked. She didn‟t know where he was going and didn‟t care. Being like this felt too good. She could feel the slick moisture coating her pussy and probably dampening the crotch of her pants. Lisia trailed kisses down his neck, nipping just at the base. His breath hissed between his teeth in surprise. A growl erupted as his grip tightened in response to that show of aggression. She felt sharp teeth scrape the skin just below her jaw. His tongue swirled over the skin. He placed small kisses along her neck, just at the neckline of her shirt. In between, he feathered little nips. Her skin seemed to become hypersensitive. She never knew what to expect and she wanted more. His lips left her neck. “Let‟s get you undressed. I want to see your pretty body,” he said as his hands tugged at her legs, urging her to release him. “I promise I‟ll let you wrap those around me again soon.” She didn‟t hold back her groan of disappointment. Slowly lowering her feet to the floor, she savored every moment of contact. His fingers went to her shirt and hers slid under his, exploring the hard muscles of his stomach. She felt her shirt part and a rush of cool air over her nipples. Prickles danced across the sensitive tips as they tightened. “Now that‟s a beautiful sight. Would they get any redder if I put my mouth on them?” His eyes dropped to the mounds of her breasts. She followed his gaze and saw his eyes lingering on the darkened tips of her breasts. She drew in a sharp breath as the image of his head bent over her flashed through her mind. A shot of fiery desire hit her. She resisted the urge to arch her chest forward, but just barely. Smoothing her hands up his chest and ignoring the bunching fabric, she scraped her nails over his two hard, flat discs.
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He hissed a curse and stiffened beneath her hands. “You‟re playing a dangerous game.” “Maybe I‟m not playing.” She looked up into his brown eyes and met the questions she expected with quiet certainty. He knew how much she wanted him. He could feel her desire just as she could his. She didn‟t want to think about later or about how much this was going to complicate everything. All she knew was that this felt right. The questions, the doubts, and everything else were pushed away by that certainty. He stripped off his shirt flinging it away without even looking to see where it went. She licked her lips as her eyes roved over his chest. He was absolutely gorgeous. She had to touch him. He pulled her closer until her mouth hovered over his dark brown nipple. Her tongue lapped over the hard nub in a quick stroke. It puckered and glistened wetly as she drew back. Her hand rose and plucked at the other hard nipple. He captured her hand pulling it away from his chest. Her fingers skimmed over his stomach as he guided it down his body. He didn‟t stop until her fingers touched his hard length. She stroked him through the fabric. “Feel how much I want you. I want to feel your tight wet pussy closing around me, pulling at me. I want you crying out your need, screaming my name.” His hips rocked into her touch. “I want to feel you without the cloth.” She nipped at the dark nipple in front of her. “You‟re so hard.” He tasted so good. His arousal pulsed through her, over her. Her arousal spiked and she ached with the intense needed. A shudder rocked his body beneath her lips. He pushed her hand away from his cock for a moment and dealt quickly with the fastenings of his pants. His cock sprang into her waiting hand. Her fingers stroked over his erection as his hips pushed into her clasping fingers. She trailed her fingers over the silky flesh. “I don‟t want to spill in your hands. Let me get you out of these clothes.” His hands tugged her fingers away from his cock. He stepped back and began stripping her out of her clothes. He slipped her shirt off and then began working on the fastenings of her pants. The fabric loosened and he lifted her, carrying her to her bed. As soon as her back touched the soft bedding, he began tugging at the rest of her clothing. Her shoes went flying and her pants soon followed. A moment after the last of her clothing left her body, his pants hit the floor. He climbed onto the bed beside her. She reached forward, wanting to pull him to her. He pushed her hands to her side. She could feel his anticipation and hunger. The feel of his hands pressing her arms onto the bed sent a wave of excitement over her. She wanted to push and play and see just how dominant he really was. He rose to his hands and knees. His head lowered and his tongue stroked across the base of her neck. The slightly rough texture of his tongue sent a shiver of pleasure rippling over her. She felt the
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muscles in her pussy clench and she wanted more than the feel of his tongue on her skin. Her fingers threaded through his hair. She barely had time to cup the back of his head, before his fingers clasped around her wrist and pressed her hand back to the bed. “You like that?” he asked. He trailed nipping kisses along her collarbone. Did he mean the dominance or the kiss? She didn‟t know or care. Either way the answer was yes. She loved it. She arched her neck giving him more access to it, but his mouth moved away, down her sternum. A groan tore from her. “Don‟t tease.” She lifted her hands and stroked across his shoulder and back. He grabbed her wrists and once again pushed them to the soft fabric of the sheets. She looked up and found him staring down at her. His lips were pulled into a straight line and he looked utterly serious. If she hadn‟t been able to feel his desire, she would have wondered if he wanted her at all. “No touching just yet. You keep those hands right there. I want to touch you. I‟ve ached to see and touch your breasts since I first caught your scent.” He kissed her once hard and fast. His lips claimed hers, his tongue driving into her mouth. She stroked her tongue against his. Just when she was sinking into the kiss, his lips left hers. Her hands clenched on the soft blanket. She wanted to grab him and drag his lips back to hers. His lips brushed across her shoulder and then down her chest. His teeth scraped across the curve of her breast. She drew in a hissing breath and tensed at the sharp stinging nip. His tongue swirled across the small spot. She wriggled beneath his touch as her mind readily expanded on the explorations of his tongue. His tongue traced around her nipple leaving a warm wet trail and tingles darting straight to the tightening knot of tension low in her stomach. Her nipples tightened jutting up as if begging for his attention. His arousal mixed with hers, spurring her desire to a higher level. Her legs shifted restlessly, widening. His teeth closed over her right nipple just as his hand cupped the neglected breast. His teeth scraped teasingly over the taut bud. The hand at her other breast lifted and squeezed the full mound. She arched into the firm touch. His mouth closed around the upthrust nub. Hot moist warmth surrounded the peak. She moaned, her head tossing on the soft blanket. Every touch seemed so right, made her so hot that she was amazed that the bed wasn‟t smoldering beneath her. He sucked greedily at her breast. That pulling draw arced through her, sending a spiral of heat even higher. Just as he flicked the sensitive peak with one hand, he drew his teeth over the wet nipple of the other. She arched and cried out. Her hands lifted. She needed to touch him, feathering through his hair. He pulled back the moment her fingers tangled in his hair. A low growl rumbled and his lips pulled back revealing sharp canines. A rush of excitement zipped through her. “Keep your hands on the bed. Obey me, arra,” Jarritt ordered. “I want to touch you.” She brushed her fingers across his shoulders. “I need you.”
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He grasped her right hand and pressed it to the bedding. His face lowered until his nose almost touched hers. “I need to taste you, to touch all of you. You will obey me.” He gripped her left hand and put it on the bed at her side. She really wanted to touch him, but she also felt his need. She gripped the blanket and turned her wrist. She didn‟t know how long she could keep from touching him. He‟d been pushing her limits since he kissed her. His tongue flicked at her nipple before his mouth lifted and his hands drifted down her body. “You taste so good, my liana. I need to know you‟re mine in every way.” His sincerity rang in his voice. His arousal pulsed through her, over her. Her need spiked and she ached. The building sensation tightened and twisted low in her stomach. She arched her body, silently offering him anything he needed. He trailed kisses down her stomach, pausing every so often to taste her skin. He moved his mouth lower to the bare lips of her pussy. Hot breath feathered over her labia as he traced his fingers over the plump lips. She drew in a shaky breath and spread her legs wider. Her teeth sank into her lower lip as she waited tensely. “You smell so good here and I can see your cream glistening on the lips of your pussy. Do you want to feel my mouth there?” he asked. His fingers kept tracing slowly over the swollen flesh, but didn‟t move for a more intimate touch. She licked her lips and drew in a panting breath. Her clit was hard and aching. She needed his mouth there, his fingers something. She tried twisting her hips to get what she needed, but his fingers pulled away immediately. “Tell me.” The order came out on a hard growl. His teeth scraped over the flesh of her thigh, delivering a stinging nip. “I want your mouth. Please touch me.” She barely recognized the voice as her own. A shiver tore up her spine. She couldn‟t ever remember feeling this wild. His hands urged her to lift her legs and spread them farther apart. One he hooked on his shoulder. The other he pressed wide. The lips of her pussy parted exposing the slick pink flesh to his gaze. He leaned close and inhaled. “Mine.” Her only thought to that confident claim was, “Oh, yes!” His tongue swiped over her pussy. Once, twice in bold claiming strokes. A shudder streaked down her spine as his tongue found her clit. She hissed and her hips arched off the bed. “You like that, my mate. I‟ll please you as you‟ve never known. Show me that you want me. Let me hear your pleasure.” His head lifted and his eyes locked with hers as he drew his fingers along the lips of her pussy. Very deliberately, his fingers curled up and brushed across her clit. She tensed and shivered as the pleasure sizzled and grew stronger. His fingers slid lower and he traced
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them around her opening, pressing against the sensitive skin. He pushed two fingers into her. Her hips lifted into the fingers gliding into her. She felt the inner walls of her pussy clenching around them, but it wasn‟t enough. Soft mews fell from her lips. All too soon his fingers pulled from her. He lifted his hand to his mouth, drawing the cream-coated fingers deep. Lisia couldn‟t take her eyes off his mouth as he cleaned his fingers. A thrill of hot lust tore through her. “Please, Jarritt, fuck me.” She almost lifted her hands, but she didn‟t want him to pull away again. He smiled and drew his tongue over her cunt. “I‟m going to feast on this sweet pussy before the night‟s over, but now I need to claim what‟s mine.” He rose to his knees, but didn‟t come down over her. He rolled her onto her stomach. Before she could think about the change in position, his hand slipped under her, lifting her to her knees. His hand cupped her pussy. “Damn, Jarritt, I need you.” She pushed back against him. She felt the head of his cock against her buttocks briefly before he reached between them. Fitting his shaft to her slit, she felt the rounded head probe at the slick opening. “Are you mine? Are you my woman?” He placed a kiss on her shoulder, but kept their bodies separated. She strained against his hold, but he easily held her still in front of him. His fingers parted her labia and she drew in a breath. Her body quivered with anticipation. She groaned with disappointment as his fingers didn‟t move. “Tell me,” he urged. His finger just grazed her clit. She looked over her shoulder. “I want you. I‟m your woman.” Desperate she gave him what he needed. His hips rolled forward. She could feel satisfaction rolling through him as his cock slid into her. She felt her pussy clench around his cock and reveled in the sensation of fullness. He began to move in slow firm thrusts. Hungry for the pleasure, she pushed back into the strokes. The tightening heat flared and she knew that a powerful climax would hit soon. A desperate sound ripped from her throat as it remained just out of reach. As if in reaction to her need, his hips drove forward more forcefully. She felt, more than heard, the throaty endearment as he thrust into her. Her inner muscles begin to ripple around his cock. A wall of white-hot sensation hit her and the world seemed to explode around her. Her muscles quivered and she would have fallen to her elbows on the mattress, but his arm circled just under her breasts holding her up. His thrusts quickened, going as deep as he could. She felt the brush of his balls against her leg and the heat of his body as his chest lowered to her back. She felt the first spurt of semen just as she felt the graze of his teeth on her shoulder. His teeth closed over it, not breaking the skin, but holding her in place as he came.
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As she felt the last waves of his pleasure, she began to think about what had just happened. Other than the great sex. She gulped and slowly shook her head, replaying every word, every act in her mind. Anger rose. She didn‟t doubt that he‟d planned this. All of it, down to pushing her to the point where she‟d have said or done anything to reach climax. But she didn‟t blame everything on him. She knew she‟d played a huge part in letting this happen. She‟d been so certain that she would push him away before she became too involved. Those days and nights of letting him touch her, reveling in his kisses came back to haunt her. She‟d been too busy playing a game and forgotten that Jarritt had been serious in his claims. He‟d practically told her he‟d do whatever it took to keep her. She‟d wanted him too much to think about walking away from him this time. The choice had been hers and she‟d been so immersed in the feeling of rightness that she hadn‟t thought. The mark at her neck would fade, but he‟d accomplished what he‟d been pushing for almost from the moment they‟d met. He‟d gotten a more solid commitment out of her. She hadn‟t just accepted him with her body. She‟d acknowledged his claim in words. She groaned and panicked, tried to think of a way out of the situation that had just gotten more complicated. Her hands clenched on the gray blanket. Fear rose inside her. She could almost sense the walls closing around her, trapping her. She wanted to rage and throw things, but there was nothing in the room to throw aside from the furniture. The small table would do, but she doubted he‟d just lie still and let her launch it at him. There had to be a way out of this. “You almost burned me with your heat, arra. I knew we‟d be good together, but I never expected…” A purr rumbled in his voice as his hips pressed against hers. His tongue swirled over the stinging skin on her neck. The feel of his rough tongue on the punctures caused a shiver of sharp pleasure to roll over her body. His muscles tensed, his grip tightening on her for a few moments. Shock still fogged her mind as he slowly pulled out of her. Turning her head, she watched as he moved to the edge of the bed and rose to his feet. He lifted her. Cradling her, he pulled back the blanket and put her on the soft sheets. With a smile on his face, he slipped into bed beside her. He curved an arm around her and pulled her against his side. She could feel his happy contentment just as he was certain he could feel her dismay and disbelief. “Don‟t worry so much. Whether we‟d fucked tonight or not, you were still my woman. The only difference now is that you‟ve admitted it.” His hand stroked her rib cage and settled possessively on her stomach. Don’t worry. The man was obviously insane. She‟d just committed herself to him. Getting out of that would probably be next to impossible. After all that, he didn‟t want her to worry. She considered it amazing that she hadn‟t run screaming from the room yet. Or at least tried.
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He nuzzled the hair away from her neck, apparently not reading her stiff posture or the way she‟d deliberately angled her body away from him. He cuddled close, his hand stroking down her side. She didn‟t know how she kept from yelling or taking a swing at him. Her emotions flew through her mind, a storm of chaos. “We‟ll contact your brother tomorrow and your Shi’ans. They need to know not only have you accepted a mate here, but exactly where you are.” Hot breath brushed over her ear as he breathed the words in a low whisper. She opened her mouth and almost strangled in her effort to keep her voice to a normal level. “Why now? We could have contacted him days ago.” He placed nipping little kisses along her jawline. In spite of herself, she felt her body begin to respond to those kisses. She wanted to stay focused and furious at him, because she knew the timing of the upcoming contact had been deliberately chosen. Before he hadn‟t really had any claim on her. Now he had an unassailable position in her life and she couldn‟t contradict that without lying. “We‟ll move your things over to my room tomorrow. Now that I‟ve had you, I‟m not going to spend the night without you.” He turned her to face him and hooked an arm over one of her legs. She could see his face now. Sleepy satisfaction curved his lips, but she could see hunger growing in his eyes as well as smell it in his scent. It underlay the feeling of content that still rolled off him. “I like having my own room.” She knew arguing about what she had and hadn‟t agreed to would be useless right now. It would probably be a good idea if she waited to do that until they were in a much more public place. Right now, it would only end one way—with her screaming her agreement as he withheld pleasure. He‟d threatened something like that when he‟d warned her about his punishments. “You‟re going to like sharing my bed even more.” His head lowered and he nuzzled the hair away from her ear. His teeth closed over her earlobe and nipped before he sucked on the tender flesh. She drew in a hissing breath as the muscles in her pussy clenched. How did he know just where to touch? “What are you going to talk about with my brother?” She tilted her head a bit and lowered her shoulder giving him more access to her neck as his mouth moved even lower. “Go to sleep. We have a busy day tomorrow. You‟ll find out what I‟m going to talk to your brother about then.” He dropped a fleeting peck on her lips and pulled her close again. His body seemed to relax within moments, his breathing deep and even. At first, she couldn‟t believe it, but he‟d fallen asleep almost between one breath and the next. She stared at him for a little while wondering how he did it. That just didn‟t seem normal. 49
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Chapter Seven Lisia sat beside Jarritt in a room on the first floor of his private quarters. The walls were gray and a bunch of high-tech toys filled the room. She‟d spotted a musical instrument beside the couch, but she could only see part of it and didn‟t recognize it. They‟d taken position in front of a desk with a large monitor anchored to the wall. She had no idea why they couldn‟t just use the more public communication room. She‟d seen it while she was roaming one day and it would have more than sufficed. No one would have needed to make any connection either. She waited as contact was made with her clan. Jarritt appeared utterly relaxed in a white shirt and dark pants and his satisfaction rolled through her mind. That infuriated her. She knew he was aware of exactly how she felt. He was too confident and in too much of a rush to get his way. The fact that her eyes were repeatedly drawn to him and that she found him handsome even now only added fuel to her ire. She‟d made no effort to hide her anger. He‟d only given her a smug smile and told her that it was time to go talk with her brother and the Shi’ans. She‟d debated about whether to tell him the full truth, but his attitude had decided the matter. The arrogant man could find it out the hard way, since he wouldn‟t bother to listen to her on any other matter. The large screen in front of her flicked on flaring white for a moment before the image of her brother and Sian, the other Shi’an replaced it. The blond gold of her brother‟s hair seemed to be a little red against the maroon wall in back of him. He relaxed in a deep gray chair. “You‟re looking good, Lisia. Who is this beside you?” Drake asked. “This is Shi’an Jarritt E‟Sain of Telair clan, Drake. Jarritt, this is my brother Drake and Sian Garand.” She smiled at her brother. It was good just to see him and be able to talk to him. She felt a little more normal, a little more in control. Drake nodded. “How are you doing? Are you able to come home yet? Have the difficulties been cleared away?” “Your sister forgot to fully introduce me. I‟m also the man who‟s going to be her mate.” Jarritt‟s hand clasped around hers and squeezed gently. “Is that true, Lisia?” Drake‟s eyes narrowed and he leaned forward. His hands braced on the table in front of him. She drew in a deep breath and grimaced. She tugged at her red shirt more to have something to do to delay answering than to smooth any wrinkles. “I did acknowledge his claim.” “In words? Did you say them of your own free will?” Drake asked. She could hear the anger in his voice.
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“At the time, I meant them,” she admitted honestly. Drake‟s mouth tightened and his eyes narrowed as he switched his gaze to Jarritt. “I don‟t think much of the protection your clan has provided to my sister. I also don‟t think my sister was given much choice in committing herself to you.” “She is committed and will be mated. If you‟d like to be here when it happens, we‟ll wait to perform the ceremony until you arrive.” Jarritt‟s voice had gone cold and she felt his anger rise. His hand lifted hers, bringing her hand closer to him, physically reinforcing his claim. Lisia wriggled her fingers when his grip became a little too forceful and his hold immediately loosened. Lisia rolled her eyes as she saw her brother‟s face darken with a flush of anger. She could see the tension in every line of his body and knew that Jarritt‟s body held the same tension. The two men were practically squaring off against each other with galaxies between them. Male posturing. It wasn‟t going to solve anything. “I‟ll be there.” Drake‟s voice rolled out in a smooth even flow. Lisia knew that it was what he left unsaid that held the threat. “I asked to speak with the Shi’ans of your clan as well. Where are they?” Jarritt appeared to ignore the open hostility burning in Drake‟s eyes. Drake‟s smile widened. “You haven‟t exactly been open with him have you? When were you going to tell him?” “When I originally planned to leave, never. If he hadn‟t been acting so smug this morning, I would have explained.” She looked over toward Jarritt and found him frowning at her. “What haven‟t you told me?” Jarritt‟s tone dropped low and she saw a menacing flash of teeth. “Drake is my oldest brother, but he‟s one of the Shi’ans of the clan. Sian shares that responsibility with him. You always referred to them as two separate things. I just never corrected you.” Lisia shrugged and maintained his stare. She fought not to squirm under that hard scrutiny. “That does explain a few things.” Jarritt said in an even voice, but Lisia could feel his controlled anger. “Such as?” Drake raised a brow as he watched the other man‟s reaction. “Such as her having so much freedom and even being unmated at her age.” Jarritt relaxed back in his chair, drawing her hand to his thigh. “What does my not being mated have to do with anything?” She tugged on her hand, glaring at him when he wouldn‟t release her hand. “And my age. I‟m not old.” She heard Drake‟s laughter, but ignored it, knowing that her brother had a somewhat skewed sense of humor. Jarritt lifted her hand and nipped at her fingers, before firmly returning it to the warmth of his thigh. He seemed totally focused on her as if he‟d completely forgotten her brother and that he wanted to talk to him.
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“You‟re not old, but you are older than most women are when they‟re claimed,” Jarritt offered. “Not all clans are as uncivilized as yours.” She smiled widely and deliberately. “I never had any problem with any of the males.” “Your brother‟s position protected you. Eventually, you would have found a man willing to risk it to claim you.” Jarritt shook his head. His certainty in his beliefs was obvious. “There‟s also the fact that she has five older brothers.” Drake inserted cheerfully. Jarritt glanced at the screen and then at Lisia. “There‟s a lot that you didn‟t tell me. Any sisters or other relatives I should know about?” “One younger sister and a slew of cousins, uncles and aunts.” She grinned. “That figures. A huge joining with all your family present isn‟t possible right now. There‟s too much risk.” Jarritt shook his head decisively. He turned his attention back to Drake and the viewscreen. “We‟ll wait for you and the rest of her immediate family if you‟d like to be here.” “Of course, I want to be at my sister‟s wedding. What do you mean risk? Is Lisia in danger?” Drake‟s voice lowered and a growl rumbled from the screen. “There are some space pirates in the area. For the most part, the risk is to any ship that travels in the area.” Jarritt looked directly at the screen. „“For the most part‟ doesn‟t sound very reassuring to me. If you‟re going to marry my sister, I want to know she‟s going to be safe with you.” Drake sat forward and leaned his elbows on the table. Just from his tone, she knew he was utterly serious. Lisia knew that look. It was his “I‟m going to get my way” expression. It usually worked, but she didn‟t think it would have quite the same effect on Jarritt that it did on the men and women at home. She fully expected to see more bristling male ego at that blatant challenge. Jarritt laughed. “She‟s safe. She‟ll be well protected here. Come and see.” Lisia watched her brother‟s head tilt and a smile lift one corner of his mouth. She knew he‟d come to some decision, but she didn‟t know what it was. He could be amazingly sneaky at times. She probably wouldn‟t know what he really thought until she saw him in person. “I‟ll be there as will at least one of her other brothers,” Drake said. “We‟ll talk more then.” “Thank you. I‟ll keep your sister safe. She‟s as important to me as she is to you.” Jarritt drew his fingers across her knuckles, but his eyes remained on the screen in front of him. “I love you, Drake. Give my love to everyone at home.” Lisia took a deep breath and tried to get hold of a sudden surge of emotion. She missed her family, wanted to be
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with them right now. It had been so long since she‟d even seen another member of her clan. “It might take me a few days to arrange things, Lisia, but I‟ll get there as soon as possible. I love you, little sister.” Drake looked at her intently for a moment. She‟d swear he‟d been trying to tell her something with that look, but she couldn‟t think of what it could be. As she went over what he‟d said, “little sister” stood out from the rest of his words. That wasn‟t the way he normally spoke to her. In fact, she could only remember one other time, he‟d ever called her “little sister”. It had happened on a space station they‟d been visiting when she‟d been much younger. A group of boys had cornered her and he‟d chased them away. When she‟d thanked him, he‟d said that that was what older brothers did—take care of their little sisters. No matter what. What was he planning? “You have some explaining to do.” Jarritt‟s hard voice jerked her away from her thoughts. She looked over to find him fully facing her, a very fierce frown on his face. “What?” “Why didn‟t you say something about your brother being Shi’an? I know he was mentioned more than once.” Jarritt used his hold to tug her out of her chair. She caught herself before she dropped to the floor. Glaring at him, she straightened. It wasn‟t as if he‟d been totally up front with her. He‟d actively schemed to get his way. “Did I mention I didn‟t want to be here? I hadn‟t planned on doing anything to encourage you and hoped you‟d lose interest in me.” She leaned back resisting the tugging pull of his hand. He obviously wanted her in his arms, but she knew better than to fall into that trap. “Lose interest? You would have been waiting the rest of your life for that to happen. I‟m going to be your husband. I knew from almost the moment that I caught your scent.” He tugged again. She stumbled forward a step and pulled back. “How about looking for someone who actually gives you some encouragement?” “You encouraged me, just not verbally.” His hand tightened on hers and gave a quick jerk. She tumbled into his lap. His arms closed around her. Laughing he pulled her against him when she tried to lunge free of his hold. She glared at him and gripped at the arms banded around her waist. “Would my telling you that my brother was one of the Shi’ans have changed the way you acted or what you did?” she asked. She put a hand on his chest and pushed putting a little distance between them. His smile widened and his head tilted as he thought about it. “No, it wouldn‟t have changed what I did. It might have changed how I approached your brother, but not you.”
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She rolled her eyes. “What, you wouldn‟t have acted so macho and arrogant? You practically treated him like an underling who you could order around.” “And you set up the adversarial relationship between us by not telling me that he was the Shi’an. It will take time for that to change.” His hand cupped her chin and forced her to meet his eyes. “You think it would be any different? He saw the way that I acted, my reluctance. He knew that I didn‟t really want this claiming.” She pushed his hand away from her chin. She knew her brother. He wouldn‟t have missed the signs of her hesitance, her unwillingness. “You have a brother who is Shi’an and four other probably powerful brothers. Their presence and strength kept the men from pressing the claim and changing your mind. That would have probably happened if you didn‟t have that protection. But I‟m happy you did have it. Now I have you.” He leaned down and closed his teeth over her lip. A tingle danced over her skin as he slowly pulled back. Her tongue slicked over her lip. How could that simple touch feel so good? She took a deep breath and the scent of his arousal filled her senses. “It didn‟t happen to at least two of my friends and they didn‟t have five older brothers, one of whom was one of the Shi’ans of my clan.” She gave him a doubt-filled look. He was just trying to make believe that the ways of his clan were so normal that they even happened in her clan. She wasn‟t about to believe that. She‟d have seen it. How could she have missed the sight of even one man behaving as he had? “Their brothers or parents did hold a high position, didn‟t they? High enough to live in the same marrohl as the Shi’an?” Jarritt asked as he trailed his fingers up her ribs. “Yes, they lived in the same marrohl, but they‟re still unmarried. And I can‟t remember even hearing of anything like it.” She firmed her lips and focused on a point beyond his shoulder. “They were under basically the same protection as you. And you wouldn‟t have heard anything about it. All the details of the claiming are kept away from young females. If you‟d seen anything, it would have been easily explained as a need to talk alone or something like that.” Jarritt‟s lips brushed along her jawline. “The women would say something or argue.” She shook her head. There was no way she could have missed all of the signs of women being claimed as she had been. “Did you take your situation public with loud arguments?” Jarritt‟s mouth moved down her neck. She drew in a shuddering breath and tipped her head to the side. “I‟m a stranger here. There was no one I could go to, talk to, or who would even help me. If I‟d been at home, I‟d have friends I could go to. While my mother‟s dead, there is an older woman I could have gone to as well. I wouldn‟t have felt trapped and alone as I did here.”
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“The young women do go to talk to older females, but they soon find out the truth if they don‟t know it. A claiming is unavoidable.” His head lifted and he looked into her eyes. She saw unswerving determination in his eyes. She didn‟t know about the way things were done elsewhere or with other people. With Jarritt, she believed that a claiming just might be unavoidable, simply because he wouldn‟t give up until he got what he wanted. The idea sent a hungry thrill through her as well as scared her right down to her toes. He watched her for a few more moments, satisfaction burning in his eyes. Still holding her, he stood. Her feet slid along his legs and their bodies aligned. His hands moved down her body and cupped her buttocks. As he rocked her against him, she felt his hard thick shaft nudging against her. Anticipation sent a spurt of excitement shooting through her. Hot moisture coated the lips of her pussy and moistened the crotch of her pants. “Give me a kiss. I have to go to the landing port and I‟ve been waiting for the feel of your lips.” Jarritt didn‟t move to close the small distance between their mouths. She leaned in to him. Her lips brushed against his and she slowly closed her eyes.
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Chapter Eight Lisia walked through the buildings. She felt a little restless and really needed some time alone. A run through the forest, even in human form sounded like heaven. She knew it wasn‟t going to happen. After being stopped two times in the last six days, she knew that Jarritt had given orders. She wasn‟t confined to the city. She just had to have an escort to leave. That made her angry. She didn‟t need to be followed around by some guard. She couldn‟t leave the planet without getting access to a spaceship and that would be impossible without at least one person seeing her. He knew none of the men would let her leave the planet, but that wasn‟t changing his stance. Just thinking about it infuriated her. For the past few days, she‟d been busy. The last of the refugees had left and things were finally getting back to normal. Lisia kicked at a stone near the toe of her boots. She hadn‟t found any way out of the claim. At least, not one that left her honor and pride intact. He wasn‟t going to suddenly decide that he didn‟t want her for a mate. She looked over to the forest beyond one of the marrohls. The leafy green forest seemed to call to her. The fact that she couldn‟t go into it only made the desire to run even stronger. She knew that she wouldn‟t even get to the rear of the building before a man stopped her. A shadow moved among the bushes. She frowned and narrowed her eyes at the area, watching carefully. Nothing moved. That raised her inner alarms more than the first sighting of movement. A small animal might freeze for a moment if they thought they heard something, but they would move again. She took a step forward, determined to find out just what was in those bushes. One of Jarritt‟s men seemed to appear at her side. When she saw the dark-haired man step up beside her, she tensed and very nearly screamed. Her heart slammed in her chest and she lifted her hand pressing it lightly above the pounding organ. “Can I accompany you somewhere, Lisia?” Arik asked. “No, I thought I saw something just beyond the bushes. I was just going to look,” she said. He looked at the bushes and then back at her. She could tell he didn‟t believe her. “Probably just an animal.” He watched her as if he expected her to try something. She took a deep breath, keeping a hold on the rush of anger. The man was only following orders, not being deliberately insulting. She still wanted to hit him. The arrogant man didn‟t need to say the words. His attitude clearly stated that he thought she was lying. She looked at the bushes and shook her head. If he wasn‟t concerned, she wasn‟t going to worry about it.
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“If you say so.” She shrugged and turned away to go back to the main street wending through the marrohls. She headed back to Jarritt‟s marrohl. Since she couldn‟t work off a little of the restless energy on a run through the forest, she‟d go find some privacy. She needed to think. It was obvious she wasn‟t going to get a chance to do it here. As she walked back, she watched men roll supply crates down the street. A zinging whoosh slashed through the air. Lisia spun on her heel and saw an Aridi man roll to his feet with a stun pistol drawn. Crouching, she looked around frantically, trying to see the danger. She didn‟t see anything out of the ordinary, at least until she saw Arik running down the street. “Get into a building!” Arik yelled. She turned and was going to do what he said, but as she turned to the nearest door, she saw a young boy crouched near the wall of the next marrohl. He trembled, his eyes darting around frantically. She didn‟t stop to think. Taking off at a run, she raced for the boy. Sliding to a stop, she wrapped her arms around him and lifted him. Just as she moved toward the nearest door, a white bolt hit the wall next to her hip. It sizzled and dissipated. She gasped, her heart slammed in her chest and raced. Rounding the corner and slamming her hand onto the panel at the side of the door, she crouched, protecting the boy with her body. Impatiently, she waited for the door to open. It seemed to take an eternity for the door to slide wide enough for her to slip into the building. She lunged through the doorway and spun toward the protection of a wall.
***** Jarritt gripped the stunner and moved slowly through the trees. The cool dark shadows surrounded him, shielding him as he crept from tree to tree. Tracking one of the pirates, he kept his steps silent. He wanted to see where this man was going. The pirate moved with such purpose and certainty that he obviously had a destination in mind. The lithe blond-haired man slipped through the trees going slowly toward the landing area. Jarritt moved behind the cover of thick, prickly bush growing near a thicktrunked tree as the man stopped. Jarritt didn‟t intend to let the pirate take whatever he was hunting, but he needed to know why the pirates had attacked. The man began moving again in an almost random pattern, but he always kept going toward the landing area. The pirate‟s cautious progress soon began to frustrate Jarritt. He‟d stop and look around the area, always keeping low. Jarritt had to keep his distance and make sure there was always cover near. The man stopped at the edge of the trees near the west side of the landing area. Hesitating, he crouched there, his head turning and his muscles tensed. The pirate seemed to be looking for something. Jarritt had no idea if the man was searching for guards or trying to find his target.
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Finally the man sprang forward and dashed onto the flat, paved surface of the large landing pad. He ran full out for a group of UDA shuttles. Jarritt followed silently, moving a bit parallel to the blond so he could use other craft for cover if needed. Jarritt hadn‟t seen even one Aridi or UDA guard here, but wasn‟t too surprised. They would have all rushed to help those in the city at the first word of the attack. Those had been Jarritt‟s orders to his men. There was nothing on this landing pad that couldn‟t be replaced. The lives of those within the city couldn‟t. The pirates had been known to kill almost anyone in their path. Jarritt moved around a shuttle to get a clear view and shot of the man. He watched as the man keyed in a code onto a locked weapons box outside one of the UDA shuttles. That was enough for Jarritt. He aimed and fired. The blast hit the man and he fell. Jarritt ran over and secured the man. He wanted to question this pirate. He took the small handheld link from his belt and requested information. Walking around the pad, he checked to see if any of the other Aridi had arrived. He knew at least one or two would have followed. He spotted two men coming from the forest. There were a few crates on the pad, but none of them looked to have been tampered with. For a moment, there was no response. “We caught most of the men, Shi’an, but two escaped. They had small fighters stashed in a clearing and took one of them. UDA fighters are giving chase, but don‟t hold much hope of catching them.” Arik reported. “Check the other fighters, but be careful of any traps.” Jarritt looked at the man he‟d caught and then the crate the man had been trying to open. “I need to talk with Lieutenant Commander Carson as soon as possible. Anything I need to know there?” “The battle was fairly straightforward. Only one of our men was injured. There is something I need to tell you about your Lady when you have time.” Arik hesitated and then his words came out in a rush. “Is Lisia hurt?” Jarritt‟s chest felt tight as panic seized him. He‟d just found her, he couldn‟t lose her now. “No, she hasn‟t been hurt.” Arik rushed to inform him. “We‟ll talk as soon as I finish with the Lieutenant Commander. There are some questions he needs to answer,” Jarritt decided. The assurance that she hadn‟t been hurt had relieved him a little, but he did want to know what his Ferot had to tell him about Lisia. Jarritt turned his attention to finding out what the man had been after. The attack on the clan had been a distraction. The real target had been the landing pad. The pirates had to be after something, but as far as Jarritt knew there really wasn‟t anything here worth the effort. He didn‟t have to wait long for the Lieutenant Commander to arrive. Lieutenant Commander Carson jogged down the path and onto the paved pad. “Your Ferot said that you needed to see me, that you‟d tracked one of the men here.” The Lieutenant Commander strode around one of the shuttles. His eyes went to the shuttles, obviously looking for damage or some sign of sabotage. 58
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“Yes, he tried to open that box. Is there something in your supplies that he could want? He went straight to your crates as if he knew what he was looking for.” Jarritt gestured to the crate, but didn‟t take his off the Lieutenant Commander. Marsh Carson frowned. “That‟s just extra food and other supplies to replace those used on the refugees. There‟s nothing there that they‟d really want. Not even any weapons.” The Commander‟s eyes suddenly rounded and he drew in a slow breath. “What? Is there something else they would want?” Jarritt asked shortly. He stepped forward. “Not here. They came after the wrong shipment.” Lieutenant Commander Carson slowly shook his head a smile spreading across his face. “Wrong shipment?” Jarritt wondered what had the man smiling like that. “There is a shipment coming soon with weapons and some equipment that should help us in the fight against the pirates. It was delayed.” Marsh explained. “They knew about it, but they didn‟t know about the delay. Who would have that information?” Jarritt frowned. The pirates had to have a contact to have known that. “That‟s hard to say. Those with high enough clearance to know about the weapons would have known about the delay. Since they attacked now, their spy isn‟t that high in the ranks.” Marsh‟s mouth pulled into a straight line and his brow furrowed. “So how do you think the pirates got the information?” Jarritt tapped his fingers on his thigh. “Pillow talk with a lover, loose lips, maybe even just a chance occasion of hearing two higher level officers talking about it. I‟ll send word and they‟ll find out and take measures to see that it doesn‟t happen again.” Marsh said with a grimace. Jarritt wasn‟t going to hold his breath. With the number of people who were part of the UDA, it could take years for them to find the person responsible. If they ever did. It was far more important to stop the pirates. “What does the equipment do? Did they want it or just want to destroy it?” He kept his mind focused on the matter at hand. Knowing what they had wanted to do might help predict when and where the pirates might attack next. “If they knew the specifics of what will be in the delivery when it gets here, they‟d probably want to destroy it. It could help us finally track them.” Marsh‟s voice lowered and he looked around to make sure no one was close to them. Jarritt nodded. It had to be some kind of tracking device or something to help uncloak the shielded craft as they zipped in and out of the area. Those little fighters just seemed to disappear. On some occasions they hadn‟t even known the pirates had landed until after the theft was discovered. Disabling those shields would probably lead to a quick capture of the pirates. Jarritt left the landing area and headed for the holding. He left the Lieutenant Commander to check the boxes and shuttles for damage. Now that the danger was
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over, he needed to see what had happened with Lisia. His Ferot wouldn‟t have mentioned anything if it hadn‟t been important. Something had happened, but at least he knew she wasn‟t hurt. He walked into the holding and found it in disarray. Crates of supplies had been broken open, the contents spilled across the street. He caught sight of a small puddle of blood near one of the broken boxes. It looked like the battles here had become physical at some point. He saw Arik at the end of the street directing the clean-up. Jarritt strode over to him, impatient to find out just what had happened with Lisia. “How is everything here?” Jarritt asked. His hand hovered near the stunner at his hip. Caution rose at the sight of the violence that had taken place here. “We‟re just cleaning up the mess the attack made, Shi’an. The captives are being given secure accommodation and we‟ll question them before turning them over to the UDA.” Arik looked around the area. “What happened with Lisia?” Jarritt relaxed certain that all of the details would be handled and that there was no lingering danger to the women and children. “She was outside when the attack occurred.” Arik took a deep breath, but his eyes remained locked with Jarritt‟s gaze. Jarritt tensed and a surge of raw fear pumped through him. “You told me that she wasn‟t hurt.” “She wasn‟t hurt. I told her to get inside. She didn‟t obey immediately. There was a child near one of the buildings. She ran over to him and nearly got herself shot before she managed to get inside a marrohl,” Arik said slowly. Jarritt felt anger rise in him replacing the fear in a hot rush. She‟d risked her life, disobeyed an order from a warrior during a battle. For his Ferot to come to him about, he knew she must have really come close to being injured. “Where is she?” he asked, his voice soft and low. “In the main room of your marrohl. I escorted her there right after the battle and have had a man watching the door since. She hasn‟t tried to leave.” Arik looked toward the doors of the marrohl. Jarritt followed his eyes and saw the man standing guard. He nodded slowly to Arik and headed for the door. He‟d known he‟d probably have to punish Lisia at some point. She had too much spirit not to push in some way. He‟d never envisioned a circumstance like this. He‟d thought she‟d try to leave. Maybe get her friend the Lieutenant Commander to help her in some way. He strode into the marrohl, anger nearly at a boiling point. At first, he didn‟t see her. He narrowed his eyes and looked again. Finally, he spotted her with a group of women, laughing and talking as if nothing was wrong. She looked so normal in a light green shirt, black pants and slippers. Almost before he realized what he was doing, he began stalking over to her.
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She saw him before he reached the table. Something in his expression must have told her he wasn‟t happy. She stopped laughing and her smile slowly faded. She stood, her hands resting on the tabletop. For a moment, he thought she was going to run. He stopped and tried to get hold of his temper. He couldn‟t discipline her when he was this angry. He gestured to a spot just in front of him. “Come here.” He saw her swallow. She stepped away from the table and walked over to stand in front of him. Nervousness rolled off her. He could feel it and smell it. She licked her lips and shifted her weight from foot to foot. “Is something wrong?” she asked. He nodded. “Something is definitely wrong. Go to our room and wait for me there.” She tensed and drew in a sharp breath. Her mouth opened. He thought she was going to argue or question the order. He could feel her defiance swelling and he had no idea how he‟d handle that as angry as he was. She blinked and slowly closed her mouth. Nodding, she turned and walked to the door. Her soft-soled shoes made almost no noise, but he couldn‟t miss her stiff posture or the anger brushing his mind. Her head was held high. Jarritt watched until the door slid shut behind her. He exhaled slowly and left the marrohl. Before he went to her, he needed to let his anger cool. He didn‟t want the emotion to rule his actions.
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Chapter Nine Lisia exhaled heavily and looked toward the door. The room she now shared with Jarritt seemed quiet and oppressive. She sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers digging into the soft fabric of the blue and green blanket. The bed was large, but the size suited the room. She could have sat in one of the two chairs facing each other in the far corner, but she wanted to see the door. The view from the chair facing the door was blocked by the opposite chair. She knew that if she got up and started moving she‟d be pacing in moments. The room would seem even smaller and more confining that it did now. She was nervous. She had no idea what she‟d done to make him that furious. After that look, she had no doubt that he believed she‟d done something. She‟d felt his anger washing over her. It had stunned her. For a moment, she‟d had the impulse to ask him what was wrong, what she‟d done. She‟d caught herself just before the question could tumble free. Not because of respect for his position and authority, although, the action could be viewed in that way. She‟d remained silent only because she knew asking those questions would probably infuriate him. So she waited and the frustration and anger built. She hadn‟t done anything. It seemed like an eternity passed before the door slid soundlessly open. He stepped into the room and stopped just inside the entrance. His brown eyes showed absolutely no emotion. She was a little relieved to feel that his anger had cooled, but his silent, intent stare made her want to squirm. “Stand up.” He didn‟t move from where he stood, his feet braced apart as if he expected a fight. She stood and bit at her lip. “What‟s wrong? You were so angry. I know you‟re angry with me, but I can‟t figure out why.” “What‟s wrong?” His eyebrows went up and he shook his head. “It‟s your actions that are wrong. Are you saying that you don‟t know what you‟ve done?” “I‟m saying I don‟t know what has made you angry. I know what I‟ve done today, but I can‟t think of anything that should cause you to be as angry as you were.” She kept her voice soft and tried to seem relaxed. She was far from calm, but she tried not to show it. She didn‟t want to seem defensive or anger him again. Her instincts screamed that it might be a good idea to get out of here now. Not that she was going to make a run for it even if it did sound like a good idea. That would only make him angrier. She could see the determination in his eyes, feel it rolling off him. She had no idea what he‟d decided, but she knew that she wouldn‟t be able to change his mind about it.
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“You don‟t know what you did? Would you like to explain how you don‟t remember blatantly disobeying an order? Running into danger and nearly getting yourself hurt or killed?” He advanced slowly into the room. “Asaen,” she hissed the word just under her breath. She hadn‟t even realized that he knew about that. Grimacing, she realized she should have known he‟d find out. Arik would tell him at the first opportunity. He‟d see it as his duty. “I didn‟t really see it like that. “How did you see it? Tell me how you could think that doing something other than following the order is anything other than disobedient.” Jarritt asked. He stopped just out of reach. His tense body easily conveyed the anger she could now feel radiating from him. “I didn‟t have time to think about it. I saw the boy and acted. It‟s not like I deliberately decided to go against Arik‟s commands.” She ran a hand through her hair, frustrated. He should realize she hadn‟t had time to think things through. “But you did go against his command. You could have been killed. You took an unnecessary chance. Arik would have gotten the boy to safety.” His voice dropped so low that it was almost a whisper. “I‟m supposed to let them do their jobs when they don‟t believe me?” She put her hand on her hip and glared at him. “I told Arik that I saw something moving in the bushes. He acted like he‟d caught me trying to sneak away. How was I to know that they‟d believe me about the boy? Arik couldn‟t see him and the child was frightened and he needed help then, not when some male happened to notice him.” Jarritt blinked, but his face immediately hardened. “I‟ll grant that you might have had some doubts about Arik‟s belief in you in certain circumstances, but you were born into a clan. You know that we value children and women highly. He would have believed you about the boy.” “Like I had time to think it all out. I saw the boy and I moved.” Her teeth clenched tightly and she held back an enraged yell. “You still endangered your life, the boy‟s and Arik‟s, on top of disobeying him.” He leaned forward and she saw the anger flaring in his eyes as well as felt it brushing through her mind. “I wasn‟t hurt and the boy is safe.” She shook her head. Was she supposed to apologize for what she‟d done? Is that what he wanted? “That is not the point.” His hand slashed the air and his voice almost echoed in the room. “You will obey orders given for your safety!” Her mouth worked. She had the distinct urge to back away, but she couldn‟t go anywhere with the bed pressing against the back of her calves. Licking her lips, her eyes lowered. She wasn‟t really afraid of him, but she knew this wasn‟t going to be a comfortable time. He wouldn‟t back away from punishing her for her disobedience. Excuses wouldn‟t matter to him. She couldn‟t be sure that Arik had even seen the boy and leaving the boy hadn‟t entered her mind. 63
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“Undress. Now.” He folded his arms and watched her. Lisia looked up at him and clutched the hem of her shirt. She already felt a little vulnerable. Getting undressed would only increase the feeling. She slowly pulled off her shirt. She tried to think of something to say that would calm him. Touch him, apologize, or promise not to ever do it again. She discarded each idea as it came to her. They wouldn‟t work. He might want an apology, but he wouldn‟t believe it before the punishment. “Are you going to refuse to obey me?” He took a slow step forward. She took a deep breath. “I‟ll obey your orders.” She leaned down and pulled off her slippers. Straightening, she unfastened her pants and pushed them down. She wriggled her hips as she slid the clinging material down her thighs. As she glanced up at him, she caught his eyes locked on her hips. She could see his interest, but she could also feel his determination. He wouldn‟t change his mind simply because he wanted her. She stepped out of her pants and underwear. Picking them up, she put them on the end of the bed. He nodded and paced forward. He sat on the bed and reached for her. Pulling her onto his lap, his arm curled around her back. She sat stiffly on his legs, not quite knowing what to expect. It was supposed to be punishment so she didn‟t think it would be pleasant, at least not for long. “Ah, now you‟re finally seeing that you‟ve done something wrong. You‟re getting nervous. There are consequences for your actions. You‟d better remember that if you disobey me, you will be punished.” His free hand lifted her chin so that she was forced to meet his eyes. “You expect me to just run to safety while a small child is in danger? When I can help? That‟s not going to happen. I wasn‟t in that much danger.” Lisia frowned and tried to turn her head away from his. She wouldn‟t ever be able to do that. If she‟d seen an Aridi male close to the boy, she wouldn‟t have worried. She‟d have known he‟d be safe. There had been no one. That boy had been all alone and terrified. “I expect you to obey orders and let the men do their jobs. They‟re trained for dangerous situations. If you‟re running around they have to worry about protecting you too. The divided attention could get one of them killed.” His voice was hard, uncompromising and at odds with gentle brush of his thumb across her jaw. “So are you going to punish me or are you just going to sit there and lecture me?” Lisia asked on a rush of forced bravado. The contrast of that touch and his tone sent a whirl of nervousness fluttering through her belly. He raised a brow and seemed totally calm after her provoking remark. “Your punishment has already begun. The lecture, as you call it, is part of it.” She took a slow deep breath. It would help if she knew what to expect. She knew how to handle losing privileges and being confined to a marrohl. She had absolutely no problem with those, but not knowing seemed to be worse than torture. 64
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His hand left her jaw and trailed down her chest over the full swell of her breasts. Tingles followed the path of his fingers. His nails traced around the tightening areola. She drew in a hissing breath and struggled to keep her focus. Her body wanted to go wild. He wouldn‟t be giving her any satisfaction. She had to keep that uppermost in her mind. “Don‟t bother fighting it. You‟re going to be almost screaming for your release before I‟m done.” His eyes locked with hers as his big hand cupped her breast. Lisia gulped. Her heart beat faster and it wasn‟t entirely from nervousness. She couldn‟t deny she found the situation arousing. His stern attitude excited her. Part of her wanted to push, to see if she could break through that hard mask. Another yearned to submit, to yield to his strength. She knew that neither tactic would work tonight. He wouldn‟t back away from what he considered necessary. Just another of those alpha traits that made her want to scream and catch the next shuttle off the planet. Asaen, why couldn‟t she have found someone just a little bit less alpha? Maybe a little bit more reasonable. His thumb flicked over the taut bead. She felt it tighten even more as sharp tingles danced following the path of those fingertips. His hand cupped the full globe, squeezing gently. Her body responded to his touch readily even though she knew he didn‟t intend to give her any satisfaction. “You‟ll be just as frustrated as I am.” She couldn‟t resist inserting that bit of information. She could feel his hard cock pressing against her thigh even through his pants. “I can‟t deny that, but I won‟t walk away from your punishment. You will learn to obey the rules.” His voice dropped lower and the words were delivered in a hard uncompromising tone. His brows lowered over his brown eyes. Lisia was feeling more than put upon right now and even a little panicky. She didn‟t know how to calm him down. She could usually talk her brother out of any anger and if she couldn‟t, she could deal with a little confinement. Jarritt didn‟t respond at all and his determination seemed absolutely unshakable. He drew in a long breath and abruptly his features softened. “You‟ll be fine. There‟s no reason to be afraid.” His arms pulled her close for a moment. “I think you‟re used to being in control and now that everything‟s out of your control you‟re scared.” Her hands clasped together in her lap and she drew in a slow deep breath. “This is all so different. I don‟t know what to do with you.” “You might eventually learn ways to soften my temper, but I‟ll never let you get away with disobedience or risking your life.” His hand cupped her chin and he forced her to meet his eyes. She saw that his lips were compressed into a thin line. The softening she‟d seen only moments ago had disappeared. She could see and feel his anger and
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determination. She didn‟t know what to do. If she apologized, he‟d know it was partly a lie. She didn‟t really think she‟d done something so wrong. “You can‟t change my mind,” he said. His quiet comment startled her. Her head snapped up and she met his eyes, wondering for a moment if he‟d read her mind. She shook her head. His guess was uncanny, but she knew he could only read feelings, just as she could. She firmed her lips. Anger and defiance created a reckless combination inside her. Remaining silent took an amazing amount of effort. She turned her head away and stared at the wall. If he was going to punish her, she wanted to get it over with. He shifted her in his arms and urged her back a little. She had a feeling the tension, the waiting, the wondering, was part of his punishment. She felt a little off balance. Without thinking about it, she hooked her arm around his shoulders, holding on to him. His head lowered, feathering kisses over the slope of her breasts. She squirmed. Her body turned into the pressure of his mouth. In spite of knowing she was only going to end up frustrated, she wanted to feel his mouth. She felt a hot gust of air over one of her nipples. Licking her lips, she arched her back, offering her breast. His tongue left a moist trail. It circled around the stiff nub. She shivered. Sensation curled low in her belly. His teeth closed over the reddened peak. A sharp pleasure blossomed and spread in a rush of heat as he tugged and released the stiff peak. “I can smell your arousal already.” His lips closed over the peak, released, and then recaptured the distended nub. Torn between the urge to enjoy the delicious sensations and the knowledge that he would stop at some point, she trembled. Her heart raced. If she could, she‟d get up and walk out right now. She hated being left hanging, but leaving wasn‟t an option. She remained as she was, but she felt his arm tighten around her as if suspected she might be thinking of jerking free of his hold. His hand slipped down over her stomach. His fingers traced her bellybutton. She squirmed in his arms, laughing at the tingling tickle. Her laughter caught in her throat when his hand boldly cupped her pussy. All thoughts about anything other than his hands and mouth on her body flew from her mind. His fingers pressed between the slick lips and stroked the hardened nub of her clit. Moving his fingers in tight circles, he drove the need inside her higher. She widened her thighs eagerly. “After this, you won‟t forget the price for disobedience.” His voice almost sounded like a full growl as the words rolled against her breasts. He drew her nipple deep into his mouth and began sucking at almost the same moment that two of his fingers slipped into her pussy. Lust overrode the last of any restraint she might have had left. She moaned and her hips rose. His mouth felt so good. His thumb flicked over her clit with each inward stroke. He released her breast and worked his way over to the other one, but only dropped a kiss on the tip before
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straightening. His hand moved against her. Tightening sensation drew her muscles taut. Suddenly, he pulled his fingers free. She cried out at the loss and could feel her inner muscles clenching, seeking the thick hardness of his fingers. Reaching for him, her fingers closed around his wrist. He exploded into movement. With a forceful but gentle move, he pulled free of her hold. He grabbed her and lifted, flipping her onto her stomach in a smooth motion. She found herself staring at the floor, her belly pressed against his thighs before she could even think of struggling. With one hand braced against his thigh, she pushed herself up until only her hips rested on his thigh. She heard the crack first, then felt heat flare over her right buttock. His hand landed on the opposite cheek only a moment later. She gasped and began squirming and fighting. His hand pressed against the small of her back. It stayed there a warm unyielding pressure that offered no hope of escape until he released her. She gulped in gasping breaths. Resentment rose, but even that didn‟t dim the hunger she could still feel curling inside her. When his hand moved between her thighs, she knew he wasn‟t going to let her forget it. His thumb stroked across her clit. She tensed and drew in a stunned breath. The sharp sensation from that simple touch was so intense that she felt it all the way to her toes. She could still feel it rippling through her, building her arousal. She moaned and her hips arched into his touch. “You will obey orders given for your safety immediately.” She tensed expecting another swat to land on her ass. When his palm just cupped her left butt cheek, her skin tingled where his hand molded to the curve. She felt a trickle of moisture seep from her pussy. Her body went wild. She trembled knowing that she was on the edge of a huge climax. His hand lifted and landed in a swift swat, rose again and delivered another open handed crack to her buttocks. She clutched at his thigh, her muscles quivering. In a few more moments, she‟d probably beg him for release. He lifted her off his lap and in one swift move stood. “You will stay in this room until I get back.” She nodded, not trusting her voice when her body was screaming with need. “This is punishment. You will not touch yourself. You will not give yourself release. I‟ll know if you do and you won‟t like the results.” His hard brown eyes locked with hers. She nodded again. She‟d absolutely love to flout his orders just to prove that she could. He didn‟t seem inclined to see her side of the story. She hadn‟t done anything wrong by helping the boy. That apparently didn‟t matter. He wasn‟t playing and she didn‟t know if she could take more of his punishment. It wasn‟t the pain. The smacks on her buttocks had stung, but it was the arousal and the delay that were uppermost in her mind. She didn‟t know if she could take another wait, but she‟d try. She was certain that if she did disobey he would begin again. 67
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He left the room and she stood. She walked over and pulled one of Jarritt‟s shirts out of the closet. It was large and roomy. She couldn‟t even think about putting on one of her own shirts. It would be too tight. Her breasts felt too sensitive for the pressure. Even the loose, soft fabric of his shirt felt almost rough, abrasive. She couldn‟t stay still. Unsatisfied sexual energy swirled inside her. The urge to slide her hand down her body kept gnawing at her. She clenched her hands and kept them stiffly at her side. Being ordered to stay in this room certainly didn‟t help matters. She needed to find some way to keep busy but the room was clean. Nothing for her to do.
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Chapter Ten Jarritt left the marrohl and headed into the forest. If he stayed in the marrohl, he‟d be tempted to go to her. For the punishment to be effective, she needed to feel the frustration build. His cock ached, pressing tightly against the laces of his pants. Leaving her like that hadn‟t been easy. He‟d wanted to fuck her, if only to reassure himself that she was safe. When he was well away from the building and knew he was alone, he stripped off his clothes and changed forms. He cast a look back to the marrohl before springing forward. His large paws made little sound as he ran deeper into the forest. She would remember this lesson. He didn‟t want to have to go through that again. Animal and man were united in this purpose. She wouldn‟t risk her life. She would obey him. Her safety was an absolute priority and she would remember it. He ran, trying not to think of her luscious scent and her sweet body. The exercise taxed his body but it didn‟t push thoughts of her from his mind. He‟d never expected to feel this strongly for her this soon. The connection between them had been strong, but he‟d believed that deeper emotions would take time to build and form. He forced his thoughts onto the pirates and ways to make his clan safe. Motion detectors wouldn‟t really work. For the most part, other Aridi would set the alarms off as they ran through the forest. As long as the threat of pirate attacks remained, he‟d have to station lookouts at points around the clan holding. He slowed his pace and began making his way back to the marrohl. Hopefully, Lisia would be waiting as he‟d instructed. Sometimes, he didn‟t know what to expect from her. She could be wild and defiant one moment and then soft and undeniably feminine the next. He knew he‟d never completely control her. It went against Aridi nature. They were a wild breed. He didn‟t want a slave. All he wanted was to keep her safe. He didn‟t expect her to appreciate that just yet. From the little that he knew, she‟d been surrounded by the protection of her family until that incident at the spaceport. He got his clothes and dressed. Entering the marrohl, he headed straight for the door to his section. The door opened and he climbed the stairway. He paused outside the room. Her scent was faint and mixed with his own. He knew that she hadn‟t stepped out of the room since he‟d left her. Opening the door, he stepped into the room. She sat on the bed, her eyes narrowed on him. She was naked, but he saw one of his shirts on the bed near her. The scent of her arousal hung heavy in the air. “How are you doing?” Jarritt asked walking over to the stand in front of her.
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“How do you think I‟m doing? My body‟s burning, I‟ve been sitting here unable to find release because of your damn order. I guess I should be in a great mood.” Her voice had a definite biting edge. He smiled. Her words didn‟t bother him. In fact, he expected it. It gave him encouragement. The anger he could deal with. Most of it would fade as soon as she found her release. “What do you think of your lesson?” He didn‟t move, just watched her face. “Have you ever actually liked a lesson?” She bared her teeth at him. “I can‟t say I did, but I learned from them.” He sat down on the bed beside her. “So did you learn anything? Are you going to obey or will you need another lesson?” “I can‟t predict how I‟ll react in a situation like today. I‟ll do my best to obey your orders. I can‟t ever see myself turning my back on a child in trouble. If I know there‟s a warrior there to help him, I‟ll be happy to let him handle it.” She took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. He was more satisfied with that than if she‟d agreed completely to everything. She‟d actually been thinking about it, about what might happen in the future. That was what he‟d hoped would happen. “If you do break the rules again, you will be punished.” He stood and began slowly taking off his clothes. She looked over at him, her eyes running up and down his body as he peeled off the last of his clothes. “Are we actually going to do something or are you going to torture me some more?” “Is that what you think it was? Torture?” He gently gripped her arms and drew her to her feet. “What would you call it if I excited you and then left? All the while having no intention of fulfilling that desire?” She questioned with a baleful look. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned a little away from him. “I can see your point, but it was intended to be a lesson, not torture. I want you to remember this.” He gently uncrossed her arms and put them around his waist. She let her arms fall back to her sides. Jarritt smiled. Apparently, she held a grudge. He could handle that. Making sure her mood improved would be just the kind of challenge he‟d welcome. He pulled her close to him until her hips snuggled against his. She stood stiffly in his arms. “You achieved your aims. I‟ll definitely remember this.” She pushed against his chest. “Let me go.” “I would if I didn‟t intend to hear you screaming my name.” He slid his hands down her back, cupping her buttocks. She looked up at him. He saw the hope in her eyes and her body relaxed against him.
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“What, I‟m not supposed to wait for the rest of the day to pass so that I‟ll remember it?” She didn‟t seem to entirely believe he was serious. “If I intended you to stay unsatisfied through the rest of the day, I wouldn‟t have touched you when I returned. There‟s such a thing as taking a punishment too far.” Jarritt‟s fingers flexed and he lifted her against him. “It‟s not as if all I did was take away something of yours.” She tilted her head and her hands slowly rose brushing over his ribs. He smiled, crawled onto the bed and lifted her into the center of the mattress. Gently his body came down over hers. The feel of her smooth skin felt so good. He wanted to lift her thighs and ease into her tight wet pussy. He knew she still wanted him, but he needed to know she was ready for him. “I didn‟t want to leave you.” She stiffened beneath him. “I‟m not going to ignore what happened. You were punished. It‟s over.” He cupped her cheek. “I don‟t want to talk about it,” she said. “I want to make love now. If we have to talk, we can do it later.” She frowned at him, but her eyes followed him as he moved down her body. He took the time to taste and caress her beautiful breasts. He drew her nipple into his mouth as his other hand squeezed and fondled the other full globe. She gasped and her back arched, pushing her breast up into his mouth. He chuckled loving her reaction. He could feast on her breasts all day long. He loved the taste of her skin, the feel of her nipples as he drew them into his mouth. After tasting each breast, he moved even lower. Trailing nipping kisses down her belly, he focused on getting to her wet pussy. Those lovely hairless lips glistened with her slick juices. “I‟m going to enjoy tasting your sweet pussy. Do you want my lips and tongue on you, my liana?” Jarritt‟s tongue circled her bellybutton before trailing down the slightly curving slope of her belly. “Yes.” The word hissed out on a harsh exhalation. His teeth nipped at her hip. She wriggled, a thrill of her excitement shooting through her. He chuckled, his tongue swirling over her skin. Her thighs widened and she tilted her hips up. A clear sign that she needed more than the teasing nips. His lips trailed lower. He dropped a kiss on the top of her mound. She quivered with anticipation. He could smell the heightening of her arousal. He wanted to see, to taste more. He wanted to feel her inner muscles clenching around his cock. He drew his tongue up the slick lips of her labia. She moaned. Her hands clenched in his hair. A purr rumbled through him. He loved the feel of her fingers in his hair. Her delicious taste and smell filled his senses. He parted the pink lips and lapped at her hard clit. He flicked the nub, enjoying the way she wriggled and writhed beneath his tongue. Her hands tugged him closer.
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Sweat glistened on her forehead and red tinged her cheeks. His mouth moved lower. He lapped the juices spilling from her pussy. He traced his tongue around the opening. She gasped. Her body bowed as the tension stretched even tighter. He slipped his fingers into the clenching channel. Hot juices surrounded his stroking fingers. He watched his fingers slide into her pussy. Just watching her body become hotter made him so hard for her. “Are you ready for me?” he asked, lifting his head. She moaned, reached for him, pulling him up to her. He didn‟t even try to resist. Her thighs closed around his hips as he moved over her. There wasn‟t anywhere he wanted to be more than between her legs, deep inside her. Warm liquid coated the head of his cock as his shaft brushed over the wet lips. He reached between them, guided his cock to her opening, pushed into her. Her inner muscles clenched around the head. He threw his head back, desperately trying to keep control. Her tight sheath rippled over his cock as if to pull him deeper into her pussy. She moaned brokenly, her nails digging into his back. Her mouth searched for his almost desperately. She brushed nipping kisses across his lips, but he wanted more than those quick hungry kisses. His mouth opened over hers and his tongue drove deep into her mouth. He claimed her mouth possessively as his cock pushed into her clutching pussy. They broke apart panting. Her breasts brushed against his chest as she wriggled. He had to move. His hips rose and hers met each descending stroke. She was his mate in every way, matching his hunger. Her feelings washed over him, the desire and need, but more was there in the wave of feelings radiating from her. His own hunger kept him from focusing on them. He wanted this to last too much. He barely had any control right now. He felt the intense rush of pleasure hit her a breath before her inner muscles clenched around his shaft. She arched her body as her thighs tightened around his. Her climax ripped away the last of his control. His hips drove against hers. Jets of semen spurted into her sweet, clenching sheath as a wall of fierce sensation slammed over him. He collapsed on top of her, feeling as if she‟d just drained every drop of energy out of him. His muscles trembled and he doubted if he could even stand. His. His woman. His mate. He nuzzled his face against her neck, savoring their combined scents. Her lips brushed his shoulder and her arms tightened pulling him closer. Her contentment washed over him. He knew if she‟d been in animal form, she‟d be purring.
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Chapter Eleven Lisia wished for just a few minutes alone, some time away from the eyes, the noise and the questions. Especially the eyes. It was impossible right now. A new surge of rescued people had arrived early this morning. She wouldn‟t be getting any time alone soon. There was too much to do. She didn‟t know if she could make it through everything she had to do today without some kind of tension release. Her nerves were drawn so tight that she felt as if she‟d explode. And it was all Jarritt‟s fault. He‟d kept a close eye on her since that day he‟d punished her. It was as if he expected her to just take off running and he wanted to be close enough to catch her. If it had only been him, when he was with her, she could have handled it. It wasn‟t. He had some of his men watching her. She could feel his suspicion, the lack of trust. It was ripping her apart. She hated it. She didn‟t know how he could think she‟d be so upset that she‟d run into the woods. Or whatever he thought she was going to do. She couldn‟t just walk away from him. Honor and custom had absolutely nothing to do with it. She had no idea when it had happened, but she loved the man. Stubborn, irritating and doubting though he was. When she was in his arms, everything felt right. Unfortunately, in the last few days, that was almost the only times things felt good between them. The suspicion and anger had made things between them tense outside the bedroom. Her mind kept circling. She couldn‟t stop thinking about his distrust. How could he miss how she felt about him? It was there for him to feel. She knew that he loved her, had known even before she recognized her own feelings for him. How could he think she‟d leave him over such a minor tiff? Admittedly, she still didn‟t know why he‟d reacted as intensely as he had, but she wasn‟t planning to leave because of it. She knew she had a lot to learn about him and planned to learn everything. “Have you finished placing the last of the refugees in marrohls?” Arik strolled over to her. She glared at him and ran a frustrated hand through her hair. He wasn‟t the man guarding her, but she saw him every day. Right now she was irritated with all of the men guarding her. She had a feeling Jarritt had told the man to keep an eye on her. “I‟ve found places for all of them. The only problem is the meal tonight. The meals had been started. No one told us until moments before the people started arriving, but we‟ll handle it.” Lisia rolled her shoulders trying to ease a little tension. “Good. I‟m sure the meal will be wonderful.” Arik nodded looking around as people went about their duties. “The Shi’an will be pleased.”
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She‟d be pleased if the Shi’an would see and feel what should be obvious. She could understand that he was tense because of the pirate attacks. All the men were. She couldn‟t understand why he didn‟t say something or talk to her. The man wasn‟t shy. It was almost time for the meal when Jarritt came into the marrohl. His eyes searched the main room until he found her. She started toward him before he saw her. She needed to hold him and talk to him. Her nerves were stretched taut and she hadn‟t left the city in a week. She needed to at least walk through the forest. A run would be better. “How was your day?” Jarritt asked. His arms wrapped around her as soon as she got within reach. She hugged him back. Just being near him felt good. She leaned into him. “It was a little stressful, but good. We found a place for everyone. I need to talk to you after the meal.” She leaned back and looked up at him. She felt the tension shoot through him. His body stiffened. She blinked. What was so startling or upsetting about what she‟d just said? She frowned and stroked her hand over his arms. “We‟ll talk,” he said, stepping back and nodding. His face had hardened and the only emotion she could feel from him now was something close to determination. She looked up, but didn‟t have the time to ask him what was wrong. He gave her a searing look. His eyes ran from her head to her toes in one long hungry sweep before he left to go talk with his men. That was the last time she even got within touching distance before it was time to eat. He talked with his men during most of the meal, only pausing to ask her a few questions about where their temporary guests had been put and if there had been any problems. Lisia sat beside him getting a little angrier each time he brought up some unnecessary subject for discussion with those around him. She wanted to talk to him after the meal, but she‟d also like to talk to him about his day, just relax with him. She‟d been here long enough to know that this wasn‟t the way things usually happened. Finally, the meal was finished and he stood. Lisia looked up at him as she rose. His jaw seemed tight and his mouth was pulled into a grim frown. She wondered what was behind it, but her focus remained on getting some time outside the city. “Let‟s go sit and you can tell me what you need to talk about.” Jarritt rested his hand low on her back. She nodded and walked with him to the group of chairs near one of the large hearths. She took one of three seats and expected him to take one of those next to her. He dropped into a chair opposite her and tented his fingers. “What did you want to tell me, Lisia?” His head tilted to the side and he relaxed back in the chair.
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She knew that calm voice and relaxed demeanor were all part of an act. The tension she felt from him was enough to make her want to pace. “I need to talk about the restrictions you‟ve put on me. They‟re driving me insane.” She took a deep breath. Calm, she reminded herself. Remain calm. “You will have guards. The pirates could come back and until we find a way to detect them, it‟s too dangerous.” His voice was hard and he didn‟t even pause to think before he answered. If he hadn‟t been giving her those suspicious looks for days, she might have believed that. The threat of pirates wasn‟t the only reason for his denial. She‟d expected resistance, but she‟d thought he‟d at least talk about it first. “I don‟t want to go around without guards. Don‟t try to tell me it‟s all about the pirates because I‟m not that gullible. I just need to get into the forest for a while. I need to run a little, Jarritt.” She moved restlessly in her chair, wanting to get up and start pacing. With effort she resisted the urge. The cat within her was going insane confined to the city. “You won‟t be running in the forest.” He leaned forward and his eyes locked on hers. His attitude spoke volumes. Without saying the words, he‟d just told her what he expected her to do. He thought she was going to try to leave him. She wanted to strangle him. “I‟m not going to run…” She stopped her heated response when a hand lightly touched her shoulder. She whipped her head around to see who it was. Anger still pounded through her veins. If she couldn‟t get his permission, she was going to do it without it, regardless of the consequences. “We need your help, Lady,” Renee said. She stood just behind Lisia, her hands hanging at her side. Lisia opened her mouth to ask if it could wait, then looked back at Jarritt. A break from the argument might be just what she needed. She was too angry right now to talk about the issue rationally. He looked just as grim as she felt. Maybe a little time would help him too. It certainly couldn‟t hurt. “I‟m going to see what they need, but I‟ll be back. We will talk again. I haven‟t finished discussing this.” She wasn‟t going to back away from an argument. She needed some kind of release. He nodded. Lisia turned and accompanied Renee out of the room and into the kitchen. As the door closed behind her, she looked around the room, expecting to see something wrong. Nothing was burning on the gleaming stoves and none of the women looked upset as they moved around the spacious room. She couldn‟t see anything out of place
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on the counter tops and all of the women seemed to be working smoothly. Everything looked as it should be, not even a bag of tela flour spilt on the tile floor. “What‟s wrong? Why did you need me?” Lisia turned to Renee. “I asked her to go get you because I could see you were about to get into an argument with the Shi’an.” Myra‟s voice came from behind her. Lisia looked over her shoulder and smiled as she watched Myra, the wife of one of the older men, come fully into the kitchen. “It wouldn‟t be our first argument and it won‟t be our last.” “I just wanted to give you a little information before you go into battle with him over something you might not want to if you had the information,” Myra offered as she walked over to the large work table. Lisia joined the woman, curiosity piqued. “What can you tell me that would make a difference in how I react? I‟ve been kept in this city for days. I need to get out and move in the forest. He didn‟t even try to listen to me.” “He‟s not intentionally being blind to what you need. There‟s something in his past he should tell you about that‟s coloring his decision.” Myra wiped a hand over the gleaming, light brown surface. “Something in his past?” Lisia tilted her head. That was mysterious enough to make her want to go out there and start asking questions right now. She didn‟t. She wanted a little more information than that before she began asking Jarritt any more questions. Especially in his current mood. “Yes, you‟ll have to ask him, but once you hear about it, I think you‟ll understand.” Myra glanced over at her. “Be patient.” “Patience isn‟t easy when my skin‟s prickling with the need to change and to go into the forest. I wouldn‟t even have to be alone. I‟d gladly go with him.” Lisia ran her fingers through her hair thoroughly frustrated. “Is he going to want to talk about it or is it something I‟m going to have to work at getting out of him?” “You might have to work a little.” Myra grimaced. “It‟s not something I‟ve heard him even mention.” Lisia sighed loudly. This wasn‟t going to be easy, but if she wanted to know why he felt so strongly, she‟d have to push through his resistance. And knowing that reason might be the difference between getting him to see her side of the issue and having to go against another order. “Thank you for the information. It helps, but it doesn‟t change the fact that I have to make him listen to me somehow.” Lisia smiled at the woman, but her mind was already turning the matter, looking for a way to get through to him. She walked out into the main room. Jarritt was still sitting in the chair where she‟d left him. Looking around at the people still gathered in the room, she bit her lip. This discussion could get loud again. It would probably be better to take the talk somewhere
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private. If it meant as much as Myra had implied, getting him to talk might not be simple. Stopping beside his chair, she put a hand on his shoulder. “Why don‟t we go to our room and talk about this. I have some questions and I‟d like some privacy.” “I‟m not going to change my mind.” He stood and gently took her hand. His fingers rubbed across her knuckles just before he lifted her hand to his lips. She closed her eyes and resisted the urge to argue immediately. The stubborn man hadn‟t even listened to her. She needed to know what was behind his beliefs before they got back to the arguing. She wanted to keep both of their tempers even until after they‟d talked a little more. Turning she led the way to their section and then up the stairs. He followed, his fingers resting just on her lower back. Within moments, the door closed behind them. She decided against going over to the large comfortable chairs in the corner. She doubted she‟d be sitting for long, especially if he refused to even listen to her. She walked over to the bed and dropped onto the soft blanket. Her fingers traced the wavy pattern of blues for a moment before she looked up at him. He stood near the edge of the bed, but made no move to sit. “What questions did you want to ask?” Jarritt folded his arms across his chest. “Why are you reacting like this? So strongly? Has something happened in the past?” She rubbed at the tense muscles at the back of her neck. “You‟ve been talking to some of the other women.” A smile kicked up the corner of his mouth. “What exactly did they tell you?” “Only that you weren‟t being arbitrary just because you can be. That there was a situation in your past that was behind your decision.” She shrugged. She didn‟t relax, she couldn‟t. This meant too much. “I always have a reason when I make a decision. I know it may seem as if I just do this to deny you, but that‟s not true. If I thought it was safe, I‟d let you run in the forest as much as you wanted.” He knelt in front of her and cupped her cheek. “What happened? What‟s behind this decision? Other than the logic?” She licked her lips and tilted her head into his touch. “We‟d just gotten here. That was two years ago. My sister had come with us. She was looking forward to the challenge of making a new home here.” Jarritt grasped her hands and held them as he looked up into her eyes. She squeezed his hand, letting him know that she was right there and not going anywhere. “What happened to her? Was it something like what‟s happening now?” “We think it was pirates.” Jarritt nodded. “There had been an attack only a week before, but we thought it was safe. At least for the time being. She was out in the forest on a run when the attack happened. They stunned her and slit her throat.” Lisia closed her eyes. His sadness and anger seemed to surround her. She couldn‟t understand the savagery of the attack. The woman had been stunned. She couldn‟t have
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fought. It had been a senseless crime. She understood why he didn‟t want her in the forest now. Still… She looked up at him. “I can see why you‟ve given the orders you have. I still need to get out of the city. The walls are pressing in on me. But I never said I had to go alone or very far from the marrohl.” His brown eyes burned into hers. She could feel that he was torn between keeping her safe and wanting to make her happy. “You don‟t want to run alone like you did the morning after you arrived here?” “I love running in the forest, but I can understand why you‟re worried. I just need a little feeling of freedom right now.” She dropped a kiss on his lips. If she didn‟t think she‟d go stir crazy, she‟d go without the run. The stress of taking the role of his Lady and the tension from the time when she‟d fought his claim had taken its toll on her. “Tomorrow, I‟ll take you for a run.” He slowly rose, pulling her into his arms. “Thank you so much.” She threw her arms around his neck. “But could you maybe rephrase that. It sounds a little too much like you‟re going to take a pet out for a walk.” “What? You‟re not my arra? You don‟t want to walk with me?” A broad smile tilted his lips. He nipped at the full lower curve. “I‟m hurt.” She gripped his shirt and kissed him. His tongue stroked into her mouth. She moaned and let the sensation wash through her. He drew her lip between his, sucking lightly. “I‟m always willing to walk with you,” Lisia whispered. She combed her fingers through his hair. “Right now, I‟m thinking about something very different, something hard. Do you think you can give that to me?” He clasped her hand and drew it down to his cock. Her fingers curled around the thick ridge. She stroked his cock and leaned into him. Her fingers moved upward, unfastening his pants. “Have you found something interesting?” he asked roughly. “I‟ve found something very interesting,” she purred as she released the fastening. She brushed her fingers over the head of his shaft. A shudder ripped through his body. She enjoyed seeing and feeling the effect she had on him. She could feel the hunger tearing into him. “I know something I want to see.” He stepped back and his eyes locked on the generous mounds thrusting against her shirt. “Then why don‟t you try getting me out of this shirt. I‟d like to feel your hands and mouth on my breasts.” She wriggled her shoulders as she drew her hand down the length of his cock. He groaned and grabbed her wrist before she began another long slow stroke. She chuckled loving the thrill of pushing him to the edge. He drew her fingers away from his shaft, lifting them to his lips he kissed the tips.
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“No more of that. I want to be inside you and hear you calling my name before I come.” Jarritt nipped her fingers before continuing his task of undressing her. She heard a slight rip as he pulled at her shirt. The material gaped and then he pulled it off her. In moments, he had her naked and was laying her down on the bed. He rid himself of his clothing and climbed into bed beside her. “Now, I get to taste these beautiful breasts.” His fingers plucked at the hardened peaks. He didn‟t kneel beside her, but lay down on his back with a wide smile on his face. “Come over me, Lisia. I want to nibble and suck on your nipples.” She had to smile as he put an arm underneath his head. He looked relaxed. Except for the hard ridge of his cock jutting up from between his thighs. She licked her lips. She wanted to get her hands and mouth on that thick length. Rising to her knees, she moved toward him. He laughed and gripped her arms. Pulling her up his body, his lips captured hers in a kiss. With only the slightest urging, she straddled his hips. She wanted that thick length inside her. A moan of regret fell from her lips as he urged her up onto his muscled abdomen. “You‟re already wet and slick for me, aren‟t you?” His fingers left a tingling trail of heat as he traced the length of her thigh. “You know I am.” She closed her eyes and fought the urge to move against him. She wanted to rock back and take his shaft deep, but she also wanted to let the heat build. His hands smoothed up her back, gently massaging. She could feel the arrogant satisfaction pulsing through him. He knew just how deeply he‟d affected her just as she knew what he wanted. She leaned down, lowering her breast to his mouth. He drew the hardened peak between his lips, his tongue flicking at the tight bead. Her eyes nearly rolled back into her head as he began sucking greedily at her nipple. Piercing heat shot straight to the tight core of sensation curling in her belly. She felt a gush of slick moisture against her thighs. Asaen, he was going to make her come even before she had his cock deep in her pussy. Her heart pounded and she wriggled trying to move down his body and take his shaft inside her. He kissed his way across her chest. His tongue swirled, tasting her as he moved to the neglected puckered nipple. “I want to feel you in me. Please, Jarritt.” She pushed herself up away from those lips. He drew her back down, his lips nibbling on her nipple. “Let‟s see how ready you are. Your scent is making me wild. Once I get inside your sweet little pussy…” His voice trailed off on a groan. He obviously hadn‟t been paying attention to what she was feeling. His hand slid between their bodies. She trembled and her breath hitched as his fingers brushed over the wet lips. His fingers stroked her clit, flicking the sensitive bud. He watched her face as she gasped. Her head tipped back and her nails sank into his 79
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shoulders. His fingers moved back and two slipped into her pussy. She felt her inner muscles clench around those digits. She pressed down onto his fingers. If he didn‟t stop playing around she was going to come. She didn‟t want pleasure alone. She wanted to be with him. He gripped her hips, moving her back. Rising to her knees, she eagerly reached between them, fitting his cock to her slick opening. She gently lowered onto it. A sigh burst from her lips. His hands gripped her buttocks, urging her to move. She rocked slowly. Sensation rippled through her body. He growled dragging her lips down to his. His teeth nipped and his tongue tangled with hers. She couldn‟t get enough of his kiss. She loved his taste. His hips thrust up as she lowered onto him. She felt the building tension begin to release. She came. Hot prickling sensation swelled, rushing over her. Her inner muscles clenched as his hands ground her against him. She groaned and shuddered. Just as the intense feeling began to fade, she felt him tense and hot semen spurt into her. She nestled down onto his chest savoring his scent. Pleasure still rippled through her and there was nowhere she‟d rather be.
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Chapter Twelve Lisia raised her head and let the cool wind brush over her neck. Asaen, it felt good to be out in the forest. For a few moments before they‟d left the holding she‟d wondered if she‟d even be allowed to come. She wouldn‟t be able to change forms and run, but even getting into the trees felt great. Jarritt hadn‟t been able to come with her, but he‟d assigned two guards to accompany her and the two other women who wanted to go for a walk in the forest. Anne and Renee hadn‟t seemed to feel as confined as she did, but they‟d been eager to leave. Lisia wanted to strip off her clothes and just savor the kiss of the sun on her face. It had been so long since she‟d been in the forest that the Aridi leaped inside her. The desire to change rose. She took a deep breath and pushed the urge back. She‟d promised to stay with group. There was no way she‟d be content to trot along with the group, but she‟d have to deal with it. She already felt the pull toward those high branches. The chattering of a small animal in the bushes to the left was drawing her every nerve tight. The feline was practically roaring to get out. She wanted to go over there and flush the animal out of its hiding place, chase it, maybe toss it up a few times before she ate it. “Lisia, are you all right?” Renee asked. Her head tilted and her brown eyes narrowed in concern. Lisia ran a hand through her hair. As her hand passed in front of her face, she caught the trembling of her fingers. She hadn‟t thought about how she‟d feel once she was in the forest. The urge to be here had been so strong that that was her only focus. Now, she didn‟t know if she could handle being out here and not let her wild side out to play. “I don‟t know if this was such a good idea.” She exhaled slowly. Going for a simple walk shouldn‟t be this hard. “Is something wrong?” Hale, a young, dark-haired Aridi, turned to face her, a scowl curling his lips. “Nothing‟s wrong. It‟s just not as easy to resist the urge to tear through the forest as I thought it would be.” She smiled shakily. That was an understatement, but she wasn‟t going to give him an excuse to go back to the city when they‟d just left it. “You can control it?” Hale raise a brow. She nodded. “I gave my word to Jarritt that I‟d stay with the group and the guards. I‟m not going to break it.” “Then let‟s go. The Shi’an wants us back before the sun sets.” Hale turned and led the way deeper into the forest.
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Lisia was a little relieved to hear that. She didn‟t know if she could resist the urge after dark. Normally, she‟d be furious at the additional restriction, but not this time. This time, she‟d have probably asked to start back early. She loved being outside and having the freedom to roam, even with guards. There was only so much temptation she could withstand. They walked through the forest, staying off the well-traveled paths. Lisia enjoyed the wending journey around bushes and across a rocky shallow portion of the river. They stopped for a moment beside the gently running, cool water. She stretched her arms over her head and let her eyes wander around the area. Purple and yellow flowers dotted the bushes near the river. Along the grassy banks and anywhere the sun could find a path through the leaves, bright coral-colored flowers dotted the ground. “It‟s time to head back now.” Hale‟s voice seemed loud in the silence of the small glade. Lisia fell into step behind Anna. She was a little sad to be heading back. She wasn‟t satisfied with the walk. She wished she could run through the forest, hunt and romp until her lungs burned and the wild side of was thoroughly exhausted. The darkening forest called to her. She resolutely looked at the light brown fabric of Anne‟s shirt. A sharp sizzling sound brought her head up just in time to see Hale crumple to the ground. She heard a thud and whirled. Dallan sprawled on the ground, unmoving, too. Men burst out of hiding and started running toward them. Lisia‟s heart slammed in her chest. She started to turn and run before she recognized the men in the dark, mottled clothing. Stopping, she stared in awe as her brother and other men from her clan ran toward her. “Drake… What…” She looked at the two unconscious men and then back to her brother. A fierce scowl pulled his lips tight and she could see the tension in his body as he came toward her. When he got close to her, she felt his anger. He stopped in front of her, his eyes running from her head to her feet. His fingers wrapped around her wrist. “It‟s time to go, Lisia,” he said tugging on her arm. “I can‟t go, Drake. I told you that I was committed.” She shook her head. Asaen, he was here to rescue her and it wasn‟t even necessary. “You‟re not committed to anything. You‟re coming with us, Lisia. Don‟t argue.” He looked over and let his eyes settle on Anne and Renee who were staring at him with open-mouthed astonishment. “Dammit, Drake, I gave my word. I did agree and I‟m not going to stomp all over my honor and back out of it.” She jerked at her hand, trying to free it. It had no effect whatsoever on her big blond-haired brother. He still held her hand. She growled. The thought of leaving sent a shaft of pain and panic through her. She was getting damn tired of no one listening to her. Twisting her wrist, she knew she had to make him listen to her before the overprotective lug started a fight. “Did he force you to accept him?” Drake asked baldly. His hand cupped her cheek. 82
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“There…was some coercion.” She grimaced and sighed. She wasn‟t going to lie to her brother about it. He could probably guess just how it had happened. There was no use trying to make something up to appease him. “He‟s dead. You won‟t have to worry about being married to him.” Drake‟s hand fell to his side and clenched. His voice had a distinct growl. Lisia felt her eyes widen. She shook her head, amazed that her brother had gone from brooding and angry to furious enough to do bodily harm in the space of a breath. Putting her hands on his arm, she tried to think of a way to calm him down. The only thing she could think of was to show him that Jarritt was a normal man. “Are you going to tell me that women always specifically say yes before anything happens on Deshra? That they‟re never pressured or rushed into the situation by males intent on claiming a mate?” She folded her arms across her chest and tapped her foot. He frowned. “What difference does that make? Other women aren‟t my sister.” She fought a smile. “If it‟s acceptable for others, you can‟t get angry when he did the same thing with me. He didn‟t take me from my home. I came here and was without protection from family or other Aridi. Just because I‟m your sister doesn‟t mean the normal rules don‟t apply to me.” “You should never have been in this situation.” Drake‟s muscles tightened and bunched making him look larger and his expression was so hard she knew he wanted to hit someone. “I‟ll admit that if you‟d gotten here a few days after I arrived, I would have wanted you to get me off this planet as fast as possible.” She smiled a little and shrugged. She‟d have happily left with him at one point. “You were coerced, Lisia. Off this planet, what you said doesn‟t matter. I‟m taking you up to the UDA ship in orbit. A neutral area where he‟ll have to take your answer whatever it is.” Drake glanced at her. She drew in a sharp breath. A choice just because she wasn‟t on the planet. She‟d never thought it would be that simple. “You tell your Shi’an that Lisia will be up on the UDA ship and we‟ll be waiting. This time, she‟ll have a choice. If she doesn‟t choose him, I‟m taking her home.” His eyes swung to the two women gawking at them. “This isn‟t going to work, Drake.” Lisia shook her head. This would only infuriate him. Jarritt wouldn‟t give up his claim even if she decided to walk away from him. Not that that was going to happen. She loved him and wasn‟t about to leave him. She wanted a lifetime with him. “You don‟t know what I have planned, Lisia. Just be patient and come on.” Drake took a step and tugged her along with him. “I will carry you if I have to.” “You know this is going to cause trouble. How would you feel if this happened at home?” She paced along beside him. There was going to be a fight. She had no doubt about it.
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“We‟ll find out. I have a feeling your Jarritt is a lot like me,” Drake led her deeper into the forest. Lisia shook her head. Her brother wasn‟t going to listen. She knew him well enough to know he was trying to prove some point but she had no idea what it was. Well, other than Drake wanting to prove that Jarritt couldn‟t stop him if he really wanted to take her out of the galaxy. “You said you would have left if I‟d come earlier. You don‟t want that now? I don‟t care about any promises you‟ve made. I need to know how you feel. Do you want to be with him for the rest of your life? If you don‟t, I‟ll get you off this planet, out of this system and he can rage about it all he wants. Just tell me.” He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I want to be with him Drake. Everything‟s happened so fast, but it‟s right. I feel so much for him.” Lisia thought about Jarritt, hoping her brother would feel how much Jarritt meant to her. She wanted to make a new life with Jarritt. “How did you get down here without someone knowing? The new sensor equipment should have revealed any shielded vessel.” Her breath puffed out in fast pants as he hurried her through the forest. “We‟ve been using those sensors in our sectors for months. Of course, we know how to get around them.” Drake shook his head and laughed as if the answer should have been obvious. “And how to strengthen them.” Maxim, another of her brothers ran over and hugged her. “It‟s good to see you again, Lis.” “Do you know what he‟s planning?” She looked pointedly at Drake. Maxim nodded. “Drake knows what he‟s doing. Trust him. Your man needs to see things from our point of view.” Frickin’ male posturing. That’s all it was.
***** Jarritt looked up at the darkening sky. Hale and Dallan should have called a halt to the group‟s walk and turned back to the holding by now. Even with the guards, he was nervous about her being out in the forest. The pirates were still free, still a threat. He didn‟t want to lose her. He heard breaking twigs and the sound of running footsteps. He tensed, his hand on the stunner at his hip. Anne burst through the bushes. She didn‟t look scared. She looked angry and determined. Her eyes looked over the groups of people almost frantically. When she spotted him, she ran toward him. He waited, worry beginning to build. She‟d been in the group Lisia had accompanied. Where were the guards? Where was Lisia? Fear slammed through him followed by a rush of anger. She wouldn‟t die. He wouldn‟t let her. “Where is Lisia?” He stepped forward aggressively.
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“Taken. A man named Drake. He said he‟s taking her up to the UDA ship and that they‟ll be waiting there. He said she‟ll have a choice this time and if she chooses, he‟ll take her home.” Anne dragged in huge gulps of air. “How did they get down here without us knowing about it? Jarritt gritted his teeth. “Those sensors are supposed to tell us when someone enters the atmosphere.” The woman shook her head, but Jarritt barely noticed. He clenched his fists. Her brothers would be lucky if he didn‟t rip them into pieces. Fury pounded through him, but underneath it fear and doubt nibbled at the edge of his mind. She could choose to go with her brother. He‟d pushed and used every trick he knew to get her to agree to be his. She wanted him and felt more than affection for him, but he didn‟t know if she was ready to admit it. He stiffened and shook his head. She was coming home with him and that was final. If he had to, he‟d go through her brothers and the other Shi’an to get her. He stormed toward the marrohl where Lieutenant Commander Carson should be by now. He wanted to know if the man had known that her brothers had arrived. Jarritt noticed Arik walking down the street and waved him over. Arik immediately joined him. “Is something wrong, Shi’an?” Arik asked. “Lisia‟s brothers have arrived and have taken her off the planet. Send men into the forest to get the two guards and the woman who stayed with them. I want you with me when I go up to the UDA ship to get her.” Jarritt looked over at Arik. Arik nodded. “I‟ll meet you at the shuttles, Shi’an.” “I‟ll be heading there as soon as I have a few words with the Lieutenant Commander.” Jarritt looked toward the marrohl. Jarritt walked into the marrohl. He immediately spotted the red-haired commander walking toward him. The man looked tired and worried. Commander Carson exhaled heavily as he came to a stop in front of Jarritt. He held up his hands before Jarritt could say a word. “I found out that Drake had arrived only moments ago. They just notified me. I was coming to talk to you.” The Lieutenant Commander shook his head and sighed. “I wouldn‟t have thought Drake would take her off the planet.” “He‟s her brother. How did they get onto the planet without us knowing? I thought your sensors worked.” Jarritt crossed his arms and waited for the man to answer. If those damn sensors couldn‟t even stop an overprotective brother, they had no chance against the pirates. “Those shields originated in the galaxy Lisia comes from. Drake and the other Aridi always tweak the technology. It doesn‟t surprise me that they know how to get past them.” The Lieutenant Commander shrugged. “I‟ll go up with you, Shi’an. Drake does listen for the most part.”
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“No need. I won‟t have any problem making him understand how I feel.” Jarritt turned and started out the door. “I‟m coming. I‟ll be able to keep the UDA soldiers out of it if the situation gets loud.” The Lieutenant Commander stepped up beside him. Jarritt didn‟t argue. He wasn‟t going to waste the time debating with the man. Jarritt led the way out of the marrohl. The walk to the shuttles seemed to take forever. He knew that Lisia would be on the ship. Still part of him worried that she‟d be gone and he wouldn‟t be able to find her. The cat inside him roared and raged. He felt claws pushing at the nails of his fingers. He‟d fight to keep her. By the time the shuttle lifted off, his fury simmered. He wanted to get his hands on her brother for even daring to think about taking her away from him. Walking through the light yellow halls of the large ship, he kept an eye out for Lisia or her brothers. He felt Lisia‟s nervousness as the UDA soldiers stopped in front of a door. The door slid open and his eyes skimmed over the large men in the pale yellow room until he found his golden-haired arra sitting at the table. He stared at her for a moment willing her to understand that she belonged to him. “She‟s not going anywhere but back down to the planet.” Jarritt turned his attention to the large, muscled men in the room with her. He recognized one of the tall blond men as Shi’an Drake from their earlier conversation. Jarritt saw the gold eyes lock on him. The powerfully built man dressed in mottled clothing was definitely Lisia‟s brother. A dark scowl curved the man‟s lips and his muscles were tensed and ready for a fight. Two other nearly identical men sat one on either side of Lisia. Well, now he understood how Lisia had gone for so long without someone pressing her for a bonding. Not many men would want to face even three of such men and she had two other brothers. Drake stood, his shoulders rolling as he loosened his muscles. “That‟s her choice now. You can‟t coerce and push her here. Did you really think we‟d allow you to coerce her into marriage?” Jarritt stepped forward more than ready to meet the challenge he saw in her brother‟s eyes. “If you‟re so damn protective of her why was she forced to run away from those slavers on her own?” Drake flinched. “Because a man I trusted left her on her own. He‟s lucky he‟s still alive.” Drake paced around the table, his step slow and sure. As soon as Drake cleared the last chair, he lunged forward. Drake‟s fist slashed up toward Jarritt‟s chin. Jarritt jerked back managing to avoid the blow, but just. He hadn‟t expected her brother to come out swinging like that. He didn‟t fall back more than that single step. His arm rose blocking another blow. Jarritt drove a short quick punch into Drake‟s gut. They crashed into the table as they grappled with each other. The table slid across the floor with a screech.
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Jarritt and Drake broke apart, but Drake plowed forward again. Jarritt kept a grip on his anger and the roaring Aridi inside him. This man might have taken his mate, but unfortunately he was also her brother. He couldn‟t kill the man. Drake‟s breath exploded from his lips, but Drake‟s fist landed a solid punch against Jarritt‟s side. Pain shot through his ribs. He grappled with Drake trying to wrench him off his feet. A stun ray hit the wall over their heads. Shocked, Jarritt leapt back and spun to face the shooter. Lisia stood on the black-topped table, her feet braced slightly apart. She held the gun easily in her hand. He was relieved when he saw that the barrel pointed toward the tabletop. “Enough already. One or two punches should have been enough. Both of you already know that the other didn‟t appreciate your actions. If you want to rip each other apart, you can do it when I‟m not around to watch.” She stepped down onto the chair taking her brother‟s hand but keeping the stunner out of his reach when he tried to grab it. Jarritt smiled at her. She was such a bold woman at times. Then he looked at her brother. She was right. As much as he wanted to rip into her brother, it wouldn‟t solve anything and might just make her angry enough to try to leave him. He walked over to the table and sat down across from her. “So you didn‟t just come up here to beat up my brother for taking me off the planet.” She folded her arms across her chest and glared at him. “I came for you, Lisia. Your brother took you and yes, that pissed me off.” Jarritt leaned forward. He wasn‟t going to let her pretend this was all about his anger at her brother. “Why did you come after her? She‟s just one of many possible mates.” Drake dropped into the chair next to Lisia. Jarritt growled. “She‟s my mate. You‟re not taking her anywhere.” “If she wants to go, I‟m taking her home, because she‟s my sister and I love her.” Drake relaxed in the cushioned brown chair, seemingly at ease. “I‟m still here. I‟m not an object to be picked up or owned, damn it.” Lisia stood, her chair rolling back. “I know that, Lisia. I understand what your brother is trying to get me to see. He‟s far from subtle. If we have daughters, I‟d want to slit a man‟s throat if he used even half the methods I did to get your agreement.” Jarritt clenched his fist. Fear and anxiety tightened his stomach. “Exactly. If she had wanted it, I would have taken her home without discussing this, but I‟d have been back.” Drake‟s eyes narrowed. “You have a choice here, Lisia, but know if you choose to return home, I‟m not going to give you up. I‟ll come after you.” Jarritt stared into her beautiful golden eyes trying to find some clue of her answer. He had no idea what she was going to decide and the uncertainty gnawed at him. 87
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“We‟ll always take care of her.” The third brother said. “And your name is?” Jarritt raised a brow. Taking care of her was his job now. “Taron. Even if she marries you, you‟ll see us often. We‟ll want to make sure she‟s safe.” The blond man who was only slightly less muscled than Drake, looked too relaxed, too confident. Jarritt sighed and resigned himself to that. Eventually, they might come to a better relationship, but it was going to take time. He didn‟t point out that she would be going back to the planet one way or the other. That was an argument they weren‟t going to settle just yet. “Is it just because I‟m a more than compatible mate? I know the strength of the connection is strong. I feel your feelings almost as strongly as I do my own, but is that the only reason you want me? And why didn‟t you trust me after you, um, the incident with Arik and the boy?” She tilted her head, drawing his attention away from her brothers. He stared at her blankly. How could she think that after they‟d been together for the past days? He was a little grateful to her for not coming out and saying the word “punished”. That would start another ferocious argument considering how protective her brothers had been so far. “It‟s more than that. You know it‟s more than that. You can feel what I feel. As to not trusting you, that‟s wrong. It‟s not that I didn‟t trust you. I didn‟t want you to do something rash while you were angry with me, plus there was also the danger with the pirates. If you ran into the forest in a huff, it could have ended up far worse than just another argument between us.” “I can feel what you feel, but I can‟t be sure that what I‟m reading isn‟t colored by my own feelings.” She licked her lips. “I want only you, no other will do. It‟s not just sex or the fact that the connection is amazingly strong between us. It‟s you, the way I feel for you. Without you, life would go on, but it would be so much worse than when I lost my sister.” Jarritt swallowed heavily. Just the thought of losing her left a heavy weight in his stomach. “Is that enough for you?” Drake asked. Jarritt looked up to see the blond man looking at Lisia. He turned his attention to Lisia. She was nodding, walking toward him. He stood and met her halfway around the table. As his arms closed around her, satisfaction and calm swept through him. Jarritt felt a surge of relief flood him. She was his. She knew it, accepted it and their relationship.
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Chapter Thirteen Lisia looked over at the table where Drake and Jarritt sat talking. She was a little relieved that the confrontation had stopped at a simple fistfight. For a little while she‟d thought they‟d rip each other apart. They were both so proud and possessive, neither one of them wanted to give an inch. “Have you settled your problem with the pirates?” Drake asked. “Not yet. But their greed will bring them back and we‟ll get them.” “I‟m not leaving her in danger.” Drake‟s voice snapped through the marrohl. “I can protect her without your help.” Jarritt leaned forward his voice carrying the distinct edge of a growl. Lisia rolled her eyes. Not again. The last thing they needed right now was another fight about who had more right to protect her or who could do it better. She put down the cups she held and walked over to stand at Jarritt‟s side. “It could be months before the pirates attack again.” She slid her hand over Jarritt‟s tense shoulders. Drake laughed. “I‟m not going to get into another fight with your man. We‟ll work around our animosity.” “You could try working around it faster, besides since you‟re both so much alike you should have no problem finding common ground.” She tapped her foot. Drake laughed, but it faded as an alarm began to sound. “What does that mean?” “That‟s the alarm for the pirates. They‟re on the planet.” Lisia explained quickly. Jarritt had already left the table and was talking to Arik. Drake followed at a fast pace. “Lisia, you stay in this marrohl, unless one of my men tells you to leave.” Jarritt came over to her and gripped her shoulders. He stared down into her eyes. “I won‟t leave, Jarritt. You worry about keeping yourself safe.” She smiled and lightly touched his face. He frowned. “You‟d better not.” She couldn‟t blame him entirely for doubting that she‟d stay. But the man should know that when she gave her word, she‟d do her best to keep it. She narrowed her eyes and poked him in the chest with her forefinger. “You worry about coming back to me safely.” “Don‟t worry, Lisia. I‟ll make sure he comes back to you.” Drake appeared beside him.
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Lisia didn‟t know where he‟d found it, but somehow he‟d gotten a weapon. He stood there ready, waiting. Her eyes widened. Now she had to worry about both of them. “This isn‟t your fight.” Jarritt folded his arms across his chest and stared at Drake. “You can stay here and guard your sister and the others in the marrohl.” “I‟m sure you‟ve already assigned men to do that. Anything that threatens my sister is my concern. Besides, I‟d like to talk to you.” Drake smiled showing his teeth in a far from friendly smile. Jarritt nodded. “Let‟s stop these pirates. Then we‟ll talk.” Her stomach tightened as Jarritt began to lead Drake over to the side of the room. She walked over to a group of women. Her hands tightened at her side. She didn‟t want to go sit down, even though she didn‟t have any work to do. She needed to find something to occupy her mind. She couldn‟t just stand around waiting for the men in her life to return from fighting pirates.
***** Jarritt moved through the forest silently. He could see Drake creeping through the trees to his right. The man still wasn‟t happy, but Jarritt could sense that he only wanted to help with the pirates. Anything concerning Lisia on the other hand was another matter. That was only what Jarritt expected from a brother. Now they had to stop these pirates. Jarritt knew the landing pad would be the pirates‟ target and headed there. This time, Jarritt and the Lieutenant Commander had baited a trap for them and scheduled a delivery of weapons. With the unexpected arrival of Drake and Lisia‟s other brothers, the pirates must have thought that the shipment had arrived. Creeping toward the landing area, he held the stunner lightly in his hand. He wouldn‟t kill the pirates, as much as he wanted to rip them apart. He couldn‟t think of a worse punishment for them than losing their freedom. Peering through the leaves, he saw the men moving around the pad, trying to get into the shuttles. They wouldn‟t know which shuttle held the weapons. Two men worked with small comps trying to hack through the security protocols. The other men tried more physical methods. They pried at the hatches with any bar they could find. Apparently, they hadn‟t come prepared for breaking into shuttles. They‟d obviously expected to find the cargo being unloaded, the crates out like they had been on a few other occasions. He saw Drake move farther away from him, taking position for a clear shot. Jarritt moved for a shot on one of the men prying at the door. He raised his hand in signal to the men around him. Opening his fist, he fired. Beams flashed toward the men. A warning cry rang just as the first beam hit one of the men. Others scrambled for cover. Four made an immediate break for the forest. Two men were taken down before they reached the cover of trees, but the other two managed to get into the forest. Jarritt knew men would follow, try to catch them. He didn‟t lose focus on the remaining men. 90
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Shots slashed into the trees from the pirates‟ weapons. Jarritt moved to the protection of a thick tree trunk as a bolt burst through the leafy growth near him. He peered around the shield, trying to get a shot at the man hiding near the back of the closest shuttle. The man kept moving, frustrating Jarritt and it took time to catch the pattern. Finally, Jarritt got a clean shot at the man. He pulled the trigger and watched the beam of light hit. It flared across the man‟s chest. The pirate stumbled and fell to the hard pavement. Jarritt looked around the area as he slowly moved forward. He didn‟t see any men, but they could be hiding among the shuttles. He crept forward, noticing the other men doing the same. Moving onto the dark, hard surface, his senses ruled. He listened for the slide of a shoe across the pavement, watched for the slightest movement of a shadow. He‟d need every moment of warning he could get. He stopped at the back of a shuttle, took a deep breath and then swung around the corner, his stunner held in readiness. The space between the two shuttles was clear. He continued to search for other pirates. He finally called a halt when every possible hiding place had been searched. Jarritt stood watching as the bound men were led away. The UDA would take the prisoners. He waited to hear word from the men chasing the two pirates who‟d slipped into the forest. Drake paced over to him. “Thank you for your help.” Jarritt nodded to the blond-haired man. “I did it for Lisia and because I wanted to see what type of man my sister had found.” Drake‟s head tilted and he looked over at the men taking the prisoners away. Jarritt frowned. “I know that you‟re protective of her, but I wouldn‟t have done much differently if I‟d chanced to find her on your home world. When I first met her, I knew.” Drake shot him a heated look. “Not very smart, are you. I‟m going to accept you because she‟s chosen you, but it wouldn‟t take much to convince me to rip you apart.” He reached out and his fist gripped Jarritt‟s shirt, hauling him forward. Jarritt didn‟t think. He just reacted. His hands shot up and forward, knocking Drake‟s hand away from his shirt and shoving the man back. He stopped himself before he lunged at the man. He just caught himself. Pushing down his temper, he held back a growl. This was her brother and Lisia wouldn‟t appreciate him getting into another fight with her brother. No matter who started it. “I want her to be happy. I‟m holding myself back and won‟t attack you.” Jarritt gritted his teeth. “But keep pushing and even her anger won‟t hold me back.” Drake grinned, his body relaxing. “I‟m glad she‟s important to you. You‟ll understand then when I say that if she‟d wanted to leave, I would have gotten her off this planet.” “And I‟d have come after her. She‟s my woman.” Jarritt growled. No one would take her away from him. “She‟s yours, because she wants you.” Drake let the words trail away.
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Jarritt heard the implied threat at the end of that statement. He could understand Drake‟s feelings. He was just taking care of his sister. Jarritt didn‟t like it and right now he didn‟t like the man much. One day, he might come to like her brother, but right now, he wanted to flatten the man. But the words Drake said kept ringing in his ears. “She‟s chosen you. She wants you.” They sent a thrill of satisfaction through him that pushed away the anger and tension. There was no way he was going to fight now. He wanted to get to her and hear for himself just what she felt. “We‟re not going to agree on how I should have claimed your sister. You‟re protective of her as you should be,” Jarritt allowed, feeling more magnanimous now that he knew she wanted to be with him. “I‟ll take care of her.” “You‟d better. She‟s got five brothers who love her and my partner, the other Shi’an, loves her like a sister.” Drake gave him a very serious stare. Jarritt nodded. He turned his attention to the cleanup. Most of the prisoners had already been secured and put into a UDA shuttle. Devral and Cam had started checking for damage to the shuttles the men had tried to open with a pry bar. Two Aridi men came out of the forest, but they didn‟t have even one of the men who‟d run. Arik walked over to him as soon as he came out of the dense forest surrounding the landing pad. “Two men escaped, Shi’an. They got to their ships and launched. The UDA pilots are chasing them.” Arik reported. Jarritt nodded. “Good. Maybe they‟ll catch them or find out where they‟re hiding.” He‟d personally like to be out hunting those men, but the UDA had the equipment to track those shielded shuttles. In only moments, he was getting the full report of the damage to the shuttles. He listened to it and put Arik in charge. Eager to see Lisia, he headed back to the marrohl. He wanted to talk to her and touch her. There was so much he needed to hear from her. He‟d make sure they had privacy so he could get every last word. He opened the door and stepped inside the building. Almost every person in the room turned toward the door. At first, he didn‟t see Lisia and then she rushed out of a group of women. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. His arms wrapped around her and held her to him when she wanted to step back. “No one was hurt?” she asked. The room was so quiet that he knew the others waited to hear the news. “None of our people were hurt. Your brothers are safe. We captured all except for two of the pirates,” he said loudly so that the other women would hear and know that their men were safe. “That‟s wonderful.” She rested her head against his chest as she slowly let her arms fall to her sides.
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He didn‟t release her. Being close to her was having a very definite effect on his body. Her eyes widened and a wicked smile curved her lips as she felt his hardening cock press against her belly. She was enjoying this too much. “Is there something you need?” she asked in a low throaty purr. “I need to talk to you in private.” He cupped her elbow and slowly stepped back from her. He needed the distance. He wanted to talk to her first. He needed to hear those words. She licked her lips, but began leading the way toward their section. He caught her hand as she reached the door. Opening the door, he urged her into the hallway. She headed for the stairs, climbing them with a deliberate swing to her hips. He watched her sweet ass flex and sway. His cock hardened even more. He wanted to get her out of those clothes and into bed. He focused on what he needed to hear. First, he had to hear her say those words. The hallway seemed to go on forever and walking wasn‟t comfortable. She opened the door and sidled through it with a sultry look over her shoulder. He followed working on the fastenings of his shirt as he walked in a few steps after her. “A little slow, aren‟t you?” she asked as she tossed her shirt across the room. “Are you going to start without me?” He raised a brow. “Not that I mind as long as you don‟t finish without me.” “Do you think I‟m going to make it easy for you? You‟re going to have to work to get me as hot as you are.” She smiled at him and began working on the fastening of her skirt. “Work?” He shook his head. “That‟s not work. I enjoy making you writhe and beg.” “I don‟t beg.” She pointed a single finger at him and frowned severely. “You don‟t? We‟ll have to change that then. I definitely want to hear you beg for me tonight.” He took off his shirt, but turned abruptly serious. “But before that I need to hear some words from you.” She blinked and seemed surprised by the turn of subject. “What do you need to hear?” “I need you to tell me what you feel.” He walked over and cupped the side of her face. “You told your brother. Can‟t you tell me?” “I always thought you knew. You were so certain that we belonged together. I‟m the one who needed to see the truth.” She tilted her head and stepped closer to him. Her hand rose and brushed softly over his lips. Soft fingertips stroked his cheek. “I knew that we belonged together. I knew that eventually you‟d accept that too.” He hooked an arm around her waist and brushed a kiss across her lips. “I don‟t know how you feel except for the surface emotions I can sense.” She framed his face with her hands. “I love you. You have to know that I‟ll always belong with you.”
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He hugged her tight. “I love you, Lisia. When your brother told me that you‟d chosen me, I felt as if I‟d been given the universe. I knew that you‟d recognized that you belonged with me. I didn‟t know that you‟d decided even before I arrived on the UDA ship that we belonged together.” “Then we‟ll just have to make sure you don‟t have any doubts.” She pressed against him. “Make love to me. Show me how you feel.” Her thigh rose, hooking her foot around his leg. He picked her up and carried her to the bed. He wanted to love her long and slow. Before he‟d wanted to drive her wild and take them both to a fast high peak. Now, he wanted to make it so sweet she cried with intensity. Putting her down on the bed, he quickly stripped out of his clothes and joined her on the mattress. She reached for him. Her hands smoothed over his shoulders. He grabbed her hands pressing them to the blanket. His hands cupped her breasts pressing the full mounds together. He brushed soft kisses over her lips. With effort, he kept the touch light. She opened her mouth beneath his, trying to deepen the kiss. “Slowly, my liana. Let your passion build until you can‟t hold it back anymore,” he urged against her lips. “At least give me a decent kiss.” Her hand cupped the back of his neck. “If you‟re going to torment me, you can do that small thing for me.” He chuckled. Not for a moment did he buy that aggrieved tone. His tongue traced her lips and his lips settled over hers. Her tongue met his as he gave her the kiss she asked for. His thumbs flicked across her hard nipples. He gave her a slow deep joining of the mouth, letting her feel the weight of his body for a moment. She moaned, the sound close to a purr, and arched. He broke the kiss and pulled back before the temptation to join their bodies became too great. He wanted to hear her purr and plead for him to make love to her. He moved down her body. Drawing his tongue down her neck, he savored her taste, the scent of her arousal. She tilted her head giving him more access. He nibbled at her neck. She shivered. As her hands stroked over his shoulders, he smiled and trailed his lips lower. The dark crests of her nipples brushed against her skin. From her sharp indrawn breath, he knew the tips were already sensitive and aching. Moving his mouth over one reddened peak, he breathed out slowly. She arched raising her breast closer to his lips. He lapped at the darkened peak. She shivered. He curled his tongue around the stiff nub, just before he closed his lips over it. Her fingers threaded into his hair and tugged him closer to her breast. He drew the nipple deeper into his mouth. She wriggled. Her leg hooked around his, trying to draw him even closer. He enjoyed feeling her arousal rise and wash through his mind. The feelings sparked a reciprocal desire that made moving harder. He plucked at the neglected peak, squeezing and lifting the mound. “Jarritt, please, you‟re making me insane.” She gripped his hair trying to pull his mouth away from her breast. “Come to me.”
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He smiled, raising his head from the lush feast. Dropping a kiss in the valley between the full mounds, his lips moved to the neglected hard peak. He captured the stiff nub between his teeth, biting gently. Her back bowed and she gasped. “I want you wild and purring for me,” he said looking into her eyes as he brushed a hand down her body. She groaned. “If you don‟t watch it, you‟re going to feel my claws instead of hear me purr.” He laughed as he drew her nipple into his mouth. He felt her fingers on the back of his head, but in spite of her threat, he didn‟t feel even a hint of nails. His fingers smoothed over her stomach and down to the smooth skin of her pussy. “I love the feel of your skin and how you tremble when I touch your pretty pussy. I‟m going to enjoy feeling those tremors as I taste you.” He deliberately kept his mouth close to her breast. He wanted her to feel the vibration of his voice. She rolled her hips against his hand. He trailed his fingers over the slick lips. He loved how she responded so eagerly. Her breath caught and he felt her muscles tighten in anticipation. He wasn‟t about to disappoint her. His fingers slipped between those plump lips, finding the hard nub of her clit. Her soft mews echoed in his ears and sent fire raging through his body. Her hips rose arching into his fingers. “Please… I want you inside me.” She tugged on his hair trying to draw him away from her pussy. He took a tight grip on his control. He wanted her, but he wanted her to remember this night, to make it unforgettable for both of them. His body was more than ready to join hers, but he held back. When he was with her, he felt so alive, so complete. He wanted to make sure she knew that. “Inside you? Like this?” he asked as he moved his hand down and slipped two of his fingers into her sweet pussy. Her inner muscles clamped around his fingers, pulling at them. Slick liquid coated his fingers as pumped them into her. “No…” Her voice rose into a cry and she shook her head wildly. “I want you inside me when I come. I don‟t want to come on your fingers or your tongue. Don‟t tease.” He lifted his head and looked up into her heated golden eyes. “Hold back for me, Lisia. Make it last. I have to taste you.” Somehow he‟d misjudged her arousal. He could see and feel it. She was trembling on the edge of climax. The feel of it as well as his own hunger was almost too much. He couldn‟t wait much longer for her. She gulped in frantic breaths. Slowly, she nodded. Her hands fell away from his hair and gripped the sheet. “I don‟t know how long I can keep control, Jarritt. Don‟t play.” He slowly pulled his fingers out of her sheath. This definitely wasn‟t the time for playing. His own body raged with need. All thoughts of a long, extended loving fled. He rose over her, felt her juices coat the tip of his cock. Fitting his cock to her opening,
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he slowly pushed into her. Her legs wrapped around his hips. It was heaven. Her pussy gripped him, rippled over his cock. He withdrew and rocked forward trying to keep his pace slow and controlled. Her hands slid down his back and cupped his buttocks, pulling him closer to her. He gasped, driving forward as he felt her nails sink into his skin. He threw his head back as the last of his control was ripped away from him. His hips moved in a driving rhythm. Her hips rose, meeting and matching his hunger. They came together fast and hard. Her lips moved down his neck leaving nipping kisses in her wake. His head rose and he bared his teeth at her. A growl rolled through his chest even as his hips drove hard against hers. He‟d never felt so wild, so out of control. His mouth lowered and he nipped at her lips. A purr rolled against his neck as she arched beneath him. Her inner muscles clasped him as she came. Her pleasure washed over him sending him hurtling over the edge. Heat flared, rushed through him as his seed pumped into her womb. The vibrations of her purr still rumbled against him as he rose onto one elbow and looked down at her. A wide smile curved her lips. She hooked an arm around his neck pulled him down for a kiss. His woman. The thought still amazed him. Being with her felt so right and love for her had just exploded when he‟d have sworn it would take time to grow. Chance had brought her to him and he‟d never let her go. Not when he knew she was the only one for him. “What‟s the smile for?” Her finger traced his lips. “Knowing a good thing when I smell it and Arik‟s good judgment in keeping you on the planet. If he‟d let you go, I might never have met you.” Jarritt slowly separated from her and moved to the side. He pulled her into his arms. “I have a feeling we‟d have met somehow. I think we were meant to be together.” She cupped the side of his face. He could feel her love rolling over him, relished it, savored it, and returned it with every breath he took.
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About the Author Rebecca Airies has always loved to read. Futuristic, the classics, mystery or horror, the genre doesn‟t matter as long as the stories capture her interest and take her on an adventure. She soon discovered a love for writing and characters just waiting to tell their stories. Since that time, writing has become an obsession. Rebecca lives in the heart of Texas. She loves the outdoors, growing things and working on crafts when she‟s not lost in the worlds of her characters. Please feel free to write and tell her what you think; she‟d love to hear from you. Rebecca welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Rebecca Airies Between Two Tiron Chosen Destiny Close Contact Ellora‟s Cavemen: Jewels of the Nile II anthology Ellora‟s Cavemen: Seasons of Seduction II anthology Fire Princes‟ Bride Guarded Beginnings In Sorcery‟s Hold Lost Memories Primal Attraction 1: Primal Quest Primal Attraction 2: Primal Pursuit Primal Attraction 3: Primal Encounter Second Chance Vampire‟s Witch
Discover for yourself why readers can‟t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora‟s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.
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