The Siren's Call (Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance) (FORCED TO SERVE) (21 page)

“Turn me loose, Zade.
Please.
I have to go be a leader again. Leaders can’t be moaning and lovesick. It’s not allowed. Plus I want to go by Medical and see if Ania’s awake,” Gwen said, already stretching up on her toes to let him lift her hips higher. Damn him for being so good with his hands.

“A kiss then to hold us until next time,” Dorian said bargaining, already dipping his head to Gwen’s mouth, catching the next moan she uttered, letting it vibrate along his tongue.

He felt an answering vibration building for her within him and was just wondering if he could share it without bonding when it rocked both of them without him doing more than just wishing. Gwen fell lax with pleasure in his arms, which had him wickedly laughing into her mouth as his body greedily sucked up her response.

When the wave had ebbed, Gwen finally forced her legs to support her weight and pushed off Zade’s now much more relaxed body. Seeing renewing lust in the gaze traveling over her again, she put out a hand and pushed him a few steps backwards and away from her.

“I already begged and said please. That’s all the damn concessions you’re getting this morning. Now stop attacking me. Don’t make me shoot you again just so I can walk out the door.”

Dorian frowned, and then it was his turn to glare. “You truly shot me with your weapon once? Are you telling me that vision wasn’t a dream the drugs caused?” he demanded.

“No—it wasn’t a dream. It was a memory, and I had very good reasons at the time for stunning you. Don’t give me a reason to do it again today,” she warned, walking around him. “You’re going to have to learn to control your urges, even the ones I like.”

“Your explanation is illogical. Why would you harm me merely for wanting to give you pleasure?” Dorian demanded, his frown following her around the room as she dressed.

“I warned you I wasn’t all that nice. Some would tell you I’m barely female. And I shot you because I asked you to stop what you were doing to me and you didn’t,” Gwen said sharply, disappearing into the bathroom. “I always mean what I say.”

Moments later, she came out wrapped in hygiene straps. He looked her up and down with disgust. Gwen didn’t know whether to be angrier or just laugh.

“Must you cover yourself with hideous clothing?” Dorian demanded, the memory of her beautiful assets still clear in his mind.

“No, of course not,” Gwen said snidely, stopping with her pants unzipped.

Tossing her shirt aside on the bed, she walked to the door and opened it. “I’ll just go to the bridge like this and see if the ensigns who haven’t bonded with a female in months and months share your opinion about the appearance of my hygiene straps. After the slave outfit yesterday, I’m sure their commander in a real uniform would be a disappointment to them anyway.”

Remembering the ensigns’ interested gazes on Gwen yesterday, Dorian looked around and saw the shirt she’d chosen on the bed. He held it up to her to show his compliance with her choices, relieved when Gwen shut the door before anyone in the hallway saw her.

He was more relieved when she finally stalked back to him and let him help her into the shirt that hid everything from everyone’s view. Maybe it was necessary, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

“I apologize for my possessiveness and my lack of understanding,” he said huskily. “What do I know of your typical clothing? I was reacting only because of my own interest in seeing you without any.”

Gwen snorted. “Apology and groveling both noted,” she teased, moving her hands to the fasteners only to feel him pulling them gently away.

“No—do not try. Your hands are still damaged. Please consider asking Medical for some additional treatment when you visit,” he requested, completing the task of fastening her shirt before he was tempted further. After he finished, Dorian framed her face with hands that he couldn’t seem to ever make gentle enough around her. “I seem to have no control over myself, nor do I know how to develop more. I fear it is grievous to us both.”

Gwen nodded and sighed in resignation. The controlling bastard was still in there, but evidently the nice humble version of Zade was too.

“It is not
grievous
,” Gwen said, mocking his tone when she repeated the formal word. “Your intense desire for me is welcome, but I—I have a job, damn it. You do too. We were going to have to figure our work situation out anyway. I outrank you. A ship’s commander is as bad a choice for a mate as a captain. No matter how much you wish it, you can’t just lock me in our room. That’s little better than being someone’s bonding slave. I won’t be yours, not even for outstanding, better-than-anything-I’ve-ever-known-before-you sex.”

“I see you read my thoughts as well. Indeed, this responsibility you have to the Liberator is challenging to accept,” he said, watching the disappointment flash through her gaze. He lifted a hand to cup her cheek, telling himself sternly that their time alone, no matter how wonderful, wasn’t all of his mate’s life on the ship, no matter how much he wanted it to be. “I don’t remember myself or us. I don’t remember the version of me you shot but wanted fiercely anyway. I certainly don’t know if you were his best choice for a mate, but everything in me says you are the only choice for me now. I am grateful you did not reject me last night.”

“Reject you?” Gwen said surprised, laughing at the impossibility of turning down what she had craved for so long. “That was never going to happen, Zade. I promise later I’ll let you indulge all those urges you have even if I have to take boosters to make up for the lack of sleep.”

Dorian laughed at her sincere words and the image of them together flitting through her mind.

“Since I’m getting urges again right now, I had better dress as well,” he said, leaning his forehead to hers. “Thank you for your compassion and understanding.”

“Thank you for making last night as wonderful as any first time could ever be,” Gwen whispered.

Dorian straightened and sighed heavily. He felt he could make every time as good as the first. It was the waiting for the next chance that was more difficult for him.

Chapter 15

“Peace Keeper Looren is still resting. Commander Jet, if you would just sit down for one moment…” the medic began.

“Even hear of multitasking? It’s a valuable skill, Ensign. Follow me and you can work on my hands and feet while I visit with Peace Keeper Looren,” Gwen ordered. “Look, she’s awake. I bet she’d been expecting me.”

Ania snorted and rolled to face the medical table Gwen had hopped up on. The medic was grumbling and demanding she hold still as he treated the soles of her feet, but the female was buzzing with too much energy to do so. And it wasn’t just Gwen’s normal restless energy either. Anyone familiar with a Siren claiming would easily be able to see what was going on. Ania was amazed that Dorian had even let Gwen out of the room, much less out of his sight.

“The ensign was just doing as I asked, Gwen. Since I’m not allowed up again today, I thought I’d just spend it sleeping. You look worse than I do, but also
different
. Is that what you’re dying to talk about?”

Ania laughed when Gwen gave her a dangerous look that threatened death if she dropped any more hints about her newly mated condition in front of the medic. She let her teasing drop and brought her attention to Gwen’s wounds. “What happened to your hands and feet?”

“Slaves on Terris Rein aren’t allowed to wear shoes, and their ground is covered with sharp stones that cut. Not fun on bare feet, let me tell you. Then Zade scraped my hands on the side of a building when we were looking for Sarinnea. He didn’t mean to, but we had one of our typical battles for control. I won the battle but lost the skin on my hands in the process of eluding a local. Zade was primed to kill him. Some of the drugs amped up his aggressive side. He didn’t have a lot of control over himself,” Gwen said, wincing at the sting of the protective skin covering the medic was applying, but she knew once it dried it would allow her to work while her real skin healed underneath it.

“I heard Dorian has memory problems. Is that true?” Ania asked.

“Yes. It’s true, but honestly I’m not really minding it. You wouldn’t believe how much nicer the forgetful version of Zade has been to me. Almost zero condescension. If it wasn’t for the fact that he can’t remember anything about his job or his life, it would be really tempting to just let him remain like this,” Gwen said, bowing her head to the medic who sighed in relief that he’d finished.

“Now let it dry before you try to do anything,” he ordered, taking a moment to glare at his temperamental commander who was never an easy patient even though she was frequent one.

“Thank you, Ensign,” Gwen said kindly, watching the male stop his exit to stare at her in shock. “What? It’s not a commendation for your job performance, just simple gratitude. Don’t patients always say thank you?”

She just laughed as the junior medic rolled his eyes and stomped away, mumbling ‘not you’ under his breath.

“Gwen, the worst thing I’ve ever experienced was Malachi hiding memories of my past from me. It’s like all my energy was taken up by trying to recall my life, and coping when I couldn’t. That’s no way for anyone to live,” Ania said sincerely. “Don’t make Dorian do it.”

“I know I can’t leave him like this. I’m just—enjoying a brief respite before I look into what can help. He’s adjusting to the Liberator—and me. I don’t want to rush him,” Gwen said. “I’ll do the right things to help him. I swear I will, even if I get the old, condescending Zade back.”

“Good. Now are you going to tell me why you’re in such a rare, good mood today?” Ania asked.

“How many reasons do you want to hear? Zade’s back and okay. You’re still alive. Plus, I managed to find and rescue Sarinnea as well. That’s good enough for me any day,” Gwen said sincerely, shaking her hands to speed up the process. Already the pain was receding. “How are you doing?”

“I feel weak still, but mostly fine. Malachi refuses to leave my body until I’ve reached a certain stage of healing. I got tired of arguing, so I just decided to sleep and ignore him. It still hurts to lie on my back, so I twist from side-to-side to keep from going numb. It’s annoying more than painful,” Ania said.

“That knife was buried in you to the hilt. Boca pulled it out cleanly, but it still left a big hole,” Gwen said. “Speaking of Boca…”

“Were we? I was really more interested in hearing what happened between you and Dorian last night,” Ania said on a laugh. “From the look of you, I’m guessing his lack of memory didn’t stop the two of you from consummating your mating.”

Gwen inspected her hands, trying to think of what to say that wouldn’t lead to more questions. “The mating cord was causing us both problems with maintaining our distance. We found a mutually beneficial solution.”

Ania laughed hard at Gwen’s clinical explanation, wrapping arms around her sides, which hurt. “So last night wasn’t great just because you’d been waiting for years and finally got a chance to show him how much he meant to you?”

“Did I grill you for particulars?” Gwen demanded.

“Actually—yes. You did,” Ania answered.

Gwen snorted. “Well, if I did—I’m sorry. I can’t talk about last night yet. I had to threaten to stun him this morning just to get out of the room.”

Ania didn’t say anything, just rolled to her back completely, laughing and hugging herself. “It hurts to laugh. I pray the Creators help this heal soon.”

“Okay, go ahead and laugh. You were right. Zade was more outstanding than I ever imagined any male could be,” Gwen said softly. “Now can we please change the subject and talk some business? The bitchy Ambassador Onin says we have to go back to Lotharius. A Peace Alliance official’s daughter has been abducted by Fener Sel’s neighboring group. We’re to get her back, but they’re also intending to shift the balance of power there after we do so. They’re sending two other rescue ships to help us and at least one is rumored to be a Guardian series ship. It’s not known yet if we’re going to instigate any military occupation measures.”

Ania blew out a breath. “Are we sure Ambassador Onin hasn’t tricked us?”

“Synar says she’s telling the truth, but I don’t trust her—intuition or not. That’s why I wanted to tell you…and, well, Malachi,” Gwen said carefully, pressing palms on the table, happy to note the pain was gone.

Ania rolled back to her side and looked to Gwen. “Are there genuine Peace Alliance orders to go back there?”

“Yes, but ours are only covertly to gather information, not to stage the rescue. They don’t want to take a chance on the Lotharians killing the official’s daughter in retaliation if we fail. Problem is that there are only a few people on the Liberator who could go there covertly now. Guess who? The first clue is that it is neither of us because we’re both infamous on that planet. So is Dorian,” Gwen said sharply.

Ania sighed. “Boca is still wired. She refused to have them removed. She must be one. Is Synar really considering her?”

“Yes,” Gwen said, nodding. “And we still have the device that controls her.”

“Shades of Kellnor…is he really thinking about sending that poor female back into that situation again after all she endured? Who would go with her as her mate?” Ania asked.

“We didn’t get that far, but I personally think Chiang might volunteer. Synar wasn’t completely keen on him because there are also two others who could go, such as Malachi…aka Connor Synar, who is the registered mate of—”