Casey's Warriors (Bondmates) (11 page)

The immediate flush that went from her neck to her hairline made him grin. “What is that?”

“I’m not sure what the word would be in your language. It’s like a thing people do to make their skin darker.” She glanced up into his eyes then back to her palm on his chest again. “Usually you only find your hair and eye color on really pale people.”

His little bride was far too observant. “This is the way I was born, Casey. No artificial enhancements.”

Well that wasn’t entirely true. He had plenty of enhancements that heightened his sight, his hearing, his strength, and his endurance. All things a Warrior needed to survive. There were also small crystal chips embedded in his brain that allowed him to boost his psychic powers and connect with his men over long distances. Right now he was in contact with his friend Cormac who waited near Casey’s house in case he was needed.

She bit her pretty pink lower lip when he began to gently caress her hand. “Wow, you sure lucked out in the genetic lottery.”

It took him a moment to process her words and he smiled. “You find me attractive?”

Her response came out in a whisper. “Very.”

Both his pride and his cock hardened further at her response, the ultra-sensitive nerves of the pleasure ridges swelling along his shaft. “I find you very attractive as well.”

Once again she seemed to find his compliment offensive and tried to pull her hand away from his chest. “Don’t bullshit me.”

Utterly baffled he stared down at her. “Why would I make a bull shit on you?”

She gaped up at him, then giggled. “Sorry, it’s a slang saying in America. It means don’t lie to me.”

He dropped to his knees, their height difference putting her only slightly taller than him. He wanted to look her in the eyes, begging her to see his sincerity even if she couldn’t feel it. The darkness of her gaze grew and at this level the perfume of her nectar was even stronger, making him tremble slightly with the roaring need to bury his face between her thighs and tongue her to her release. The generous pillows of her breasts called to him and he marveled that someone so small had such abundance. Even though his conscious mind knew she wasn’t in heat, his body demanded he take her, now, that he satisfy her every need.

“Casey, I will never lie to you.” He inwardly flinched at the thought that he was lying to her right now about who he was, but he pressed on. “You are beautiful. Where I come from men would fight to the death for the honor of your smile.”

She let out a slow breath, the scent of a healthy, fertile female filling him like the first rain over the desert of Valdoon. “Where the hell are you from?”

“Someplace far away.”

“No shit. Wherever it is, I know about a million women that would like to go there for vacation.”

The irony of her statement wasn’t lost on him, and he smiled, enjoying the way her gaze kept straying to his mouth. Moving slowly, he placed his hands on her hips, resisting the urge to squeeze. Mary had said Earth women were self-conscious of their natural softness, that having body fat was considered unattractive and how they wouldn’t understand a Kadothian male’s intense pleasure at grasping them where they are the most feminine. Like Casey’s beautiful rounded belly and generous thighs. Just the thought of her lying on his chest, nestling his cock against her giving flesh, had him fighting with everything he had not to rush her.

She tilted her head to the side and examined him. “You have the strangest eyes.”

“What do you mean?”

“They…kind of change color. I mean, I know that eye color can change depending on the lighting and the clothes you wear, but yours…” She reached out and touched his face again, filling him with elation, “they go from aquamarine to an almost navy blue.”

He turned his head slightly and brushed his lips over the tender skin of her forearm. Her response was an immediate and maddening rush of desire. For the briefest of moments the psychic shields around her softened and he read the desire, confusion, doubt, and hope spinning through her. Wanting to heighten her arousal, he removed one hand from her hip and grasped her arm, moving her hand so he could gently nibble on her inner wrist. While she was unaware of the significance of the act he rejoiced that his bride offered such a vulnerable part of her body to him so freely.

“What are you doing?” she asked in a whisper-soft voice.

“Tasting you.”

“Why?”

“Because you are delicious.”

“Oh.”

After a few moments of caressing her skin with his tongue and teeth she made a soft moaning noise. Worried he’d hurt her, he looked up and found her watching him with half-closed eyes, giving him a look so damned arousing that he had to choke back a growl. Human males didn’t growl and they certainly didn’t howl their joy at claiming their bride.

Unable to fight off his primal urges any longer, he looked up at her. “Kiss me, Casey.”

The dart of her tongue wetting her lips had his erection pressing against his pants. She began to lean down slowly and he bit the inside of his lip, allowing his blood to flow and fill his mouth. Only a drop or two was needed to start the hormonal chain reaction, but he wanted to do everything he could to connect Casey to him because his soul already belonged to her. Bonding ceremony or not, this young Earth female was his Matriarch.

She hesitated right before their lips met, close enough that they inhaled and exhaled each other’s air.

Desperate at the thought she might reject him, he did the unthinkable for a Warrior. He begged her. “Please, Casey, please kiss me.”

A moment later their lips met and elation filled him.

Soft, giving, gentle, her lips explored his as he kissed her back, not seeking entrance yet, determined to give her the kind of kiss that she deserved. Their noses rubbed together as she changed the angle of her mouth, the sweet scent of her desire enveloping him and making his whole body tense with need. He wanted to devour her, to taste every part of her flesh, to make her climax until she fell into an exhausted sleep, but those were later stages in the courting ritual. Right now he lost himself in the glory of her maddeningly hesitant touch.

With a soft moan she parted her lips for him and he took advantage of her surrender with a growl he couldn’t stop. She tensed but before she could pull away he stroked his tongue against hers, sharing his blood with her, marking her as belonging to him. Soon her scent would change, merging with his so every male knew she had been claimed as his bride, his beautiful Casey Westfall, soon to be Matriarch of House Westfall and his
alyah
, his beloved and the future bride of his blood brother, the Lord of Life willing.

The sensation of her fingers stroking through his hair as they kissed sent pleasure spinning through his nervous system until he had her clasped against him as tightly as he could, her large and tempting breasts pressing into him and driving his desire higher until it was an inferno of need. She tasted so damn good, like the essence of joy, and he finally understood why Kadothian males considered finding their bondmate life’s ultimate pleasure. He’d listened to their tales, had been taught what would happen, but nothing had prepared him for this. Soon she was tugging on his hair and kissing him harder, rubbing her body against his in a silent plea for him to ease her need as her nectar spilled from her sweet body.

He wanted to take her, over and over again, but if he did he would lose his chance to bring her back with him, to have a full bonding witnessed by his people. Once she fully transformed he could plunge his shaft into her willing body, but until then he would have to be satisfied with this one stolen moment.

Tongues stroking together, they kissed for what seemed like a lifetime, tasting each other and burning hotter until Lorn was desperate to mate her.

Tearing his mouth from hers, he leapt to his feet and tried to put some distance between them, afraid he would soon be unable to control the primal need to make her his in all ways.

Her shocked gasp alerted him to the fact that he’d moved faster than an Earthling could even as he struggled to keep from hauling her decadent body against his.

“Forgive me, Casey.” He quickly sent a message to Cormac on a mental link to come get him, now. “If I keep kissing you, tasting your need, smelling your sweet pussy all wet and waiting for my mouth I will not be able to control myself. I will tear your clothes from your body like an animal and lick every drop of nectar from your body until you scream my name.”

She crossed her arms over her chest as if she was cold, hugging herself as she stared at him with wide eyes. Her hard nipples pressed against the thin fabric and his cock ached like an open wound with the need to plunge into her willing heat. Casey wanted him, there was no doubt of that in his mind, but this was too important to rush her.

After licking her lips she whispered, “What if I don’t want you to control yourself?”

The woman was temptation itself wrapped up in a stunningly feminine package. His gaze strayed down to her hard nipples again and his mouth watered. “I must, for both our sakes.”

“I don’t understand.” She took a hesitant step closer then hurt filled her expression as he stepped back.

Trying to think of some way to soothe her without revealing too much, he took inspiration from the sound of Cormac approaching in an automobile. Earth’s technology was so primitive that creating identities and securing wealth had been no issue. Lorn had enjoyed exploring this region called America on his motorcycle while Cormac had chosen an automobile made for going fast, or at least what passed for fast on this planet.

“My friend is coming to pick me up and will be here any second. I do not want to dishonor you by having you spread out on the table before him while I feast on your delicious cream.”

“Oh.” Her cheeks flushed bright red and he had to hide a smile at her adorable embarrassment.

Unable to resist the urge to soothe his bride he crossed the space between them and gently grasped her chin, tipping her face up so he could look her in the eye. “I wish I could stay the night with you,
alyah
, but I cannot.”

Small lines formed around her kiss swollen lips. “What does that word mean?”

Conscious of Mary’s advice to be gentle with their bride at first, he brushed his thumb over her lower lip, clearing away a trace of his glimmering, deep purple blood. The low rumble of the automobile pulling into her driveway made Casey take a step back, breaking his hold on her as her gaze darted to the door. “Is that your ride?”

He nodded and moved away to gather his trench coat from the couch. If, Lord of Life forbid, she did not transition it would be better to leave no trace of himself. The thought of having to leave Casey behind started a panic through him that he couldn’t control. Before he could stop himself he went to Casey and gathered her in his arms, loving the gentle give of her body against his as he whispered a desperate prayer against her neck that she made the transformation. She would make a wonderful mother and fierce longing filled him as he pictured his and Nast’s sons running around their home.

A knock came from the door and he released her to go answer it.

Cormac grinned under the porch lights and his nostrils flared as he took in Lorn’s scent. Dressed in a white button-down shirt and jeans, his dark blonde hair streaked with brown was pulled back into a tight braid. His grin widened and he said in Kadothian, “Congratulations on finding your bride.”

Lorn wanted to hug his friend but Mary had warned them that on Earth men touching and loving other men was considered taboo. Stupid savages, as if any form of love could ever be immoral. Still, he didn’t want to give Casey the wrong impression. There was only one man he loved beyond friendship and it wasn’t Cormac.

Moving to the side so his friend could see Casey, he smiled with pride. “Casey Westfall, I would like you to meet my friend, Cormac.”

The other man knew better than to approach Lorn’s bride so he raised a hand in greeting. “It’s an honor to meet you,
alyah
of Lorn.”

Silence met this statement and Lorn looked over at Casey. Surprise radiated from her and he couldn’t help but revel in the fact he was able to read his bride’s emotions, just the faintest bit. The Scout had been right, physical intimacy did allow him a way past her shielding. She blinked at them, opened her mouth, and blinked again before saying in a high-pitched voice, “Hello.”

Concerned, Lorn moved quickly to her side. “Are you all right?” Surely it was too early for the DNA changes to take place. So far, the brides that had been found needed at least twelve hours to go through their transition, but who knew what kind of anomalies could happen.

She looked from him, to Cormac, and back to him again. “There’s more of you?”

“What?”

Flushing, she looked down at his chest rather than in his eyes. “Never mind. It was nice meeting you, Cormac.”

The sound of dismissal in her voice irritated him. “You will see me again, Casey.”

She gave him a small smile and even without the slight foothold in her soul he could have read the doubt in every line of her body. “Sure. Give me a call next time you’re in town.”

“I live here now.”

“You do?”

“Yes.”

He debated telling her they’d bought the old farm down the road from her house once he’d identified her as his bride. Cormac now lived there along with a rotating crew of Kadothian males who had sensed their mates somewhere in the area. They could narrow the range to six hundred miles and this part of the planet known as Michigan made a good starting point for many of the men. Lorn had been unusually lucky to find Casey after only two days of searching. It took most of the other men who had found their brides much longer. The women’s natural shielding made it hard to get a lock on them unless they were close enough to scent. However, once a Warrior locked onto a scent he would find his female quickly. Three days ago Lorn had found Casey then immediately researched her. He’d discovered the neighboring farm to her property, along with its bunkhouse that could sleep fifteen men and huge barn, was for sale and it was too good of an opportunity to mess up. It was a miracle she hadn’t seen him before now but they’d been very careful not to draw attention to themselves. Still, it would break the growing trust between them if he did not mention it. Not wanting to lie to his bride, and unable to resist touching her, he smoothed a stray lock of her hair from her face, marveling at the smooth texture.