Jury (7 page)

Sweat slicked both of them as he moved over her, and she strove against him to gain release.

He put his head next to hers, and she felt his teeth graze her neck again. When he flicked her with his tongue, her skin heated everywhere he touched.

She gasped out, “What is that?”

He murmured, “I might not be able to seduce at a distance, but up close, I have my own methods.”

Everywhere he licked her, she burned. When he grazed the hot skin with his teeth, she screamed and the burst of pleasure hit her with the strongest orgasm she had had in her life.

The world went bright as he continued to thrust in her while her body clasped at him with strong spasms. She felt his bite on her shoulder, and it sent off a stronger wave of pleasure that grew in pressure until the world went dark as he let out an earth-shaking howl.

A cold cloth was pressed to her cheek and neck, waking her. She looked into Ajaru’s concerned face.

“Are you all right? Was it too much?” He stroked down her body, removing the cooling sweat.

“It was a little much, but then, I haven’t had sex for a few years. I am imagining that it will get less earth shattering with time.” She smiled and stroked his cheek.

He grinned and lifted her, carrying her to the sonic shower for a quick blast. She blinked at him. “Aren’t you going to shower?”

“No. I wear your scent with pride. It will drive Regaran absolutely insane.”

She laughed and settled between the sheets with the smell of sex heavy in the air.

As he curled around her and commanded the lights to dim, she had to ask, “I thought you had a rule against sex this close to a match.”

“I do. You are worth breaking all the rules for.”

She was glowing with more than pleasure as he wrapped his arms around her. “If you don’t win tomorrow, I will kick your ass myself.”

He chuckled and pulled her in tighter. “I will not lose you, Trainer Bex. Not now that you have given me hope for a future with you.”

She brushed at a tear and settled in to rest in the arms of her fighter.

The feel of a tongue on her inner thigh brought her out of her sleep with a moan.

Ajaru had flung the blankets back, and he was lodged between her thighs, using his tongue on her, spreading flame and pleasure in equal measure.

Bex threaded her fingers through his hair and splayed her thighs wide.

He laughed and applied his tongue to her, spreading her wider and lapping at the liquid heat she was producing.

She whined and shuddered; he slid two fingers into her and lapped at her clit, nipping it gently. The short, sharp orgasm twisted her off the bed, and she dropped back to the bedding with a groan.

He removed his fingers, and as she watched, he licked them clean. “Good morning, Bex.”

“If that is how you say good morning, I would hate to see you shake hands.” She levered herself up on her elbows, her body still pulsing happily.

He grinned. “Come on and get some breakfast. You will be sitting with the governor today. The trainers are a little unhappy with you.”

“Of course they are.” She sighed and scooted backward, clearing his kneeling form so she could put her thighs together and put her legs over the edge of the bed. She wobbled a little on the way to the lav, but when she emerged, knotting her hair behind her, the bed was made with fresh sheets and her bodysuit and trainer robes were laying on top it. They were in his colours.

She smoothed the bodysuit into place; the cut on the neckline was far deeper than she was used to, cut across the top of her breasts and had a collar that exposed the bite marks of the night before. Her robe concealed a good portion of the bare skin, but it was still quite a departure from her normal neck-to-toe coverage.

Bex exited the bedroom and sat for breakfast. “The neckline was your idea?”

“The governor’s actually. He thought it might be distracting for Regaran.”

“Oh, and not for you.”

“I never said that, Bex. It is worse for me. I remember making those marks on you, and I know where the other ones are. I will be thinking about that the entire time.” His eyes twinkled.

She seemed to remember something about his species defending their mates, but it slipped her mind when she checked the time. Bex scarfed down the hot cereal and slugged down her caf.

Bex got to her feet. “Ready.”

Ajaru grinned, and as she walked over to him, he pressed a quick kiss to her wrist. “I will see you when I take to the sands, and I will see all of you afterward.”

She smiled, “Make sure that you win, Ajaru. I am counting on you to not doom me to my days spent with Regaran.”

He kissed her wrist again and got to his feet, pressing his lips to her neck and inhaling deeply. “You will not have to spend one moment with him, love.”

The guards arrived to escort them to their two respective sites. Bex didn’t have a chance to absorb the implications of Ajaru’s last words to her. Arena guards swept her out and escorted to the governor’s box. It was time to watch the fight.

The governor greeted her with a kiss to each cheek. “You are looking different, Trainer Bex.”

“It has been a week for transformations, Governor.” She smiled.

“How are you after that seizure?”

She blinked. Right, the jury duty. “I am fine. It hasn’t recurred.”

They had found an alternate when her situation had been explained.

The governor offered her the seat next to him, and they talked about inconsequential things until the parade of fighters began.

Both Ajaru and Regaran stopped in front of the governor’s box and blew her kisses. Regaran looked angry; his red eyes were throwing sparks.

“It seems that the grand champion is a little determined, Trainer Bex.”

“Apparently. Fortunately, they will have a chance to calm down before they fight.”

The governor looked at her with amusement. “You don’t know a lot about men, do you, Trainer?”

“It all depends on the men.”

The first fights began and Bex watched, picking the performances apart. She wanted to kick the trainers assigned to some of the fighters. The men were using the wrong weapons for their attack style.

“Why the face, Trainer Bex?”

He seemed genuinely concerned, so she went through the fighters, one by one, explaining what their trainers had done wrong.

She continued her commentary during every round, including the champion fights. When the final fight was announced, she went quiet.

Ajaru looked different. His eyes blazed with the yellow, and his shoulders seemed wider while his height seemed to have increased.

The governor gasped. “I have heard of it but never seen it before. He is set for a Thudulan mate defense.”

Regaran didn’t look angry anymore. There was wariness in his attitude.

Ajaru rotated his blades in his normal beginning to the fight.

The announcer gave the stakes for the fight—the exchange of Trainer Bex to the winner.

Bex noticed her face on the screen, but she kept her features composed. She watched the men square off and then the fight was joined.

Ajaru had listened to her. He matched the dancing pattern of Regaran’s movements and blocked all of his attacks. The grand champion was outmatched. Ajaru had pulled out something that she hadn’t seen before, and he had gone from not caring a jot as to how close the win was, to trying to smash Regaran into the ground.

The first slice through the charcoal skin made Bex wince, but she kept her reaction inside. In the next hour, Ajaru made dozens of cuts across Regaran’s skin before his opponent fell to the ground.

Ajaru had one small scratch on his shoulder, and the crowd went wild.

The governor was on his feet, applauding wildly. “That was one of the greatest fights I have ever seen.”

Bex’s knees were weak with relief.

Ajaru walked up to the box and stood under the balcony.

Bex stepped forward, climbed onto the ledge and leaped into the air, landing softly in Ajaru’s arms.

His eyes still glowed, but he kissed her in front of the cheering crowd.

Men and women were screaming with excitement.

Bex broke the kiss. “Leave now so Regaran can get medical treatment.”

“He can die for all I care.”

“He is annoying but not worth killing. Get your butt off the sands, Ajaru, or I will dig my nails into that little scratch you have.” She whispered it into his ear.

He grinned, “That’s my love. I am going, I am going.”

He carried her off the sands and everyone else was allowed to get medical teams in place.

Inside, he continued to hold her as if she weighed nothing. Vids were taken, and the new grand champion was recorded for the archives. It took some negotiating to get him to let her go, but once the area around her was cleared of shoving bodies, he allowed the scans as he slowly reduced to his normal size and shape.

When he was himself again, she grabbed a med pack and put the sealer on his shoulder.

The fight master came up to him and shook his free hand. “Well, Grand Champion, you have achieved what you have set out to do.”

“Is it settled?”

“It is. Now that she has agreed, you will be bonded in a formal ceremony and you have permission to build outside the arena grounds as long as security levels are maintained for you and yours.” With his horns shining, he bowed. “Are you prepared for the challenges that will ensue?”

Bex snorted. “He had better be.”

Ajaru grinned. “Lady Dolax will be official the moment we can get a magistrate to visit.”

Bex chuckled. “Right. Lady.”

The fight master cleared his throat. “Actually, Trainer Bex, he is a lord of the Thudulan. They train their fighters from all walks of life. It is considered a socially acceptable occupation even for the wealthy.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Wonderful. I almost wish I hadn’t healed you. I would give you such a poke, Ajaru.”

“You have also both been invited to the governor’s party this evening, in your honour.” The fight master was nearly giddy at the prospect.

She finished with the healing unit and checked him over for damage. He was fine.

Healers carried Regaran past and Bex felt a twinge. Well, he would be back on top in no time. He just needed a clear path to the top. Maybe a woman of his own. It had certainly motivated the hell out of Ajaru.

Back in his quarters, she rounded on him. “What the hell happened out there?”

He grinned. “Mate defense. I was stronger, faster and even taller for a few hours. You just didn’t see it until I was fighting.”

“Are you going to do that often?”

“I hope not, it is hell on the body.” He shrugged and wrapped his arms around her. “So, do you object to being Lady Dolax?”

Bex grimaced. “I have no idea what it will entail.”

“A few visits to the Thudulan colony where I grew up. It is on the other side of the globe. We have to attend some festivals a few times a year.”

She poked his ribs. “Why didn’t you tell me about this earlier?”

“I didn’t want to scare you.”

She giggled and pressed her forehead to his chest. “Out of all the things I have seen since leaving home, you thought that that would scare me? Men.”

He gave her a quick squeeze and lifted her off her feet, walking to the bedroom with her. “We will have to attend the party this evening, but we do have a few hours. I want to get a little more familiar with your body in the meantime. Any objections?”

Bex sighed. “Not at all.”

When he said familiar, he meant taste every inch of her. She shivered, she shuddered and just as she was about to cum, he pulled back.

“And now, we will get dressed for the governor’s party.”

“Bastard!” She hissed and got to her knees.

He scampered out of her reach and tossed a gown toward her. It was navy opaque silk in a roman style. A golden rope wrapped around her midsection and acted as a corset.

“I have never seen it done in that style before. I like it.”

“I hate binding my breasts down.”

He put on tight leather pants with matching boots and a silk shirt that matched hers. Matching mate clothing was fairly common in the arena situations. That way you always knew who belonged to whom.

He urged her to sit, and he put on her sandals, lacing them up her calves.

“Do you have a thing for ladies’ footwear?”

“No, we just practice for the days when our mates are large with child. If we make it a habit, we never have to remember. We just do it.”

The idea of having a child made her freeze. “When they flushed my system, what intervention did they remove?”

“Everything. Your own systems are all back online, so to speak.”

“Damn.”

He patted her knee. “It is all right. You are not receptive yet. Do you want me to warn you when you are?”

“You can tell?”

“Of course. If you think my mate defense was impressive, you should see what happens when I have a child to protect.”

She groaned. “Why do I think that we are going to have our ups and downs?”

He grinned, “Because we are not idiots. Your ways are strange to me, mine are strange to you, but we both like to talk, so as long as we hash it out, things should shake out just fine.”

She pulled at his hair and kissed him. “If it doesn’t, I will kick your ass and drop you to the floor.”

“Words that warm my heart, love. Now, shall we proceed to the governor’s home?”

“Fine, but no funny business.”

He winked and gave her a serious nod.

Two hours later, her skirts were around her waist and he was thrusting into her against a shadowed part of the garden wall. She kept her lips together, but her hands clawed at his back as he pounded into her.

When she came, a high squeak was her only audible clue. He gritted his teeth and his groan was felt more than heard.

He slumped against her, and she was limp in his arms. “I couldn’t wait.”

“I thought I said no funny business.”

“Oh, love. That was dead serious.” He raised his head and the twinkle in his eye belied his words.