Raptor's Desire (A Planet Desire novelette) (5 page)

“I was labeled a militant who was opposed to the strengthening of our ties with the Dominion. Now, they’ve made it truth.” Tension born of frustration stiffened his neck and shoulders.

“You weren’t responsible, Khalim. How could you know—”

He shot her a look laced with irritation. How could she understand what he felt? He had been the one responsible for his uncle’s safety. Instead, he’d watched him die.

“And stop glaring at me. I’m not responsible either.”

He realized his stare upset her. “The deceit of your governing council still enrages me.”

“Thank you for telling me, just the same. It explains a lot. I wondered why the governor wanted you removed so quickly.” Andromeda canted her head to the side. “Do they know about your special gift?”

“It was kept secret—insurance, in case it was needed.”

“Did you use it to warn your people on Qahir? Can you reach such a distance with your mind?”

“I spoke with my father before I was brought aboard your ship. He shares my gift.”

Khalim gazed at her, realizing, not for the first time, his plan endangered her. As desperate as he was to return to his home, his conscience was troubled. He reached across the table and covered her hand. “I am thinking that perhaps, I ask too much of you. This isn’t your fight. There will likely be a war.”

“Your world appears so primitive, at least the parts I’ve seen so far—in the dreams, that is. Can you win?”

He rubbed his thumb across the back of her soft hand. “We don’t have the technology our enemies possess, but we have weapons beyond their imagination. We don’t expect to win battles, but the Dominion will not want to wage a lengthy campaign. We hope to wear down their resolution.” He cupped her cheek. “You would be better off handing me over to the authorities.”

She leaned her face into his hand. “I must be crazy, but I’m not afraid.” Her eyes filled. “I couldn’t bear to see you imprisoned.”

“Why? What has changed your mind about me?”

She straightened and stared at him, her gaze steady. “You’ve seduced me from the start of this voyage, trying to win my cooperation. Yet when I resisted, you never once attempted to force me to give up my password. And you could have—you’re stronger than I am.”

“I told you I would never harm you.”

“And I believe you,” she said quietly. “You’ve been tender and gentle, even when I angered you. You’re an honorable man.”

He lifted an eyebrow.

A small smile curved her lips. “Despite our appearance, I believe that’s true. You’ve a twisted sense of humor, and this has been the oddest courtship, but I know I can take you at your word.”

“You believe this is a courtship?” He waited, willing her to have the courage to believe he was honest in his dealings with her.

She took a deep breath and said in a rush, “Yes. As
in
expert as I am, I know a man couldn’t be that hard all the time without being powerfully attracted.”

Something inside him softened and relaxed. “And do you know what the purpose of this courtship is?”

“You mean, beyond taking over my ship?”

His narrowed eyes warned her not to tread that ground again.

“You want me to accompany you to Qahir-Jadiid?” Her expression was hopeful and pierced his heart.

“I want you to
remain
there with me.”

A smile lit her face for a brief moment, and then she looked away. “But what of my ship?”

“If you give me freedom, you’ll be viewed as a pirate by the Dominion and become subject to inter-galactic piracy laws. You could be executed if you are apprehended.”

“Do I have to scuttle her?” she asked, her voice tight.

“No.” He squeezed her hand. “Someday, we may have a need for her. Do you think you can bear to be planet-bound for a time?”

“I love to fly, and it’s been my whole life since before I reached adulthood, but I find the thought of losing my ship doesn’t hurt me. I think…” She bit her lip, then released it and took a deep breath. “I know I can’t bear to live without you. I was lonely. Now…I’m not.”

Satisfaction filled his chest and loins. It had come to pass, as his uncle had foreseen months before his death. He had found his mate, and soon, the falcon would tether its master. He tugged on her hand. “Come here.”

“Wait!” Her eyes narrowed. “Just how many wives is a man permitted in your society?”

He pursed his lips against the smile threatening to break. Now that she was assured of her place with him, his little prey wasn’t afraid to show her own talons. “As many as his first wife will allow.”

“And do you already have a wife or two?”

He feigned nonchalance and shrugged. “I’ve been a warrior for most of my adult life. I’ve had no time to seek a suitable mate.”

Her eyebrows drew together in a fierce frown. “Am I just convenient, then?”

“
Ha’abib
, you’ve been extremely
in
convenient.” He jerked her to her feet and pulled her around the table. When she stood in front of him, he closed his hands over her hips.

She stiffened, resisting his pull. “Will I be your wife or your convenience?”

Annoyance burned for a moment until he noticed her white-knuckle grip on his hand. The answer was not apparent to her—she still doubted her own appeal. “My wife, of course.”

She nodded once. “And if I tell you there will be no other wives in our life?”

“Then I will expect you to provide all that a Tirrekh warrior needs from his
wives
.” He suppressed a smile as the light of battle appeared in her eyes.

“Maybe one Earth woman equals several of your wives.”

Needing to hold her, he stood up and circled the table, backing her up against the edge. “Perhaps we should test your theory.” He leaned down and captured her mouth in a hot, hard kiss.

Andromeda sighed against his lips and their mouths softened, sliding together. He circled the sharp edges of her teeth, and then stroked her tongue with his.

She yielded, sweetly opening her thighs to cuddle his sex. He circled his hips, rubbing her slit, wetting the tip of his cock in her moisture.

She drew away and framed his face with her soft hands. “This…attraction burns. I couldn’t feel this way, if I didn’t love you.”

He rested his forehead against hers. “As I love you.”

Her eyes glittered with moisture, and she rose up on her toes to press her lips to his, again.

Promises were exchanged as their tongues mated. His body stirred, her hips curved to accept his cock. He growled deep in his throat and lifted her off the floor. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he plunged into her wet warmth.

They strained together—mouths and hips fusing, desperate to deepen their emotional and physical connection. Khalim’s hips rolled, pumping into her drenched pussy.

At first, he didn’t recognize the noise, he was so lost inside the wonder of his woman’s body.

Andromeda pressed against his shoulders. “Khalim, that’s a hailing signal!”

The alarm in her voice pierced his sex-drugged mind. Her legs were already lowering from his waist, and he helped her gain her footing, regretting the loss of their connection.

“What shall we do?” she asked, already heading toward the corridor. “We’ve been discovered by sentinels. We must be very close to the perimeter. How will we escape them now?”

He followed closely on her heels to the bridge. “You must distract them.”

“How?” She reached the ladder, but rather than climbing down the metal rungs, she straddled it and slid to the floor below.

He imitated her action and followed her. “Do they expect you to respond?”

“If I don’t, they’ll assume I’m still in suspension. They could board to wake me.” She slipped into her chair and flipped open the control panel. The screen opened, a midnight blue expanse dotted with brilliant lights from a billion far away stars. “Display all spacecraft.”

As Khalim seated himself next to her, brackets surrounded a dark spot on the screen, and then illuminated the hull of a small cruiser.

“There’s only one ship,” she said.

“You will tell them you’re experiencing some sort of trouble with your ship. Anything that will convince them there is a reason for your ship to halt its progress. While they await your ship, I’ll pull them into another reality and we’ll escape.”

Andromeda glanced at him. “When I open the communications line, they mustn’t see you.”

Belatedly, Khalim’s gaze fell to her naked chest, and he frowned. “You need clothing.”

Andromeda grinned, displaying a dimple in her right cheek. “You did say to distract them.”

With her kiss-swollen lips and distended nipples, she’d certainly do that. It rankled that she was right. He glanced at the space beneath the console and screen. There might be just enough room…

Before she could gasp a protest, he was on the floor and underneath the console, his hands pressing apart her thighs.

“What are you doing?”

Without preamble, his long fingers slid inside her vagina.

Andromeda’s toes pointed to the floor, lifting her heels and giving him greater access to her cunt. “Stop,” she said, and then moaned. “I have to return their call.”

“Do it,” he said then leaned closer and kissed the inside of one thigh.

“You’re insane.” Her head pressed back into the headrest, and her hands gripped the armrests as if she were afraid she’d fly off the seat. “I won’t be able get out an intelligible sentence.”

He spread the pretty pink folds guarding her entry with his fingers and stabbed his tongue inward.

She lifted her hips off the chair, and he had to hold her down to accept his loving. “Make the call.” He circled her opening with a lap of his tongue.

“Bastard!” He heard a click and then a breathless, “This is the captain of the Osprey. Identify yourself.”

‡

“W
hat must they
have thought when I cried out in the middle of their greeting?” I asked, rubbing his bottom absently. I’d never grow tired of exploring those hard, rounded muscles.

“Andromeda, does it matter?” His head rested on my shoulder and his breaths still held a ragged edge. “They will not realize how long they hover at those coordinates…until I release them from their dream.”

The tip of my finger traced the crease between his buttocks. “Where exactly did you take them?”

I felt his shiver all the way to my womb. “To a place they will not be eager to leave.”

I heard the smile in his voice, and I answered with a grin. “You took them to a whore house, didn’t you?” I smoothed my hands over the rise of his ass, and then grabbed both cheeks and squeezed.

His cock lengthened inside me. “They are in a pleasure-giver’s palace,” he corrected me.

“They rate a palace?”

“Let us change the subject, hmmm?” The roll of his hips wasn’t needed to remind me where his pleasure lay.

I was filled to the brim with his pleasure, so wet and sore from overuse the ache pulsed. Still, I couldn’t have him complaining. I pumped my hips and drew a long moan from him.

“Mercy, Ha’abib!”

I hoped I exhausted him. While in my arms, he’d never feel the lack of
wives.

He’d also never lack for laughter. His heart was lighter than when we first met. He smiled often, and I relished his sly sense of humor, even when the laughter was at my expense.

Once again, he had brought me to Qahir-Jadiid. His flesh still embedded inside mine, his weight pressed me into silken blankets. They were spread upon a sandy shelf of rock overlooking a shallow pond. We arrived at sunset and watched the aqua sky fade to mauve and the stars appear like a billion phosphor-pots set to light our way.

“If my ship were near enough, would we see us in the sky?”

Khalim grunted and lifted his head. “We aren’t going to sleep, are we?”

“This is a dream,” I reminded him. “You don’t need to sleep.”

He shook his head then rose on his arms and disengaged our bodies. “You have much to learn.” Rolling to his back, he placed a hand behind his head and yawned.

I climbed on top of him, stretching over him like a blanket.

His hands closed over my ass.

I folded my hands on his chest and planted my chin on top. I loved staring at him—his golden gaze warmed me to my toes. “This dream-sex could be the answer to birth control.”

“Do you think so?” His slow smile was a study in masculine arrogance.

Unable to resist the curve of his lips, I leaned down and slanted my mouth over his, lapping at the tip of his tongue.

His body hardened beneath mine, his cock once again pressing at my cunt.

I broke the kiss and gasped. “You give me so much, I’ll hardly miss flying at all.”

Khalim’s hands glided up my back, and then his fingers combed through my hair, pulling me downward for another kiss. “Close your eyes, Ha’abib. I have something else to show you.” His mouth moved on mine, sucking softly.

My legs parted over his waist, and I straddled his hips. I pushed my chest away from him, and his hands settled over my breasts. Circling my hips, I searched until my movements placed the head of his cock at my entrance. With a flex of my hips, I took him inside me. “I like what you show me,” I said, my voice raspy with want. I let my head roll back and closed my eyes. I ground my hips down, swirling, screwing his cock.