Scandalous Heroes Box Set (179 page)

“Show me your best.”

Using his hold against him, she bent her knees and wiggled herself closer to him as she pretended to struggle. Once she was close enough, she seized his ankles and with an abrupt yank she slipped his feet from under him.

She felt the impact of his body hitting the ground as it shook beneath her, but she moved quickly. Rolling up, she landed on his chest with her knees planted against his sides and gave him two strikes to his chest. “Submit.”

Ignoring her words, he grabbed her hips. He rolled them right until he was on top of her, bearing down on her with his weight and holding her shoulders into the ground.

Raising her knees up, she got them between their bodies and against his chest. She bucked and propelled him away from her.

They were both on their feet again in an instant, circling one another.

Unable to keep herself from admiring his skill and form, she could only imagine what this fierce competitor was like in true battle.
Remarkable
.

For long moments they sparred. As one of them gained advantage, the other took it back. Over and over again, they exhibited matched strength and skills.

“Are you ready to give up, warrior?”

“Are you ready to give up, warrior?” He quirked an eyebrow up as he countered with her words back to her.

She bared her teeth at him in a growl, only to keep herself from laughing. She’d trained and been in battles before, but she never predicted that a joining match could be intense, yet amusing. However, she had to admit, she was enjoying herself immensely. But they were not here for an extended game. She had to show and prove to her people that she could subdue and control her mate.

Tossing her long, high braid over her shoulder, she continued to circle around in the sand with Rymingten, both of them looking for an angle.

There was one solid attack move that all Argona warriors learned to wield. Something they utilized as a defense—their hair. It was braided and fashioned intricately as a tight whip. Taking a few steps back from him, she took a deep breath and summoned her energy. She had to be careful, because too much power and her braid could be used as a deadly weapon, but just the right amount would give the male before her a charge and subdue him enough for her to get the upper hand and win the exhibition.

The vibrations started in her core, the center of her magic. An internal hum spread from her belly down her legs and out through her arms. She shifted her feet outwards in a wide-legged stance as the heated energy swirled up her spine.

Rymingten stopped as well. He no longer circled her but watched her with his intense bronze gaze. Tilting his head, he stared at her as if he could sense what she was doing, see the build-up of her power. However, that could not be. The level of magic needed to execute the move she was prepared to perform was on a frequency not easily picked up and if it was, it was practically undecipherable by anyone not majji.

But, Rymingten continued to stare at her, crouching low as if preparing himself for an attack. Very subtly at first, she started to rotate her neck in a slow circle as if working out stiff muscles. She stepped right, crossing over her other foot and rotating her head a little more feeling her ponytail start to sway.

Another side-step to get the right angle for her strike.

The Kitcy warrior didn’t move, but his expression changed to one of awe as his gaze tracked her.

He can’t see my energy. He can’t know what is to come.

Even if he could figure it out as her ponytail began to circle above her like the blades of a galaxy cruise liner, she knew that soon it would become undetectable. Almost appearing to vanish, this made the striking of it quick, powerful and deadly at times.

One…two…three…four… Around and around she swung her hair, hearing and feeling the swelling excitement of the crowd above them.

Why isn’t he rushing to me? Trying to attack me or take me down?

If he launched himself at her, she could really do some damage to him. It was the mistake of most Argona opponents. But, Rymingten just kept himself crouched, almost in a ball, as if waiting for something.

Well, she was prepared to give him more than he could handle. 

Her scalp began to tingle and feel as if a million moon worms crawled through her hair, because of the energy that gathered there. Everything was ready. Leaping forward she snapped her head forward so that the end of her ponytail would smack his left shoulder, nicking him. The injury would cause such a jolt it would render the arm momentarily useless.

Rymingten sprang forward at the same moment. In a flash she saw his hand reach left.

“Shit!” He cried out as her magic-tainted hair made contact with his skin.

Before she knew it, he’d captured her braid and wrapped it around his forearm as he yanked her toward him.

Not prepared, the unexpected move threw her body off balance. She tried to secure her footing but found herself tumbling forward as she tossed her head back attempting to free herself from his astonishing grasp.

“Ooaf…” she was on her belly with a mouth full of dirt. However that wasn’t the most shocking part. The full weight of the big Kitcy warrior covered the full length of her back, pressing her into the ground. “Get off me, you big feline beast.”

~YH~

“Well, well, now Princess Krys.” Rym lowered his head, so that his mouth was right next to the ear of the female beneath him.

“Remove yourself!” She bucked and struggled under him, clawing and beating at the ground as if attempting to find purchase to get out of her situation.

He knew she could not go anywhere, even if she managed to toss him off her, because of his hold on her hair. And shit was he paying for that hold, too. His arm stung greatly, throbbing. The magic lacing her ponytail had sent jolts of shocks into him feeling like blades of fire. He didn’t believe the impact had broken the skin, and he was sure she was capable of much more.

When she had first begun winding her braid, he’d been in awe of the pale purple beauty glowing along the threads of her hair. He’d had to pull himself together and remain focused on his counter attack. It had worked and now he had her long lush form under him.

Beside her neck, so that no one in the audience could see it, he’d allowed a sing claw to extend from the tip of a finger. He dragged it along the side of her neck and over her collar bone. “Are you ready to give up, warrior princess?”

She gasped, her movements stilling for a moment. “Ne-ever…” the word seemed to become caught in her throat.

Performing the same move again, he felt the shiver that coursed through her body. That awakened his own. Truthfully, his body was always in a heightened level of arousal around her. Something he told himself was only because they had been trapped together for so long and she was the only female within five galaxies of him.

However, his cat arched and rolled within him. Kitcy males loved to use their claws, lightly, during sex or for marking and usually only Kitcy females were susceptible to the act. But, his body told him that Krysteena’s response wasn’t one of disgust.

“Declare your victory and be done with it, or let us continue with the exhibition,” she spoke through gritted teeth.

“I will not be rushed.” Pressing his advantage while she was under his control, he couldn’t keep himself from a deeper investigation of her reaction to him. Aligning his lips with the shell of her ear he released a deep-throated purr.

The lithe form beneath him shivered. She moaned as she dipped her back and arched her ass against him.

Rym lost his mind. He disregarded the people gathered around them in the arena. Didn’t care about the battle of wills or anything but Krysteena. His cock became hard, stretching within the confines of his trousers as he pressed into her round, high backside.

Releasing his hold on her hair, he slid his hand along her side, brushing the curve of her breast on the open side of her chiton. “Krys, I don’t know what is happening between us or why? You should not be affected by my feline designs in such a way, but—”

In a flash, she tossed him off her, rolled with a speed that only appeared as a hazy blur to him before he found himself on his back with Krysteena straddling his chest. Her knees pressed into his forearms, restraining him as she gripped his throat firmly with one hand and held her other high claiming her victory.

The crowd of Argona observers exploded in cheer.

Blazing comet tails, he’d been had. It had all been a clever maneuver of the woman above him. Instead of taunting her, he should have declared his victory and won his boon. In a sense, he had defeated himself.

“Well, I guess I owe you congratulations on your
victory
.”

“You are a fierce opponent, Kitcy.” Still not having moved from her position, she lowered her gaze from her people and stared down at him.

That’s when he saw it, the tremors at the corner of her mouth and the heated look in her eyes. The princess may have wanted it to seem like an act, but she was just as affected by him as he was by her.

“Maybe in some way we were both victorious.” He dragged a nail along the inside of her calf.

With blanched features, she shoved away from him. Bounding up to her feet, she gave him a hard look. “Those kinds of antics will not be tolerated in our chamber.”

Turning from him, she headed away from the maze that brought them into the arena’s center toward a side opening. He followed.

As soon as they breached the doorway, he took hold of her arm. Pressing her back against the wall, he stared into her eyes.

“What are you doing? You should not be over here. Your escorts will secure you until our joining on the last rising sun.”

He could hear the haste of footsteps around the arena, but he would not go until he’d said his peace. “Understand this, princess. I maybe your captive and I may not have a say in whether I am
joined
with you. However, neither I nor my cat will be a prisoner.”

Her lips parted, most likely with a rejoinder, but he stopped it by sealing his lips over hers. Doing one of the things he had been tempted to do since they returned back to form after the curse, he kissed her. With people coming there was no time to begin with a playful light kiss, instead he laid siege to her mouth.

Chapter Three

In the shadowed doorway, he took command of her mouth. Claimed her in a way he couldn’t do when they were trapped on Earth or when they were in the arena. This was between the two of them. Every ounce of passion he’d held back he released in that kiss. He expected the resistance—anticipated it.

She gripped his shoulders, and tried to hold him back, but he pressed in, closing any gaps between them. He slid his tongue along the edges of her lips and felt her gasp more than he heard it as she tried to draw away from him.

The bolts of desire exploded in his body at their mouths and every place they were in contact. Dipping inside he tasted her and pushed for her to accept him. Him, the man that would be joined to her—the warrior. He used all of his skill to show her their passion would not be light, but bold and fierce—all consuming.

Because even though he took the lead in the kiss, she overwhelmed him. As the tip of her tongue glided over his, for just a moment, proof that she gave in to the desire boiling between them, it rocked his core. Her acquiesce, even as small as it was, caused shivers of pleasure to race along his spine. Gripping her hips he dragged her forward, allowing her to feel the evidence of his need.

“Ah..hmm…” she moaned into his mouth.

“Princess, should we restrain him?”

Moonstruck Fuck!
The words exploded in his mind. What was it with the females on this planet? They were like a virus…wreaking havoc.

Krysteena shoved him away.

Caught off guard he stumbled back a step and stared at the female before him. Her gainsboro eyes were luminous with a passion he knew she’d deny if he asked her about it.

Shaking her head, she licked her lips.

Could she still taste his kiss? He could. The flavor of her mouth was etched into his soul and he wanted more.

“No restraint needed.” She broke the eye contact first and looked to the two guards. “All is well. See him escorted to his holding until the ceremony.”

“As you request.” The darker-skinned female guard responded. “This way Kitcy male.”

“Kyrs, we are not finished with this.” He reached out and touched her shoulder—he needed some contact with her.

Glancing down at his hand, she said, “Take the time in solitude to learn of our ways, warrior.” Her gaze met his again. “It will serve you well in understanding what you can and
cannot
do here.” Stepping away she broke the contact and continued through the doorway.

Balling his hands into tight fists, he wanted to shift and run and claw something or someone. Anything to release the pent up frustration of passion and rage he felt. Could he really spend a life being seen as inferior? Hell no. However, he had lost the chance for escape when he allowed his body to rule in the Arena of Valor instead of his mind.

“Let’s go, shifter.” The cyan-haired guard barked at him as she grabbed his arm and jerked him.

He hissed, snatched his arm away and strutted back across the arena. He knew exactly where he would start tearing people apart if he did shift. His mind focused on the two Argona females trailing close on his heels.

~YH~

Krysteena blew out of the arena and marched toward her dwelling, not even waiting on Morni, her attendant. No, right now she needed to burn away the frustration and energy being around Rymingten always caused. That kiss he had given her didn’t help. Solar damnation!

Why did he kiss me?

And why didn’t she stop him. Yes, she had attempted to push him away at first, but at some point she realized she was no longer attempting to evade the kiss but was giving in and giving back. Her body had felt as if it was on fire, burning from the inside out. Where she connected with him was the only thing that had given her relief. Thoughts of them stripping off their clothes and pressing together flesh-to-flesh had invaded her mind. Galaxy hell, it still invaded her mind.