To Love A Space Pirate (7 page)

“I…I would never do such a thing! I don’t sleep around. Especially with a pirate!”

Carden leaned his head back and laughed deeply. It infuriated her to no end. She wanted nothing more than to slug the big oaf but she was positive she would regret it afterward.

“What if I gave you a choice?”

Now he really confused her. “What do you mean? What kind of a choice?” This was not how she expected this evening to go once he returned from wherever he went.

“I want you, it’s that plain and simple, but I do not make it a habit of raping a female. I prefer my women willing.” His hand fell to his side, but he made no move to walk away from her. “I will have you. It might take me some time to work my way in, but the result will still be the same. I would just like to avoid all the games and get down to business.”

She was appalled by his change in character! He was a pirate after all so she should be grateful he was giving her a choice. “What choice do I have,” she asked.

He returned to his seat on the sofa. “Become my lover while you are here and enjoy all the comforts my home has to offer.” He paused for dramatic effect then surged forward. “Or, become my lover while you are here and never leave this room. The choice is yours.”

She wanted to slap the smile right off his disfigured face. Who did he think he was? Demanding she have sex with him to appease his appetite? Did he do this to all his female prisoners?

“No,” she stated.

“No to what part?”

Those eyes of his were going to be her undoing. Some crazy part of her wanted to cave in and give this ruthless man what he wanted. She wanted to able to experience something she never had before; the chance to do something wild and carefree. But, logic was going to win out. She would refuse this man until she was blue in the face.

“No to all of it.” She shifted her stance to the side. The more distance she put between them, the better she would feel.

The smile fell away from his face and was replaced with a look that told her she was going to lose this battle. “I am sorry to hear this. I was hoping we could get to know each other a bit more, but it seems as if you have taken the path that is going to get a bit bumpy.” He stood up. “Know this, my little human. I will have you. I will have you tonight when I return.” His face turned stone cold and gave her chills.

She breathed a deep sigh of relief when he once again left her alone in the room. Her hands were trembling as she touched her fingers to her lips. Tears prickled at the back of her eyes and threatened to fall. Did she just make things a lot harder for herself? So far, Carden had been nothing but accommodating to her. He had yet to threaten her with any physical harm or even show her he was violent in any way. Shit, Carden was a man, and he was telling her what he wanted. He wanted her.

She would have to come up with something before he came back for the night. Her main priority was getting back home where she was safe from men like Carden.

Chapter 7

Carden felt like a huge ass. He was behaving just like the type of pirate he vowed he would never be. Every time he got close to Elizabeth it was becoming harder and harder to control the urges he was experiencing. No female had ever stirred up such strong emotions in him, and he couldn’t figure out what made her so different. He stormed down the hallway and out the front door. He needed to clear his head before he went back into the house and did something foolish.

The night air was cool and felt good against his heated skin. After working all day side by side with some of his people, he was ready for a shower then his bed. The last few sleepless nights were wearing on him, but there was no point in trying to sleep when he knew his dreams would be plagued by the human sitting in his bedroom.

He headed down the path that led to the stream behind his house. He could hear the sound of the rushing water as it beat against the boulders that lined its banks. It was the one place on all of Sheannor that he could think without being interrupted. Back on his world, he and his brothers used to fish out of a stream similar to the one here. Countless days they spent fishing and swimming in the cold water until the sound of their father’s voice calling them home ended their fun. How sometimes he wished he could do back. Go back and see how his family was doing without him. If he reappeared now, years after they were told he was dead, how would they react? Would they be angry with him for staying away? Would they let him explain why he had stayed away? It was a chance he was not willing to take. He was better off letting his family think he was dead and gone. There was no point in stirring up old feelings and putting their lives in jeopardy.

He picked up a handful of pebbles and rolled them around in his hand. One by one, he tossed them into the flowing water and watched them sink. The mood he was in was sinking as well. He gave his female a choice whether to accept him willing or not. It sickened him to think of the way he acted, but he didn’t have control over it nor could he understand it. Perhaps he should seek out Faxon’s help to find out if there was a solution to his growing problem.

He sat alongside the stream for a short while longer then contacted Faxon. His friend would meet him shortly and help him figure out was wrong with him. There had to be an answer!

Carden was concentrating so hard he didn’t hear the sound of the approaching footsteps until Faxon called to him. “Carden?”

“Over here,” he responded then stepped onto the path to reveal his position. For a split second, he regretted calling Faxon. He felt foolish and like a child who needed counseling from his teacher.

“What is so important that I had to come way out here?” Faxon asked with a smirk.

“One guess, my old friend,” Carden said as he ran a hand over his face.

“The human?”

He nodded then walked back to the place he had been sitting.

“What do you want me to do?” Faxon joined him on the boulder facing the rushing green water.

“Tell me why the desire for her is so strong.”

Faxon laughed. “Only you can answer that. You are a Kiot, and so am I. You should know the old myth.” Faxon’s face took on a serious look.

“What myth,” he asked. He hoped it wasn’t what he was thinking. If it was, he was screwed.

“Do I have to spell it out?” Faxon paused. “I guess I do. The myth of finding one’s soul mate is true. Not many have the pleasure of finding that one special being, but some do. I don’t know exactly how it works, but it has to do something with pheromones that we emit.”

“I don’t get it?” Carden was confused. He knew of the myth but never knew how it worked. Apparently neither did the doc.

“An animal can emit an odorless substance that a fertile body excretes externally, conveying an airborne signal that provides information to and triggers responses from the opposite sex. They have a direct effect on the behavior of an individual, such as yourself. Neither party knows they are doing it, and it is usually unintentional. Most of the time we go about our way not even realizing the signs are there. But, in rare instances, there comes a time when one party can sense these pheromones coming from the one who is meant for them. Male or female, it does not matter.”

Carden shook his head. “So, you are telling me, Elizabeth is putting off some kind of smell that I am attracted to?”

“Basically,” Faxon said with a smile. “Sounds stupid but I would lay odds that is what is happening to you and the more you are around her, the more you are going to crave her.”

Great! He was screwed! “Is there any way to stop it?” If there were a god, surely there would be a way.

“The only way I know to stop it, is to submit to them.” Faxon chuckled low but loud enough for Carden to hear.

“This is not funny! The human in my house is driving me nuts, and all you can do is sit there and laugh.”

“I am sorry, Captain, but this is a problem you are going to have to work out on your own.” Faxon stood up and walked to the edge of the water. “She is human, Carden, so tread lightly. Not to mention, she is also a prisoner in your home. A very odd situation if you ask me.”

“Tell me about it. I don’t think she will come to me willingly after what I just did,” he admitted reluctantly.

“What did you do?”

“I gave her a choice of coming to me and enjoying my home with freedom or from behind a locked door.” He couldn’t face his friend of many years.

“You didn’t?”

He nodded as he spoke, “I did.” The shame he felt was building, and he knew his friend could see it written all over his face.

“You have a bigger problem than what I thought you had. Giving her an ultimatum like that is not going to bring her to you even with the pheromones raging.”

Carden swung around to face Faxon. “I know that! But, what else can I do?” He was truly at a loss. He wanted Elizabeth in the worse way.

“I don’t know, but you need to do something. There’s nothing I can do for you. Only your wits will see you through this.” Faxon started towards the path. “Call me if you need to talk again.” The doctor shook his head and walked up the trail, leaving Carden to his thoughts once again.

The captain watched his friend retreat until he was out of sight. He had a big dilemma on his hands and needed to seek out a way to solve it. He would have to return to his room soon and go through with his threat if he was going to have any chance of making the tiny human his forever.

~~~~~~~~

Elizabeth watched the pirate through the bedroom window as he left out of the house. He headed into the forest that surrounded the dwelling and wondered where he was going. The sun was completely gone and the night was closing in, and she knew it wouldn’t be much longer before Carden would return.

She thought about his words over and over as she watched his disappear into giant trees that lined the edges of his property. He wanted her to become his lover while she was his prisoner! What kind of an offer was that? It was crazy at best, but it also excited her for some strange and weird reason. She shouldn’t want anything to do with the man who refused to free her, but something told her to go to him. A small flame had been ignited under her when she thought about what it would feel like to have his arms wrapped around her during the heat of passion. Would he be a gentle lover or would he take what he wanted then cast her aside, not caring how she felt? Probably the latter, she thought. He was a pirate after all! Pirates don’t care about others’ feelings.

Out the corner of her eye, she noticed a group of women walking towards the house. They were chatting and laughing as if they didn’t have a care in the world. Who were they? A couple of the females were young, around her age twenty-four. Was one of them Carden’s current lover? Was it possible one of them was his wife? She never thought about him having a wife until that very moment. A man of his power had to have someone! Someone to go to sedate his needs.

The chattering of the group reached her ears when the women entered the house. The activity in the home had continued all day and into the evening. She was growing very bored and wondered what she would do when the pirate returned. She wasn’t anxious for him to come back but at least, she would have someone to talk to for a while. Thoughts of the man plagued her mind every few minutes. Would she have the strength to resist him if he persisted in his threat to have her? Something about him made her want to give in and fall to his feet. She disgusted herself with the constant thoughts of him and her engaged in a particular act that made her cheeks flame. But, she couldn’t help it. Would it be so bad to give in? How would she feel in the morning or after she returned to Tarwick? NO! She would resist every effort he put forth.

Outside, darkness fell over the land. Lights flickered on outside her window and lit up various paths that lead to and from the house. Carden had yet to return, and she was growing hungry. No one brought her food the entire time she had been in the room, and she thought, perhaps, he had forgotten to have someone send her some. She sat on the bed and waited.

The room grew darker by the minute. She didn’t bother to turn on any of the lights. The little bit of light coming in through the window allowed her to see adequately enough. Besides, there was nothing for her to actually see. She already explored the room and knew there weren’t any hidden passages as far as she could tell. Even if there were, Carden would have made sure they were locked so she could not escape.

It was a long time before she heard the telltale signs of footsteps outside the door. The lock clicked, and the door swung open to reveal the man she had been thinking.

“Why are you sitting in the dark,” he asked as he touched the light switch and flooded the room with light.

“Because I like it that way,” she said coolly.

She watched him as he moved about the room. He closed the heavy drapes that hung on either side of windows then turned to face her. It was hard to read him this time. His face displayed no emotion as he watched her watch him.

“I have some food being brought up. I apologize for not thinking about it earlier. You must be hungry.” His eyes were dark as they traveled over her body.

A shiver raced up and down her spine. It was as if he was physically touching her with his eyes. She shifted her position on the bed and adverted her eyes. She didn’t want him to see how much he was affecting her since she couldn’t understand why. She shouldn’t want to be anywhere near him. Instead, she was fighting the need to be near him.  Powerful feelings, she hadn’t had earlier, overcame her when he walked into the room. It was taking everything she had to resist the way he smelled! She inhaled deeply. The aroma of woods, spice, and fresh air assaulted her senses from every direction. Yep, she was in trouble.

Thankfully, a loud knock on the door broke up the look he was giving her. He sauntered over to the locked door and opened it. One of the women she had seen earlier out the window carried a tray into the room and placed it on the bed next to her. The smell of hot, fresh food made her mouth water.

“Thank you, Nashia,” Carden said to the woman.

“You are welcome captain,” Nashia replied with a smile. The woman looked over to Elizabeth and frowned but said nothing. She scurried out of the room without another glance back.

The door closed with a click and the sound of the lock engaging reached her ears. Was he that worried about her escaping? Where would she go? She didn’t have a clue where she was, and he had already told her no one here would help her. She was on her own for all it was worth.

Carden stood next to the bed and reached for the bottle that sat in a bucket of ice. “Would you care for some wine?”

“No thank you,” she replied. No point in getting tipsy when her thoughts were already a jumbled mess.

“Suit yourself,” Carden said as he tossed back the pink liquid in his glass. He quickly poured himself another one then sat on the bed next to her. “Please eat.”

He didn’t have to tell her twice. She was starving. It all smelled delicious as she raised the gold lids covering the food. Steam rose up and filled the air with a tangy, beef flavor that reminded her of steak grilling. Small, round, orange balls lay on top of a bed of white noodles, all covered with a white cream sauce.

“What is this,” she asked as she stabbed one of the balls and placed it in her mouth.

“The meat is called Rossini. It is like your cow and tastes pretty much the same. The balls are a type of root we grow and harvest here on Sheannor. I am not sure what the noodles are made from, though. My housekeeper makes them. She is from Java where the food is a lot different than what I grew up with.” He took a bite of the tantalizing meat and chewed.

Lizzy let the flavor of the root fill her mouth before she swallowed. The texture was soft like a potato but tasted more like corn. “These are pretty good.” She picked up another and waved it at him. They ate in relative silence for most of the meal. Periodically, she would steal a glance at the man next to her. He looked tired and worn out. The scar on the side of his face made him look angry and ready to snap her head off at the littlest provocation.

It was totally dark outside now as they finished their meal. Her stomach was full, and she could go to sleep happy for the first time in days. Carden removed the dirty tray from the bed and set it on the floor near the door. Everything about the man screamed power. The muscles in his legs bunched as he squatted down with the tray. His shirt was pulled tight over his back as he moved with ease. She had to admit he was a great piece of eye candy, scars and all! The more she was around him, the more the scar didn’t bother her. Too many times she wanted to ask what happened but figured he would refuse to answer her. It really wasn’t any of her business. Someone had caused him immense harm, and she suddenly hated them for it.