Victoria's Challenge (17 page)

“Yes sir.”

Victoria rolls onto her side
, watching Lucas answer Tar’s questions. God, he’s a beautiful man. Her man. He sits, half-naked, at ease and confident with who he is, in what he does. She knows he’s experienced with women and realizes it doesn’t bother her. He had a life before her. Whoever it included helped make him the man she loves but now he’s only hers.

W
hile she doesn’t have the experience he does, she’s a fast learner. Thinking about how her eadai had affected him she smiles, a woman’s smile. Aunt Cassie had been right. Rising from the bed, she confidently walks towards Lucas.

“Yes sir, I concur with that assessment.” Lucas watches Victoria rise from their bed, walking towards him like a goddess from ancient times.

“What sir?
” He tries to concentrate on what Tar is saying while his eyes never leave Victoria. “Yes, the Blade should be operational in 24.” He turns his chair as she rounds the corner of the desk, the smile on her face making his blood pump faster, when she straddles him, he knows he’s in trouble.

“Yes sir.
” Lucas’ voice is rough as Victoria leans over to kiss his jaw, her eyes sparkling with mischief and desire.

“Are you sure you’re o
kay, Major?” Reaching behind her, Victoria unfastens the top her eadai, letting it fall into his lap.

“Yes sir
, never better in my life.”

She arches against him as he cups
a breast.

“I
’ll let you go, Major, be safe.”

“Yes Admiral.
” His mouth replaces his hand as he quickly disconnects the call. Wrapping his arms around her hips, he thrusts against her.

“Lucas…
” At her obvious desire, he slides his thumbs under her remaining eadai, finding her hot and wet. He has to have her. Pushing away from the desk, his foot kicks something. Freezing he realizes what it is.

“Fuck, oh crap.
” He tears his mouth away from her breast. The Ollali Juice! His eyes shoot to hers. How could he have forgotten?

“Lucas.
” Sensing a change, Victoria’s eyes become concerned. What has she done wrong?

“I
… Victoria…”

“What’s wrong
? Your hands?” she immediately asks.

“No
! Fuck!” Falling back, he pulls her close, torturing himself with the feel of her naked breasts against his chest.

“I’m sorry.
” She should have known better than to tease him, especially talking to Tar but it had seemed so right.

“What?
” He puts a hand under her chin, making her eyes meet his and what he sees astounds him, there's insecurity and doubt.

“No
! It isn’t
you
! You have nothing to be sorry for, Victoria. It’s me… I’m not taking the Ollali Juice.” He sees a moment of confusion before understanding dawns.

“That doesn’t matter…”

“Yes it does! I’m not risking you! I’ve waited this long, I can wait one more day. I
will
protect you, Victoria.” Running a hand down the curve of her back, he feels her tremble. He should have remembered the Ollali juice. Within twenty-four hour of taking it, it would prevent conception and would continue to when taken daily. Victoria’s young and innocent and he’s done the unthinkable, starting something he can’t finish and
she’s
suffering for it. She should be furious. Instead, she’s blaming herself.

“Victoria, do you trust me?
” He sees her eyes widen at the question.

“
Yes,” she immediately answers.

“Then get in bed
.” He nods towards it. “I’ll be there in a minute.” Rising, he lets her slide down his body. He can tell she wants to argue, instead, she nods and turns away.

Leaning down
, he picks up the bottle he’d found in his bag when he returned to the Retribution. His father had wanted him to be prepared. Opening it, he pours some in a glass and drinks.

Lying in bed
, Victoria watches him. He’s right, she doesn’t like it, but he is. They are nowhere close to being ready for a child. They need time, time to get used to the changes in their lives. To establish a life
together,
but oh how she wants him, she’s trembling with it. Well, she’ll just have to settle down. There’s more to a relationship then sex.

Putting the bottle in a drawer
, Lucas turns, watching her as he walks over. She’s lying on her side, head propped on a hand watching him. Those beautiful green eyes clear and open, allowing him to see her banked desire. Sitting down, he leans over, giving her a hard kiss. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay
.” Reaching up, she gently caresses his cheek. “Come to bed. It’s been a long day.”

“Victoria, there are other ways.
” Stretching out beside her, he runs scarred fingers along her curves, feeling the slightest tremor.

“Other ways to what?
” The honest puzzlement in her question reminds him of just how innocent she is.

“Let me show you.
” Pressing her to her back, his lips nuzzle her neck, exploring the sensitive skin, causing her to shiver.

“Lucas?”
she asks shakily.

“
Shh… just feel Victoria.” With his mouth working its way along her collarbone, his hand skims her abdomen, leaving a trail of quivering nerves in its wake.

Victoria arches
as his tongue lavishes attention on her breast before his mouth closes around the taunt nipple, suckling. Gasping, she sinks her fingers into his hair, pulling him even closer, lost in the new sensations building in her. When he releases her nipple, she hisses her disappointment only to groan when her other breast receives the same attention.

Work
ing his way down to her taunt belly, Lucas' hands slowly slide the last piece of lace down her long legs. His mouth follows to taste and sample. He takes his time, savoring every response, each new discovery, the mole on her right hip, a ticklish spot on the back of her knee. When he presses his lips to the arch of her foot, her eyes darken, letting him know she wants more.

“
Like that?” he asks lightly raking his teeth over the sensitive skin of her arch.

“Yes
,” She gasps.

“Good.
” Kissing the inside of her ankle, he slowly works his way up toned calves, giving them the attention they deserve and the soft skin of her inner knees, before sliding them over his shoulders, so he’s a breath away from the place he's been dreaming of.

“Lucas?”

The unease in his life mate’s voice is the only thing that could have pulled Lucas’ gaze from the feast before him, and what he sees in her eyes nearly undoes him. There’s want, need, desire, love and fear.

“Shhh, it’s okay.
” He gently kisses her mound. “It’s fine. It doesn’t have to go any further Victoria, not until you’re ready,” he reassures huskily.

“It’s not that
. I want to,” she quickly tells him. “It’s just...”

“What Victoria, you can tell me anything.
” His eyes search hers.

“I don’t know what to do
,” she whispers. “I mean I
know
...”

“This isn’t a test
, baby.” Lucas knows his life mate she hates not knowing. "There’s no grade, no right or wrong, it’s just us.”

“I know
that,
” she says a little testily.

“Then
know
that the only thing you have to
do
is feel, feel and enjoy.” With that Lucas tastes his life mate for the first time.

Victoria can’t believe what Lucas is doing to her. Yes she’s read about it, overheard the stories other interns told of the passionate sex they’d have, whenever, where ever they could but
this
wasn’t
that
.
This
was Lucas licking her as if she were the rarest of all treats, something so delicious it has to be savored. Her fingers desperately clench the sheets when he moves ever so slightly, giving her clit the same intense attention.

Lucas can't believe how
responsive she is, how good she tastes, so sweet and spicy and
his
. The sacrifices of the last nine cycles fade to nothingness, they were necessary to get them here. Now the universe was theirs.

"God
Lucas...that feels so good," she groans, her hips instinctively lifting, offering him more.

He
takes it, sliding a hand under to keep her where he wants. Coatings his fingers with her juices, he carefully enters the place no man has ever been.

"Lucas!
” She gasps, arching even further as her body responds to his invasion, her heels pressing into his back. "More Lucas..." she begs her body, tightening around him.

Lucas responds
by twisting his fingers as he works his way further into her hot depths, finding the spot he knows will drive her wild and exploits it.

"Lucas!
” Bucking wildly against his mouth, Victoria's body catches fire, she can't breathe, doesn’t want to, all she wants is Lucas to never stop, never stop touching that spot, never stop loving her.

When a third finger joins the other two
, stretching, twisting, teasing, she starts to tremble, something’s building inside of her, something she can’t control. When Lucas softly bites her clit while rubbing deep inside, she screams as her world explodes.

Running a trembling hand down her back, Lucas holds her close as she continues to shake. Does she have any idea what it does to a man to have a woman respond like that? A trusting, honest, open, response. He has given her great pleasure. Her first, but he’ll make sure it’s not her last. When she lifts her head from his chest, he sees pleasure and just a touch of embarrassment.

“What?
” he asks caresses her cheek.

“I screamed.
”

“I know, thank you.”

“What?” Confusion enters her eyes.

“You trusted me, when you were most vulnerable
. You gave yourself to me.”

“I
’ll always trust you, I love you.” The simple statement moves him like no other. Pulling her close, he reaches over to dim the lights. “Lucas?”

“Sleep Victoria.”

“But you…”

“I’m fine
. I want to hold you while you sleep.” With his arms around her, Victoria’s right where she’s always wanted to be, with a sigh, she lets his heartbeat lull her to sleep.

All she hears is her heartbeat. All she sees is devastation, devastation under a sickly yellow-green sky, as far as the eye can see. Removing her helmet, she takes a breath of foul air. Coughing, she covers her mouth and hears nothing, the silence is deafening, no birds, no insects, nothing.

“Not
so pretty is it, squirt.” Turning, she finds Grandpa Jacob sitting on a boulder, carving on a piece of wood.

“Where are we
, grandpa?”

“In the meadow.”

“The meadow?
Our
meadow? On Earth?”

“Yeah.”

“But…”

“Cassie was right
. What the bomb didn’t destroy, the moon’s debris did.”

“Why am I here?”

“I need you to see something.”

“What
? There’s nothing to see.”

“You’re not loo
king close enough.”

Walking over
, she stirs up a fine dust that has her coughing again. Looking’s behind the boulder she finds three graves, each with a marker.

“What?
” She doesn’t want to know what she’ll find and still her feet move towards them.

“Jacob Chamberlain.
” Reading out loud, she looks at her grandfather who just shrugs.

“You know I’ve pas
sed. If I hadn’t, how could I be talking to you?”

“Cassandra Chamberlain
. Victoria Lynn Chamberlain.” She continues, then gives him a confused look. “But
I’m
not dead, neither is Aunt Cassie.”

“Some think you are.”

“But…”

“Think
, Victoria.” Jacob gives her a hard look.

“How
… Who…” If there are graves, that means someone is alive. Alive on Earth.

“Yes
, but not for much longer.”

“What do you mean?
” When he doesn’t answer, she walks up to him. “Grandpa…” Carefully, she takes the wood from his hands.

“Brett…” s
he whispers. “My brother.” Her eyes shoot to his. “He’s alive.”

“Yes.”

“But how?”

“You know
. You’ve always known. You’ve just forgotten.”