The Commander's Warrior Mate

by A. R. Kayne

  He rubbed circles on her bare shoulder, absentmindedly noting how smooth the skin was. Under different circumstances, he would have been giving his full attention to every part of her body, but she was shaking and the front of his uniform was wet from her tears.

  “I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” Jess whispered.

  “It’s going to be okay. I’m going to take care of everything. I just have a few more questions. When did it happen?”

  “A few days before you went down to the planet.”

  Something deep inside Pryce’s brain exploded. “That’s why you were hiding in our quarters. That’s why you were afraid of sex. He frightened you. He made it so you didn’t feel safe on the ship anymore. I’m killing the fucker. I won’t have him on this ship. Either you tell me who it was right now or I get the security group to review video feeds. And Jess, about half the security team are in love with you. If I ask them for help, there’ll be nothing but a bloody pulp left by the time I go to kill him. You’d better just tell me the asshole’s name. When I kill him, at least it’ll be fast.”

  She took a deep breath, pulled away from his embrace, and looked up at him. “Eiric. His name is Eiric Anastas. But I think you’re too late. Liam said he had an accident and had to be put in stasis.”

  Pryce bared his teeth in a frightening semblance of a smile. “An accident, eh? We’ll just see if I’m too late. Computer, what is the current location of Eiric Anastas?”

  “I am unable to access that information.”

  “Computer, implement command authorization. What is the current location of Eiric Anastas?”

  “I am unable to access that information.”

  After several more fruitless attempts, Pryce was fuming. “Computer, initiate voice contact with Dane Magnusson.”

  Dane’s voice echoed in the small room. “Hello, Captain. How can I help you?”

  “You know how.”

  “No, I really don’t. How was your trip to the planet? I trust it was productive.”

  “Cut the triffenshit. You know what I want. Where is he?”

  “Who are you looking for?”

  “The shitstain who tried to rape Jess. Eiric Anastas.”

  “I’m sorry. I can’t tell you.”

  After several more exchanges of this nature, Pryce was bellowing.

  “Tell me where the fucker is, Dane, before I take the ship apart and find him myself!”

  He was dimly aware of Jess watching him, an expression of intense interest on her face. Evidently the threat of imminent violence had staunched her tears - more proof they were well matched. He tugged her close again, hooking an arm around her back and into the dip of her waist.

  “No. Give up, Pryce. You aren’t going to find him. Even if you did, there isn’t much left. His, uh, accident was pretty severe.”

  “I’m the fucking captain of this fucking ship. You don’t have the authority to withhold information from me. I won’t have rapists on board.”

  “I agree. That’s why we took care of it. He’s in stasis and he’ll be offloaded the next time we’re at a transfer point.”

  Pryce felt a deep, animalistic bellow form in his belly.

  “Fuck you, Dane! Jess deserves justice! How would you feel if it was your woman? What if some ass fuck tried to force your woman and scared her so badly she couldn’t even sleep? What if you came back to the ship and found her shaking and crying? Would you just stand back and do nothing?”

  The woman in question looked more curious than traumatized at that moment, but that was beside the point.

  “I’d feel the same way you do. However, I can’t look the other way while you engage in vigilante justice. Look, Pryce, believe it or not, I’m trying to watch out for you. You’re the captain now. A certain level of decorum is expected. You have a security team and there are procedures. You can’t just throw people out airlocks anymore. You do realize that about half the crew are scared of you, don’t you?”

  Pryce’s blood was still boiling, but he could almost admit that Dane had a point. “Shouldn’t be,” he grunted, “If they do their jobs and don’t rape or murder, I probably won’t kill them.” He could have sworn Dane gave a muffled laugh.

  “I really am sorry. I understand the drive to protect her yourself. We wanted to get the guy out of the general population of the ship as fast as we could, and we were concerned about causing Jess more trauma if the situation went public. How is she?”

  “She seems a little fragile. She had a hard time talking about it.” Pryce cupped her cheek and ran a thumb over the faint shadows beneath her eyes.

  “Keep me posted. We’re all concerned about her. She’s an amazing woman and you’re damned lucky being matched to her. You have moved on her, haven’t you? If you haven’t, you’d better get on it. There’s a line forming down here. A few of the guys are pretty sure they can take you.”

  There was a mocking quality to Dane’s voice. Jess’s eyes widened.

  “Fuck off,” Pryce said mildly. “Tell them to find their own mates.”

  “Alright, buddy. Talk to you soon.”

  The connection closed. For an instant Pryce felt a pang of guilt. Perhaps Dr. Ales had been right and the matching customs were unethical. Perhaps Jess should have been allowed to choose her own mate. But he was here, the others weren’t, and he wasn’t going to give up his shot at her.

  Pryce realized he’d been clinging to Jess while he yelled, and he had a handful of her bare ass. He had a thousand things to say to her but no idea where to start. He knew what he wanted, to continue the ‘conversation’ they’d been having before he went down to the water planet. She’d been assaulted, though. Was it too soon?

  His eyes narrowed as he considered the matter. Dr. Ales … there was something odd about the message she’d left him and the way she’d handled the situation. She knew how he’d react better than almost anyone else on the ship. That implied that she had a pretty good idea that he’d storm in on Jess, intent on bashing heads. If she hadn’t thought Jess could handle his reactions, she wouldn’t have set up the situation that way.

  It seemed that they’d both been manipulated by a meddling centenarian.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Jess

  Pryce smiled at Jess. “Hey.”

  “Hey,” she replied warily. Pryce was behaving very strangely. In the space of about ten minutes he’d gone from comforting her to murderous to friendly. She’d also overheard some odd things during his conversation with Dane. Had he really thrown people out an airlock?

  “How are you?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Fine. I have men burst into my bathroom while I’m naked all the time. There’s nothing embarrassing about it at all.”

  “But I’m not just any guy, am I?” He smirked then his expression sobered. “Would you like me to go kill Anastas? I will if that’ll make you feel safer. Dane can’t hide him from me forever.”

  Jess thought about it a moment. “No, that’s fine. I’m alright. It’s kind of you to offer, though. I, uh, I could probably go kill him myself if I wanted to, but it sounds like Dane’s people have the situation handled.”

  Pryce burst out laughing, scooped her up, and carried her out of the bathroom. His hands went all over her bare skin in the process, a situation she found both embarrassing and exciting.

  “What are you doing?!” she hissed. “Pryce, I’m still not dressed!” She clutched at her robe, doing her best to hold it so that at least her front was covered.

  “That’s fine. You won’t need clothing. You and I have some unfinished business.”

  “Oh.” That business. She felt her face heat.

  “Yeah. ‘Oh.’ I did tell you we were going to continue our discussion as soon as I got back from the water planet.” The corner of his mouth kicked upward and he looked exceedingly pleased with himself.

  He carried her through their shared room and into his own, a tidy space with a giant bed backed by a mosaic of pale wood. A coverlet pieced f
rom brightly-colored squares of cloth held a place of honor. He settled her on her feet beside the bed, supporting her until she had her balance. She ran her fingertips over the coverlet.

  “This is pretty. Did someone you make it for you? I like the wood behind your bed, too. And the plants.” Now that she was in his room, she was a little anxious. She thought she knew what was going to happen and she did want that, but she was still nervous.

  “Good.” He strolled to the door and placed his palm on a pad beside its frame. “Seal,” he said quietly. The door whooshed closed and a status light winked on. “You’ll be living in here with me from now on. You can change the decor if you’d like, but we’ll be sharing the room and the bed.” His expression dared her to protest. His fingers worked at the fastenings of his uniform jacket. It fell to the floor.

  “What?” Jess’s eyes narrowed. Had he just locked her in with him and issued an ultimatum? This was the second time a man had locked her in a room and started taking his clothes off. Yes, she wanted to be with him, but it would be nice to be asked or at least discuss it a little. What happened to picnics and dancing and kisses overlooking the water planet? Dr. Ales’ advice returned to her:“Don’t let him dominate you. Don’t let him force you down a particular path. Because he will.” It seemed that he’d already begun to try.

  She wasn’t afraid of him. He’d never force her, harm her, or try to use her the way Eiric had. However, she refused to be passive about her own life. Holding her robe to her chest with one hand, she extracted her knife from its folds with the other. She gave the knife an experimental twirl. “What if I say no?”

  He glanced at it dismissively and snorted. “You wanna tussle the first time? I was planning on being gentle since you’re new at this, but if you’d like we can wrestle a little first. I’ll tell you what: if I win, I’ll get on top.”

  Her mouth went dry. Wrestling. He meant the same erotic dance as the couple in the education film, the man and woman who’d chased and pursued and ended up writhing on the floor. Pryce’s strength pitted against hers. He’d win any physical contest between the two of them, but the idea of tangling with him was oddly exciting.

  He watched her closely. His lips twitched. “You’re thinking about it, I can tell. You like the idea?”

  “What if you lose?” Jess asked before she could stop herself.

  “I still get on top. This ends one way, with the two of us skin to skin on that bed.” Pryce grinned at her unrepentantly. He tugged off his undershirt and sat on a bench to loosen his boots. With great effort, Jess tore her eyes away from his bare chest.

  “I really don’t like it when people tell me what to do,” she said doggedly. “It’s my life too. I’d prefer to discuss things or be asked.”

  He smirked. “Fine. You can be on top. I thought it would be easier for you if I took care of everything the first time, but as long as we’re naked in bed together I’m going to be happy.” He methodically loosened his boots and stripped off his socks.

  Her face grew hot. “That’s not what I’m talking about.”

  “No?”

  “I’m not afraid of sex anymore.” Mostly. She was anxious and a little nervous, but not really afraid. It was just the uncertainty of it all and what the sex meant. Things were changing in ways she didn’t yet understand.

  “Good.”

  He held her eyes with his, stood and unfastened his pants, and let them drop to the floor. Her lungs emptied. His body was solid and powerful, dusted with dark hair that made a trail that disappeared under the waistband of his shorts. And below that …

  With great effort, she drug her eyes back to his face before they could drop any lower. His gaze was hot and not a little possessive. “Do you like what you see?” he asked, his voice raspy.

  Yes.

  He prowled toward her and unfolded her fingers, exposing the knife she’d forgotten she was holding. He placed it on a side table. “I hope you won’t need this soon. If you do, it’ll be right there. Are there any others I need to know about? Do you have any under that robe?”

  She had to laugh. “No! I’m not hiding more knives. Not right now, anyhow. I’m almost naked. Where would I put them?”

  “The possibilities do boggle the mind, but I’ve learned not to assume anything where you’re concerned.” His lips twitched and the corners of his eyes crinkled. “I remember the first time I saw you. You were this little wild thing tied up in my interrogation room, spitting lies and threatening murder. You were ready to take on the whole damned ship to protect a child that wasn’t yours. If I’d let you loose too soon, you probably would have beaten me to death with a chair leg. I was half in love with you by the time the interrogation ended.”

  She ducked her head bashfully. “I thought you were handsome. You made my body feel weird and it scared me. I didn’t know what to do about it,” she admitted.

  He cradled her chin and angled her face up toward his. “Do you know now?” His eyes were hot and searching. They were like a firesnake’s, she thought: mesmerizing, knowing, and a little dangerous.

  “Some. I’d like to learn more.”

  He gave her a slow, sexy smile. “Let me help.”

  She trembled as he lowered his mouth to hers. Her eyes drifted closed and she absorbed the press of his lips, the rasp of his beard, the heat and texture of his skin. He took his time with the kiss, gently teasing the seam between her lips before he demanded entrance. She sighed and her body melted against his. After a very long time, he lifted his mouth from hers and skated it down the line of her neck.

  “I want to do things with you,” he rasped. “Dirty naked things.”

  “Like what?” she asked shyly.

  “It’s better if I show you than if I tell you. Come to bed with me, Jess. Come lie with me.”

  He tugged her hand and her robe fell away. Somehow they landed on the bed, his chest hair rasping against her bare breasts. He nudged her thighs open and lowered himself against her, his weight gently pressing her into the mattress.

  “I want you so much,” he said, “I’ve been waiting for you since the day we met.”

  His gaze was filled with love and need. He murmured words of passion against her ear, her throat, her breasts. Her fingers stroked unfamiliar flesh, marveling at the play of skin over muscle and the column of flesh that sprang from between his legs. His lips skated down her chest and belly, suckling and nibbling until he found the juncture of her thighs.

  “You’re really wet,” he growled, with an air of satisfaction. He stroked a finger between her folds and, as she watched, pulled it out and deliberately licked it. Her eyes widened and she gasped. He chuckled softly. “Did that shock you?”

  “I don’t know. Is that something we’re supposed to do?” She’d seen something like that in the videos but had never imagined doing it herself.

  He smiled at her, his face full of lust and joy. “Yes. As long as we both enjoy it and we’re kind to each other, there’s nothing you and I can do together that’s wrong.”

  Then he lowered his face between her legs.

  She couldn’t help the moans that fell from her lips or the way she moved against his mouth. The tension in her pelvis built and built; when it released, she was blindsided. She sprawled on the bed, limp and dazed. In the aftermath he mounted her and kissed her deeply, parting her lips with his tongue. Their bodies locked together. She was shocked at how right it felt.

  “I love you,” he said, his gaze heavy-lidded. “Do you understand what’s going to happen next? Are you sure you want to do this with me?”

  He slid his cock back and forth through the slickness between her legs, its tip butting against her opening again and again. She couldn’t help but writhe, squirming against it instinctively and trying to urge it in. Everything felt right and urgent. The only thing better would be easing the ache that was building up again inside.

  “Ummmm, yes,” she sighed, her head tilting on the bed. She looked up at him with glassy eyes and grazed her finger
tips over his cheekbones. “I love you and I want this more than anything.”

  His response was a growl and a thrust that made her gasp. She arched and mewed and felt him hot inside her, stretching and filling her in ways she’d never imagined. He pushed inside by stages, never taking his eyes off hers. “Pryce,” she moaned, wrapping her legs around him and squirming against him.

  “You’re mine now,” he rasped possessively. “Never forget.”

  He gently rolled his hips, letting her grow accustomed to the motion, and watched her closely while he varied the rhythm and angle. The air was filled with her sighs and his deep groans. They panted and smiled and held each other’s eyes, delighted in the moment and with each other. After a time he pushed into a kneeling position, her ankles draped over his shoulders, and stroked his thumb between her legs as he moved. She gasped for air and gripped his biceps.

  “Do you like that?” he crooned. “I feel you clamping down on me.”

  “Don’t stop,” she whimpered, “Please don’t stop.”

  “I won’t,” he promised.

  His eyes bored into hers and he thrust against her insistently. She clutched at him with every part of her body, unable to do more than gasp for air.

  “You’re so fucking tight,” he rasped, snapping his hips against hers. “Take me. Take my cock. Come on me while I fuck you.”

  His words made something clench and release deep inside her. Her head fell back against the bed and she let out a soft gaspy wail, her mouth stretched wide open. Pryce’s lips curved in a feral smile that bared his teeth. He drove in hard and deep and thick, driving her climax on and on until her consciousness faded.

  “Fuck!” he groaned, his breathing and movements choppy and labored. He swelled up even larger then stiffened and shuddered, a look of shock on his face. He remained poised above her for a moment, still panting, before leaning down for a soft, tender kiss. They exchanged shaky smiles then he rolled off and pulled her into his arms, her cheek resting against his chest.