Marek (The Vartik King Chronicles Book 1)

by Liza Probz

  “It’s working just fine. I’ll be in Killian in a few weeks and will be sure to get Mother a few bags of rice.”

  “The long-grain rice. It’s impossible to find anymore and you know we cut off trades with Killian a long time ago.” His mother shook her head and sighed before looking toward his father.

  “We aren’t trading really with anyone, Mother.” Marek reached up and turned a knob on the dial that tightened the camera’s lens onto just him. The girl was moving behind him even though he had warned her not to join him. He almost growled at the thought of teaching the pretty little thing a lesson.

  “We have traders who travel here and there. We’ll introduce you to all of that when you get home.” His father wrapped an arm around his mother. “You are planning on coming home in six months, right?”

  “Of course, Father.”

  “Well, I’m pleased to tell you that your Aunt Beltha has their oldest daughter, Bezla, ready for your joining.”

  He simply nodded, unwilling to show his disgust to his parents. None of their relatives were attractive in his own mind. The women from his planet were docile and shapeless. No hips or steep curves, small breasts and thin, ugly lips. His mother was an exception to the norm, but he believed his father’s magic to be part of that. Perhaps he would have the same ability to make his bride someone worth going to bed with. If not, he would simply mate with her for the purpose of creating sons and have a harem like most men did.

  Marek glanced behind him again, his body growing warm at the thought of the sassy little tart in the back room. She would be a beautiful first addition to his group of women who did nothing but live to please him.

  “What are you looking at?” His mother’s voice held a healthy amount of concern.

  “Nothing. My neck has a crick, but I’m sure it’s from sleeping in this small bed. It’s less than comfortable.” Marek shrugged and leaned forward, pressing his arms to the dash.

  “Well, you wanted to take this trip and you know we can’t send you with one of our luxury ships. You would be recognized immediately.” His father nodded toward him. “You sure you don’t want to come home a little early? We have lots of work here that you could help with.”

  “Nope. I’m off for a bit. Call me in a few weeks. Love you both.” Marek waited for them to respond before hitting the off button and relaxing in his chair.

  “And I thought my parents were tough.” The girl moved to sit in the chair next to him, the scent of her skin delicious and fragrant. He forgot all about getting onto her for her dismissal of his commands.

  “Why do you smell like something my chef’s might bake with?”

  “Your chefs? I assume you’re rich?” Her features brightened and he scoffed at her. She was most certainly a thief. The gleam in her eye wasn’t danger but greed.

  “Answer my question, girl,” he barked at her, turning his chair a little so he could see her fully. His eyes moved to her breasts, the swell of her shirt tight against them.

  “I bathe in vanilla soap usually.” She shrugged and knelt down a little, her eyes narrowing. “Stop staring at my chest. I’m up here.”

  “They’re beautiful, and don’t tell me what to do. I’ll rip your shirt off and take full advantage of you if you don’t watch it.” He narrowed his eyes on her, enjoying the subtle shiver that ran through her. “Tell me your name.”

  “Why?” She covered her chest with her arms and leaned toward him aggressively.

  He couldn’t help but laugh at her antics. “You’re ridiculous. You have no sense of self-preservation. Tell me your name and I’ll relent for a little while.”

  “Jazmine, and don’t tell me what to do.” Her voice held a jovial timbre to it, though she was working hard to maintain a staunch glare.

  “I am Marek. My parents have chefs and servants, but I’m simply a man looking for adventure.” He turned back to the dials and pressed the ship forward, hoping to cut a day or so off of their trip. Her scent was sure to drive him mad if the pouty thickness of her lips didn’t first.

  “Well, I have no parents and I can’t seem to run far enough or fast enough away from adventure. It and death seem to follow me around everywhere.” She leaned forward and pressed her arms to the dash, peering out into the darkness in front of them.

  “Everyone has parents.” Marek reached over and ran his hand down her back, sliding it over the curve of her rear before being swatted away by her.

  “Are you always so aggressive?” She tucked her feet under her and moved to the far side of her chair.

  “Do you always sell yourself as a sex slave and then expect not to be taken full advantage of?”

  “I’m not a sex slave. I simply made that deal so that I didn’t die at the hands of a house pet,” she grumbled and looked back out the window.

  “Well, a deal is a deal. The women on my planet have no curves. I plan on fully exploring yours.” He turned his attention to the radar as something bleeped and flashed red.

  “The best laid plans are sometimes never fulfilled.” Her voice was flat, as if she was the final say on his plans for her. He turned to glance at her, needing to shock her into the reality of what was soon to come.

  “Back in the bedroom is a medium-sized black bag. Get it and spend some time becoming intimate with it. My cock was built for my species. Use the toys a little while and stretch yourself for me. Otherwise, I’m liable to tear you in half.” He pressed the button, ignoring the open-mouthed stare he got. He kept his façade tightly in place, wanting to scare her a little. He was huge, but she would accommodate him. He had plenty of means to make it happen, and it would—much to her pleasure.

  Chapter 4

  Jazmine sat in silence, her jaw slack from his strong words. He had to be kidding. She started to poke at him to see if he was simply trying to shock her, but she couldn’t move. The idea of playing with herself with his bag of toys was horrifying, but even more so that he would suggest it. She wasn’t a whore that put herself out to any man for any reason. Surely, he had to understand her situation. She wasn’t going to play sex slave. Period.

  “You’re a dick.” She got up and walked from the cockpit. The soft chuckle leaving him caused her to smile. She hated herself for doing it.

  “The bag is under the right side of the bed. Check it out, Jazmine.”

  Her name sounded good coming from him, but she shoved the thought down and moved to stand in front of his safe.

  “I’m interested in your ship and your jewels. Keep your mammoth-sized baby-maker in your pants. I’m not at all intrigued by it or you.” She shrugged and pilfered through his safe, several large jewels catching her attention.

  “How long have you been a Seer?” His question caught her off guard.

  “Oh. How did you know I could see the future?” She walked back toward the front and put her hands on the back of the passenger side chair.

  “I can read your mind. I saw the images of us fucking wash across your mind earlier.” He glanced back at her, his expression deadpan, as if them naked and sweaty together did little for him.

  “That wasn’t me seeing the future. That was you jacking with my head.”

  “I don’t have that gift, though I wish I did. It was you seeing the future. I only caught a glimpse of it. Tell me how it was.”

  “The image?”

  “The fucking.” He moved from his seat and stood a few feet from her, his eyes darkening again.

  “Do your eyes change colors when you’re horny or pissed?” She tilted her head to the side, studying his features. He was a humanoid no doubt. The regal structure of his nose and high cheekbones screamed of royalty.

  “Any strong emotion changes them.” He took a step toward her. “Did you check out the goodies under my bed?”

  “No, and I’m not going to. I’m running for my life, not looking for a porno festival. I need to read up more on your people.”

  “Nothing to read. We don’t exist as far as anyone knows.”

  “I
know you do.”

  “Yes, but you’re nothing more than a common thief, a sex slave to some.” He winked and walked past her.

  She stood shocked for the second time in minutes, trying to work through how she was going to kill him and still drive the ship.

  “Doesn’t work like that. I trained long and hard on how to drive this beast. You wouldn’t win in a fight against me and you’d run out of fuel before you figured out where you were going.” He stopped in front of the safe and reached up, shutting the door and glancing over at her with a cocky look on his handsome face.

  “Stop reading my damn mind. It’s annoying.” She growled and wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly not so sure if joining him was a good idea at all.

  “It’s helpful to me.”

  “So if you can read my mind, then you knew good and damn well that I wasn’t going to sleep with you.” She moved one hand to her hip and cocked it, her attitude shifting to wanting to throttle him.

  “I knew that you were lying about being a concubine, but you find me attractive. I smell your arousal, Jazmine. You can fool yourself all you want, but you’ll be in my bed working yourself into a frenzy in the next few hours.” He shrugged, licking at his lips and turning toward her. “If you don’t want to do it to yourself, just say so. I’ll open you up and get you ready. I’m a good guy like that.”

  “You’re an ass and I should tell your pretty queen-looking mother that you are horribly disrespectful toward women.” Jazmine growled at him as she walked past. He reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her toward him. She reached out to stop him, her hands pressing against the thick muscles of his chest as he lowered his face toward her.

  “That pretty woman does anything my father tells her to, when he tells her to do it. Feel lucky that you’re simply a bit of ass on a two-week trip and not my bride.” He slid one hand into her hair, holding her still, his other hand gripping her hip.

  “I would never be either. Go jack off or stop and pick up another woman. I’m not playing this fucked up game. Touch me again and I’ll stab you.” She growled as he pulled her in tighter, leaning down and whispering against her lips before kissing her.

  “I didn’t want to do this, pretty girl, but you leave me no choice.”

  His lips were soft, wet, thick, and warm. The kiss was filled with dark passion, his tongue brushing against her lips before forcing its way into the depths of her mouth. She groaned loudly at the delicious flavor that washed across her senses.

  Warmth spread through her like a drug taken to feel the most restful reprieve. Jazmine felt the elixir rush down her throat out to her arms and legs, the small pressure point in her sex throbbing hard as she sucked on his tongue.

  He pulled back and nipped at her lips as she tried to open her eyes. The scene before her spun slightly and she reached for him as he took hold of the back of her legs and picked her up.

  Jazmine wrapped her arms and legs around him, rocking against the hardness of his large promise. He chuckled darkly and walked them back to the bedroom, licking at her neck while she tried to think through the haze.

  “Tell me you want me to fuck you, Jazmine.”

  “All night,” she whispered and rolled her hips against him, the pressure of his arousal causing her blood to burn. His hands tightened on her, sliding to cup her ass and kneading firmly as he pressed his teeth against her throat. Marek laid her back on the bed and slid his hand up her stomach, latching on to one of her breasts.

  “So beautiful. Open your legs for me and let me explore and prepare you first. Scream only when I tell you to.”

  “Yes,” she groaned and parted her knees, reaching down to tug at his pants as something deep inside of her screamed to wake up. “Fuck me hard.”

  “I’ve chosen you just for that purpose, human.”

  Chapter 5

  Marek glanced down the length of her, Jazmine laid out on his bed, ready for him to take full advantage of her. She squirmed and panted softly as the faded blue light that hovered just around her grew brighter. He leaned over and brushed his lips by her nipple, needing to rip her clothes from her but hesitating. It was very much like the men of his world to force their seduction upon the women, leaving them helpless ragdolls during sex. He tugged at her nipple with his teeth and she groaned, the sound delicious and pathetically needy.

  He stood back up and ran his fingers over her tight stomach, her tight tank top having rolled up a little. He slipped his fingers in the top of her pants, rubbing the back of his digits along her sex as she opened her legs farther, whimpering. Wetness coated him from her desire, the soft skin so inviting. He pulled his hand from her and slid his fingers into his mouth, licking carefully to ensure he got all of her onto his tongue. Marek glanced down at her, wishing like hell she was looking at him. He wanted to fuck her mentally far before he ever slid deep inside of her, but she was incoherent.

  Aggression was what he was looking for or hard emotions but not this. He did this to her simply because he had never worked to not throw his power around. They were taught as boys to push their power onto everyone, for everything. He could have anything he wanted simply because he was created to take without concern. The only thing that held him back from doing it in his travels was his need to remain the ghost his great-grandfather had convinced the worlds that they were.

  Marek stepped back and closed his eyes, breathing in deeply and sensing her arousal. It was faint and floral, but not overwhelming like a woman in true heat would be. He longed to inhale the scent of her fully on fire, knowing that she was more than capable of breaking down anything he threw her way as soon as she learned his tricks. Something about meeting a woman that could potentially be his match physically sent his mind reeling.

  “I want more,” he whispered and moved toward her, reaching down and touching her forehead with his fingers. She licked at his palm for a moment before slipping into a deep sleep. Something about her illumination concerned him. He had studied most species and had never heard of a human from Territh having the ability to project light or power. He couldn’t take her in the state of mind she was in. It wasn’t at all what made him rock hard for her. Her spirit and the fight within her was what he longed to see, to taste.

  He pulled her limp figure up to the top of the bed and fixed a pillow under her before walking from the room, frustration tugging at him from all angles. His middle brother, Calabez, would have just rolled the poor girl over and fucked her senseless, but for him, pleasure was dulled significantly when mutual passion wasn’t involved. He let out a long breath and moved to the kitchenette, opening the cupboard and pulling out a couple of the books his father had loaded him up with. He needed to see if there was anything on Jazmine’s light ring, and if so, what did it mean? Was she even aware of it?

  He sat down at the small table, his body disagreeing greatly with his decision to leave her limp and useless in the bed. Grumbling softly, he opened the book and flipped through it, working to find out what he could on her, as well as how to pull back in his own powers. If nothing else, he would talk to his brother, Nojan, later that day. They were the closest and Nojan had studied everything he could get his hands on. Surely, he would know the answers to both of the questions that currently plagued Marek.

  He slid his hand into his pants and stroked himself a few times as his breathing became labored. She was beautiful, thick and hot blooded and everything he wished they had on his planet. The sound of her groan filled his ears again, his imagination taking him far over the edge fast. A growl left him as he stood and walked to the bedroom, moving quickly into the bathroom before he lost himself and ruined his clothes.

  He worked his pants off and turned, pressing his back to the coolness of the marble and groaning softly as he took his anger out on his cock. Images of the sexy blond in his bed swept through his mind, her body pliable and ready for more pleasure than either of them could fathom. She was adventurous in his mind, wanting him to touch every part of her, penetrate the depths of he
r warmth and leave nothing unmarked. He hit his head against the wall as his body exploded, her name on his lips as he groaned over and over again.

  He needed to mate soon. The Vartiks were built to create and each male would find himself in heat, the desire to bring life into the world almost unbearable. Marek took a shaky breath and cleaned himself up, knowing good and well that his time was near. He needed to get the girl to Killian fast or she would hold an alien child in her womb. They weren’t much different in species, but he was a pure blood. She would never do.

  Chapter 6

  Jazmine stretched as she worked to open her eyes. Darkness sat around her and the softness of a bed lay below her. She jerked up, reaching down to make sure her clothes were still on. A long sigh left her at the realization that she was fully dressed and didn’t seem to be sore or blissfully happy. She kicked her legs over the side of the bed and stood up, the room spinning a little in front of her. She reached out and touched the bedpost, blinking furiously as she tried to push away the haze clouding her vision.

  The hum of the ship was comforting, but realizing who was driving it and what he most likely had tried on her caused anger to burn in her belly. She waited a few minutes before storming out and giving him a piece of her mind, needing to let her thoughts clear. She could still remember how good his hands felt on her, his lips on hers. A soft groan left her as she bent over, pressing her hand to her head and wishing like hell her heart would stop racing at the thought of him.

  He hadn’t seemed to have taken advantage of her, though she remembered telling him to fuck her all night.

  “Embarrassing,” she mumbled and stood up slowly, taking a tentative step before walking out into the kitchenette. He was bent over a small table, the swell of his rear catching her eye though she wished it wouldn’t.