“Yes, i’ma, take me.” Kaleb leaned over and ran his teeth over her shoulder.
She went over the edge hard and fast. The sharp sensation seared through her as she pumped back against him. Her body shivered with the force of the climax. Her stomach tightened and released in an echo of the contractions rippling through her vaginal muscles. The satisfaction, the need, began to run together, blending into an aching, sweet fevered pang.
Kaleb kept his strokes slow and even as he plucked at her clit to stimulate her. With the effects of the spell, need rose hard and hot, her sexy moans laced the air and her hips rolled back into the rocking pace of his. She was tight and wet. Her need blossomed around him, a sweet scent that heightened his own need.
The scent of Kaleb’s need swirled around her, increased with every stroke. He drove into her, sliding hard and deep with every thrust. She screamed his name as the heat and light detonated, and bliss flowed through her again. The clenching muscles rippling over him, dragging at him as he pulled out of her slick channel broke the last of his restraint. He hammered into her, his pace frenzied.
He drove into her, the need to come ruling him. He threw his head back as hot, fiery pleasure seared through him. Semen jetted from his cock as a harsh growl rolled through him.
Kaleb bent over and kissed Lina’s shoulder, licking at the salty flesh. His lips traveled up and licked his bite mark, smiling as she shuddered, causing her sheath to clamp around his cock. He withdrew from her and urged her down onto the soft bedding.
Lina looked up and saw her two men kneeling beside her. Heat was already churning within her again. She reached over and ran her hand across Shard’s midriff. Her hand gripped the man’s cock. She saw his eyes close. She leaned over, nipped at Shard’s hip.
“Do you want to know how to make him wild enough to push you to the ground and fuck you?” Kaleb asked. His hand stroked through her hair.
“He hasn’t been that wild with me before?” She looked over at him.
He smiled, but it was a little strained. Shard’s hand gripped his cock, slowly stroking. Kaleb’s hips rocked forward into the other man’s touch.
“Not yet.” Kaleb raised a brow and appeared to be waiting for her answer.
She swirled her tongue over Shard’s thigh. “How do I make him wild?”
“Why don’t you let her discover that on her own, Kaleb?” Shard’s voice held a hint of laughter, but his body tensed.
“You have to tell me.” She lightly trailed her fingers down the length of Shard’s shaft.
“First, use your mouth and your hands on his cock at the same time and he absolutely loves the scrape of teeth against the head.” Kaleb’s hands came around her and he cupped her breasts.
“Are you sure that’s not just what he likes from you?” she asked, but she fully intended to give his advice a try.
“Do it and see.”
Chapter Fourteen
They weren’t joking about that exhaustion comment, Lina reflected ruefully. She’d been well-loved and literally awake and hungry one moment and asleep the next. It had been a spectacular night.
Not that she would be courting punishment again any time soon to get a night like that again. She would still be very careful for a time about when and how she pushed them, because that frustration sucked. She knew enough about herself to know that she didn’t handle it well. The pleasure that had come after the punishment had in no way lessened her memory of the hours of unending torment.
For two days, she kept busy in the camp. She worked on modifications for her mobile scanners to help track the men who had caused the destruction at the old ruins. The scanners were equipped with vid and infrared capabilities as well as an advanced AI.
She also helped in the artifacts tent by cataloging some of the artifacts which had been found by the men and brought back to camp before they could be destroyed. One hip-high vase-like artifact, she found very interesting. She smiled. Shard and Kaleb would find it just as fascinating when they knew what it was.
It was elegantly painted, the work of one of the old masters and had two distinct rows of scenes, each surrounded by decorative framing. She moved it to the back of the tent and then covered it with a large cloth. There it would be hidden behind some large equipment boxes. She reasoned that it should be safe there until she could bring it to their attention.
Lina went to the table to check on the scanners which were already scanning. She had set them to scan for body heat and the body mass and shape of adult human males. Once it got a hit, the area would become “hot” and would be scanned numerous times. There were several hits, forming a path traveling toward the mountain to the west. It was just a single man. The scanners tag-teamed and tracked the man. They needed to find the entire group, which could take several days. They believed the man being tracked was probably a messenger taking information between groups. Kaleb and Shard wouldn’t make a move on him until he made contact with the others.
Looking up from the computer screen, she noticed some activity around the camp. Men and women were moving around the camp clearing things away. Frowning, she noticed this wasn’t just a general cleanup. Everyone seemed to be putting away things that they didn’t want seen by outsiders. She wondered if she’d missed an announcement.
“We must put up your things, Lady. The Ardin have allowed a small group of the researchers to come to the camp to look at what we’ve found. They told them that they could have anything that we hadn’t already claimed. They’re coming even though they’ve been warned that there is nothing extraordinary among what is available.” Jaksen held out his hand. “They were told that all we were offering were things we had in large quantity.”
“Do you think that the Ardin would mind if I’ve set something aside, something very special? It’s something that they won’t want to lose to the researchers.” Lina shut down her computer and handed it to him.
“Lady, if you think it’s important or special, I’m sure that keeping whatever it is will be fine.” Jaksen turned to leave but then turned back to her. “You might want to be in the artifact tent when the researchers are there to make certain that the item you’ve put aside remains in the camp.”
She nodded. “I’ll go there now.”
She paused long enough to take her hair down from the tight braid, running her hands through it to fluff her hair and hide the marks. Her dark blue shirt was sleeveless and thin-strapped to keep her marks on display. Her legs were encased in tight blue pants in a bid for mobility as she’d been climbing around the tables to get to some parts of the scanners she’d been modifying.
Striding into the large Dura-tent, she went to the place where she’d stashed the large vase. Relief flowed through her as she saw that it was exactly where she had left it.
“I had wondered who’d put that there.” Nerisa stood near the table, looking at the pieces which had been left for the researchers.
“I set it aside when I saw it. It’s special. I’m going to give it to the Ardin and let them figure out just how special it is.” Lina stepped back to make sure that it was completely hidden by the boxes.
“There are still the sketches and vid-images of it. Researcher Vedix will know that it’s here.” Nerisa tilted her head and looked over to the corner. “I think something like this is the reason for the entire expedition. He had us all looking for things like that. He’ll want it.”
“I don’t care if he knows that it’s here. All I care about is that he knows that he won’t be taking this artifact with him.” Lina smiled at Nerisa.
“Researcher Vedix can be very persuasive,” Nerisa cautioned. “He regularly sways hostile tribes to give him what he wants.”
“I know what it is. If he came here looking for it or something like it, then he knows exactly what he’d be taking from the Santir people. That makes him a low form of space slime in my opinion.” Lina pulled a chair to the side of the tent and then settled down to wait. She wouldn’t take a part in this unless the researcher sho
wed an inclination to push for that artifact. “Has he found anything like this?”
“No, while I was there, he was impossible to be around, because of that lack of success.” Nerisa sighed and shook her head.
“Good.” Lina smiled in satisfaction. The museums and private collectors throughout the territories protected by Central Command had enough of what didn’t belong to them.
“What do you mean about this being special?” Nerisa carried a chair with her and took a seat beside Lina. “It’s a nice artifact, well preserved, but it’s not extraordinary. It’s one of many nice artifacts that have been found.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. That is a piece of Santir history that has been the object of many searches. There are those who would kill to have it if they knew what it was. You can number the Ardin among those when they discover what it is.” Lina looked over at Nerisa.
“People would kill for that?” Nerisa raised her brows. “It doesn’t look like much, but maybe you are right. Researcher Vedix would certainly do much to get it.”
“There are some objects of shifter history that humans shouldn’t have. Take a look at the sketches and vid-images of it later. See if you can figure out why it’s so special.” Lina had always been tempted to go after the pieces of Santir history held by the museums and collectors—the precious artifacts which should be held only shifters. Much of it had been gained without permission or through the deceit of corrupt researchers like Vedix. Most of the time the Santir didn’t know what they’d lost.
“I’ll figure it out.” Nerisa shot a determined glance toward the corner.
Two researchers came into the tent. Vedix and his assistant Caril looked over the pottery and old weapons with jaundiced eyes. Vedix picked up the still images of the artifacts and began going through them slowly.
Lina knew the moment he saw the image of the large urn. He stiffened. Eagerness and desire rolled off him, the scent unmistakable.
Vedix head came up swiftly. “This old ceremonial vase, where is it?”
“That isn’t one of the items being offered to you. That will never be offered to you.” She narrowed her eyes and stared at him.
Researcher Vedix’s eyes slid away from her unblinking gaze. “It’s a fine example of early pre-discovery technique. The museum would be fortunate to get it.”
“You can stop with the ingratiating researcher routine. I know exactly what that ‘old vase’ is and so do you. That’s why you won’t be getting it.” She stood and a sneer curved her lips. “It’s certainly not something that will ever see the inside of a museum. I don’t know how many times before this you’ve stolen from shifter history, but this will be the last.”
“How dare you!” Vedix’s back straightened as if a rod had been shot through him. He was the picture of offended dignity.
“I dare because you just tried to pass your interest off with a lie.” She advanced on him. “Don’t bother to try to do it again. I can smell the lie just as clearly as I can scent your fear now.”
“I…” Vedix’s mouth moved but nothing came from it.
Shard and Kaleb stepped into the tent. The two men’s tense bodies radiated anger. From the ferocious frowns on their faces, it was clear that they’d been listening for some time. They strode over to her. Shard stood on her right and Kaleb at her left.
“You’re right, Lina.” Shard’s tone rang with finality. “This will be the last time that he tries to steal from shifters. When you get back to your camp, Researcher Vedix, call for the Central Command ship to come to get you. You and your people will be going home without any of the artifacts from this site. Your credentials and those of your museum will go on the list of those no longer welcome within Shifter-Protected Space.”
“While I may not know what exactly is so important about this vase, I do know that there were only artifacts from the late pre-discovery periods in our finds.” Kaleb smiled, flashing the lengthened canines at the researcher. “You are no longer welcome here, Researcher. You will be escorted back to your camp and you had better start preparing to leave.”
“You can’t do this to me!” Vedix screamed, enraged. “I doubt that you even know which object she was talking about. Does she make the decisions now?”
Shard curved an arm around Lina and she nuzzled her head against his chest. She relaxed into his warmth, content to let them take care of the researcher. She had no problem with allowing them deal with the trash.
“Trane, escort the researcher and his assistant back to their camp.” Kaleb took her hand in his and his thumb began rubbing in circular motions over her knuckles. “We’ll be expecting the transmission within the hour, Vedix.”
“You can’t do this over a single lie!” Vedix’s flushed face and clenched hands signaled his rage as clearly as his strident tone.
“You were here at our discretion.” Shard urged her behind him as he stepped forward to confront the man. “You have stepped beyond that which we allow. You lied and would take something which shouldn’t belong to you.”
Vedix backed away, intimidated by Shard’s size and the lethal, cold menace which rolled off him. “We can talk about this. There is no need to go to such extremes.”
“You were warned before you came here that you would be expected to conform to shifter standards of behavior. You haven’t done so.” Kaleb arched a brow at the gray-haired man. “Call for your transport. You can spread the word. All shifters will be far more attentive to the behavior of those in our space.”
“You’ll regret this.” Vedix turned sharply away and then stalked out of the tent. His assistant was left to rush after him or get left behind.
Kaleb and Shard watched until both men were gone. After they were sure that all outsiders had left the camp, they turned and their eyes ran over Lina. They frowned when they noticed that her golden hair hung around her shoulders, hiding their marks. It had been in a braid when they’d left camp.
“What happened to your hair?” Shard paced forward, his hands moving the golden tresses away from her bare shoulders, revealing the healed scars of their mating bites.
Lina’s hands flew up to her neck, touching the loose mass of hair there and brushed her hands against his in the process. “I took it down before the researchers came to our camp. I didn’t know just how much of Santir custom and practice was known. I decided to be cautious. I have the band here. I’ll put it back now.” She took the band out of her pocket and held it up to show them.
“Don’t cover our marks unless we tell you to do so.” Kaleb could feel the tiron within him stirring. He wanted everyone aware of exactly what she was to them. He took the band from her hand and put her hair up into a loose tail.
She wondered how long it would be until she could wear her hair down anywhere except the bedroom, but didn’t voice the question.
“Where is this vase that was the subject of your argument with Vedix?” Shard looked around the tent. Sharp eyes locked on the shadowed corner where the crates had been placed. “Jaksen told us that you had put it aside because you thought that it was special.”
“It’s very special.” She waited as Shard’s long strides took him to the corner.
Shard lifted the carefully wrapped bundle and carried it to the large table. He placed it on a hastily cleared area, before he went to work on the wrappings. The elegant, glossy surface of the large vase gleamed in the bright light.
“It is a nice piece of work, but I see nothing special about this vase.” Kaleb tilted his head and studied the scenes painted on the large vase on the table.
“Ah, but you’re only seeing it as a nice piece of late period work. You’re not really looking at it. You don’t see the message that’s plainly there if you would only look.” Lina smiled as she waited to see if they would see any of the clues without further prodding.
“What makes this vase special and not some of the others we have found?” Shard looked at the vase, but saw nothing special about the scenes or in the way it was painted. It looke
d like random scenes from a day in an old thent.
“I’m not going to give you the answer to this puzzle. You’ll just have to discover it on your own.” She turned to leave the artifacts tent before she gave them another hint simply because they were making no progress on their own. She wanted them to do this, to solve this puzzle without her giving them aid. Half of the joy of learning the secret was in the discovery.
Shard’s large hand tangled in the long, flowing strands of her hair. The move effectively stopped her exit. She looked over her shoulder and sighed. Arrogant man. He would only release her when he was ready. There was no use struggling against his hold.
“Tell us.” Shard gave a teasing tug on her hair.
“Are you admitting that two wise Ardin can’t solve such a simple puzzle?” Her smile and sassy tone taunted and teased. She cocked a hand on her hip and winked at them. “I thought you were such cunning warriors and astute leaders.”
“We’ll solve this puzzle.” Kaleb’s hand cupped her hand and tilted her head until she was staring into his green eyes. “When we do solve it, I want an apology for the slurs and teasing, rah’ki.”
“If you solve this, I’ll apologize to you.” She smiled and gave a regal nod.
“I want detailed stills of the entire vase, even the bottom.” Shard released her hair just before he paced over to the end of the table where all the documentation on the artifacts was kept. He lifted some of the still images that they had of the large jar. “Closer, and I want more detail than these.”
Sauntering out of the tent, she grinned. She had no doubt that they’d discover exactly what was so special about that urn. Especially now that they felt they’d been challenged. She’d enjoy watching them work through the puzzle until they saw the truth.
Shard came out of the tent and with a few long strides caught her as she strode across the camp to the work table. His arm slipped around her waist, pulling her close even as he urged her away from the table and toward their tent.
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