Mikael nodded in acknowledgment of her statement. “My dadan died bravely in defense of our world, as did our king. They are with the stars now and are enjoying their rest. Unfortunately, these events gave an opportunity for the dissenters among the nobles to stir up unrest among the people. They wish to dethrone Korian and place their own candidate on the throne, one who will be easily swayed and controlled by the ruling class. The people of my world are nervous and do not have the confidence in Korian’s ability to rule, so the nobles are gaining influence at an alarming rate.”
Mahoney’s eyebrows lowered in confusion. “That sounds very similar to what has happened in our world’s history for thousands of years. How does this pertain to Jessica, though?”
“Korian is a young warrior, fresh out of training. He had not expected to claim the throne for at least another 20 years. Our royalty is descended from a long line of warriors, and they lead T’Kala with a firm hand. The aristocracy is made up primarily of wealthy families who live for intrigue, power, control, and political jostling. Many of them believe that they should control the kingdom and that the age of a warrior king has passed. They feel that now is the time to strike while the new king is young and inexperienced. They plan to take the throne for themselves and relegate warriors to mere foot soldiers. What Korian needs is to buy time to figure out who is behind the coup and the best way to achieve that is a distraction,” he finished.
Her eyes widened in understanding. “That’s why he sent you to get Jessica. What’s more distracting than a celebrity from another world in their midst?”
“Exactly. You need not fear for her safety, because she will be treated like a visiting dignitary with all the comfort and luxury that position affords. While the nobles are distracted with her presence, his trusted advisors will be able to move quickly to ferret out the source of the coup and contain it. At least, that is our plan,” he amended before popping the last bite of his steak in his mouth.
“Wait. You just said ‘our’ plan. Are you part of this? And what will happen to Jessica when all this political maneuvering is completed?” she asked, pushing her empty plate away.
Mikael studied her shrewdly, then answered, “Yes, I am the senior guard for the king, just as my father was before me. It was my idea to use the nobles’ vices against them in the hopes that it will buy us the time we need.” He stopped and took a deep drink of his wine. He paused, as if hesitant to continue before he spoke again. “In order to understand the rules governing the taking of captives, I fear I must give you one more history lesson. There is an ancient and honored custom on our world that started with the first warrior king. During his travels to other planets seeking alliances, he came across a beautiful woman from the planet Balanx. His hoped-for alliance with Balanx fell through, and they had to vacate quickly. However, he was so taken with the beautiful young woman that he kidnapped her. As you well understand, she was furious and demanded to be returned. The king wanted her badly, so he struck a bargain with her. If she would give him one month’s time to win her heart, he would return her to her home if she did not wish to stay. If she chose to remain with him, he would claim her as his lifemate and she would be granted full rights and citizenship on T’Kala.”
Hope and dread mixed in her heart and caused her hand to shake when she lifted her wine glass. “What did she choose?”
He smiled wickedly and arched an eyebrow. “Her marriage painting still hangs in the palace to this day. She was a revered and celebrated queen.”
Mahoney’s mind scrambled to put the pieces of his tale together. “So you’re saying that if Jessica wants to return home at the end of a month, she will be taken back to Earth?”
He nodded soberly. “Not just Jessica, my little warrior. That law applies to you, as well.”
Chapter Fifteen
Mahoney’s breath whooshed out of her in a rush. “I’m not a prisoner, then, or a slave? I get to make the decision on whether I get to go home or stay?”
His face was an impenetrable mask. “Yes, at the end of a month’s time.”
“Why can’t you just take us back now? What if we don’t want to wait for a month to return home?” she asked, pushing her chair back to stand.
He tossed his napkin down on the table and stood to join her. “As a warrior sworn to the king, I cannot disobey his command. I must take Jessica to our world; I have no choice. But for you, Katsuko,” he added, closing the distance between them and taking her into his arms. “If you demand it, I will turn the ship back around and take you back to Earth after I have delivered Jessica to the king. I do not wish to let you go, but I will, if it is what you want. I can deny you nothing.”
Her heart melted under his sincere, husky words. She allowed him to pull her into his chest and hold her close. Her arms made their way around his waist of their own accord, and her head rested against his hard chest. “I can’t leave Jessica behind, and I think you know that. I will stay with her and watch over her, and then we will return together when the month is out.”
Mikael’s body flexed under her cheek, but his voice was moderate when he replied, “If that is your wish, then it will be so. However, I have 28 more days to try and change your mind.” His hand came up to stroke her hair and his voice was thick with emotion when he said, “One thing you must know, my Katsuko. Should you ultimately decide to return to Earth, you will remember none of this. Your planet is not yet advanced enough to join the Great Alliance, and must be kept ignorant of our existence until such time as they are capable of joining. We will be forced to modify your memory and remove all traces of your experiences while you were gone from your own world.”
Mahoney closed her eyes against the heart-wrenching thought of losing even the memory of Mikael’s touch. He was infuriating, arrogant, and high-handed. He was also tender, fair, strong, and sexy as hell. “I understand, Mikael,” she whispered, her body molding against his. “Since we have so little time left together, I think we should make the most of it. What’s next for our date that you had planned?”
He stepped away from her, took her hand, and led her over to a large space that had been cleared of his desk and chair which were now against the wall. He came to stop with her and called out, “Command, initiate protocol ‘Romantic date.’”
“Affirmative,” the computer replied.
With a soft swish, large window panels at least four feet tall and six feet wide slid open to reveal a breathtaking view of space. The lights of the room dimmed even more, allowing the illumination from billions of stars to filter over them like a disco ball. Mahoney’s hand drifted up to her mouth as she watched the twinkling lights and burning trails of comets, shooting stars, and glowing orbs of passing planets. So engrossed in the sight was she, that she jumped when the soft strains of a guitar began to play in the background.
“Katsuko Mahoney,” Mikael whispered in her ear. “May I have this dance?”
No words were necessary as she slipped into his solid embrace and wrapped her hands around his neck. She blinked back sudden tears as the song began to play and he led their bodies in a gentle sway. “This is Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce. How did you know this was my favorite song?”
He pulled her in closer against him and ran his big hands up and down her sides and over her back. “Jessica told me. She said that this was your father’s favorite singer.”
She nodded mutely, not trusting herself to speak. They swayed to the music while their hands roamed and caressed each other under the lights of the stars. Mahoney could tell he was unpracticed in the art of dancing, but she didn’t care as long as his body was pressed against hers.
When the song stopped, Mikael murmured, “I like this song very much. Perhaps this singer was a T’Kalan warrior, for I understand what he means when he sings, ‘I’d save every day like a treasure and then, again, I would spend them with you.’”
Mahoney stared up into his face, her heart swelling with emotion. She waited in breathless anticipation as his head lowered toward
s hers, but grew impatient and rose up on her tiptoes to meet him halfway. Their lips met with soft, exploratory kisses that grew firmer, deeper, and hungrier. He traced her bottom lip with his tongue, and when she opened for him, he slipped inside her mouth to taste her sweetness. Mahoney hummed in pleasure, relishing the taste of wine on his lips, and fed him her passion through every breath they exchanged.
Mikael dragged his mouth away from hers reluctantly, and said, “If you wish, we can proceed to the viewing area for an Earth movie now. Jessica gave me a list of your favorites.”
Mahoney shook her head in the negative, ran her hands up over the soft fabric of his shirt, and whispered, “I’d rather you took me to your bed, Commander.”
His face broke into a panty-dropping smile. Reaching down with one arm, he hooked her under her legs, scooped her up into his arms, and began to stride across the room. “As my lady wishes.”
Chapter Sixteen
Soft music continued to play in the background as Mikael set Mahoney on her feet next to his warrior-sized bed. Their lips found each other again when he cradled her face in his big hands and claimed her mouth with a ravenous kiss. Mahoney’s hands were busy, too, by sliding the buttons of his shirt free and exposing the hard, cut muscles of his chest to her hands. She broke away from him to catch her breath and tug at the offending garment impatiently.
A breathy chuckle escaped from his mouth. “Patience, my little warrior. We have all night to explore each other.”
She continued to pull the shirt from him and tossed it to the floor. “Yeah, well, we have a saying where I come from. A little less talk, and a lot more action.”
His laugh was loud and booming, causing her own smile to blossom over her face. Impulsively, she reached up to cup his jaw in her hand. His beard was soft under her palm and she traced her thumb over the sharp angle of his cheekbone. “You should laugh more often, Commander. I like the sound of it.”
He sobered quickly, his gaze searching hers intently. “I have not had a reason to be joyous until I met you, Katsuko.”
Their lips met again, with more urgency this time, and Mikael took advantage of his position to run his palms up her thighs, dragging her skirt along in their wake. When he reached her hips, he slid his hands further back to cup the swell of her bare bottom in his hands. An appreciative hum vibrated from his lips to hers as he hooked his thumbs in the tiny string around her waist and found out it was connected to a another string snuggled between the cheeks of her ass.
Breaking free from her kiss, he dropped to his knees before her. His eyes met hers again and he never broke contact as he started his journey all over again up her lean, muscled legs until he grasped the thong underwear in his hands and dragged them down to pool around her heeled shoes. His lips took up where his hands left off as he trailed hot, wet kisses up the inside of her thighs until his head disappeared under her skirt.
Her heart was beating a fast tattoo against her ribs as he got closer to his goal. She could feel her sex heating, swelling, and crying out for his touch. Her soft pants for breath turned into a groan when she felt him run his tongue in a long, wet lap from her core straight up to her clit and then back down again. Her legs were trembling, but the sight of the big warrior half hidden by her dress nearly drove her wild. He kissed, licked, and suckled at her lips, stopping to dip his tongue inside to draw down more of her wetness before he zeroed in on the tight bundle of nerves with renewed fervor.
“Please, Mikael,” she begged. “I’m going to collapse if you keep this up.”
His head reappeared from beneath her skirt and she ran her fingers through his hair. “I will always catch if you fall, sweet one,” he answered her, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
Gently, he pushed her backward until she sat at the end of his bed. Very carefully, he lifted each of her feet and patiently worked the buckles with his blunt fingers until each shoe fell to the floor. Next, he unfastened the belt at her waist, and then slowly rucked her dress up her body until it came off over her head. His eyes were riveted on her chest where her breasts sat high and firm, tipped with hardened points.
“Mmm, like ripened zala berries,” he breathed, leaning in for a taste. “My favorite dessert.”
Her hands traced the contours of his shoulders while he feasted on her breasts. His lips and teeth worshiped the little tip until she cried out. He switched sides and drew her deep into his mouth and suckled her with strong pulls and flicks of his tongue while she held his head to her chest. Her body was on fire with need, twisting and churning, desperate to have more.
Mikael released her breast reluctantly and gazed up into her face. “Lay back and let me take care of you.”
She was dizzy from want of him, and readily complied. Lifting each of her legs, he draped them over his shoulders and buried his face in her honeyed warmth. He feasted on her flesh, humming with pleasure, as he drank her essence. Mahoney whined when he pulled his tongue from its teasing dance around her clit, but sucked in a sharp breath when she felt two of his fingers slide inside her sheath until they could go no further. Slowly, he dragged them back down before plunging them into her again. He kept his pace steady and firm as his mouth lowered to torment her clit with laps of his tongue and suckling from his lips.
Mahoney couldn’t hold back the groans and cries of “Yes! Faster, Mikael!” and “Please, please, please!” Her body was in delicious torment, arching off the bed and reaching for the promise of completion that seemed to hover just out of reach. As if he knew she was teetering on the brink, he curled his fingers toward the front wall of her abdomen and pressed on the bundle of nerves he knew would be there while his tongue ran circles around and over her clit. Mahoney grabbed fists full of the bedding and hung on as she raced up the peak he relentless drove her towards. With one final push of his fingers, she fractured into a million pieces and cried out while her body convulsed with wave after wave of blinding ecstasy.
Mikael eased back on his ministrations, his licks becoming softer and less focused as her body began to relax and her voice quieted into soft moans. Gently, carefully, he slid his fingers from her core that continued to pulse and grip him as if trying to pull him back inside. With a final kiss to her delicate lips, he stood to his feet and began to strip the rest of his clothing from his body.
Mahoney’s body was limp with satisfaction, yet her core still pulsed with need. She watched with appreciation as Mikael’s body flexed and moved as he bent to pull his pants and shoes off and a sizzle of heat traveled up her body when he stood naked before her. His shaft was long and swollen, bobbing with impatience, and she reached out her hand to run her fingertips over it and tracing the veins that ran from base to tip.
“I need you, Mikael,” she whispered, longing and desire making her voice husky.
His eyes darkened with lust. Bending down to the bed, he eased his arms under her body and moved her upwards to recline against the pillows. He followed her down to the bed and eased his way between her thighs. Mahoney wrapped her legs around his lean hips and pulled his face to hers for a long, drugging kiss. Her hips slid over his hardness, seeking to give him entrance, but he continued to feast on her lips and run his hands through the silk of her hair.
“Mikael, please,” she groaned into his mouth while her hands roamed down his back and pulled at him in desperation.
“As my lady wishes,” he breathed into her ear.
Fisting his shaft in one hand, he lined it up with her core and eased his way inside. His breath hissed out followed by a groan as he steadily slid inside until he could go no further. When his hips were flush with hers, he dropped his head to the pillow next to her face and groaned, “So wet…so hot. The stars have blessed me with the gift of your body.”
Mahoney fought off the tears building behind her eyes and blinked rapidly to prevent their falling. Instead, she dug her heels into the clenched muscles of his ass and forced him yet deeper inside her. He took her hint and began to move, sliding out of her body until the
crown of his shaft kissed her entrance, and then plunged back in to the deepest recesses of her channel. He continued his slow, steady thrusts, never giving in to her demand for more, until she was writhing underneath him, panting and moaning, and demanding ever more of him.
Mikael could feel his control slipping the death grip he held on it. Her body was too lush, too tight, too slick to continue his torturously slow thrusts. Mahoney broke his control when she leaned up to sink her teeth into the cords of his neck with a firm grip before letting go to swipe her tongue across the stinging skin. With a growl of impatience, his hips slammed into hers causing a wail of pleasure to erupt from her lips. His pace grew quicker, harder, and her body rose up to meet him equally. Her sheath gripped him and squeezed, demanding his release, but he resisted until she could join him.
To that end, he broke free from her embrace and rose to his knees. He continued his punishing assault on her core and added his thumb with firm pressure against the swollen bundle of nerves above where his shaft stretched her open. Almost immediately, Mahoney came apart underneath him, her body arching into rigid lines as her climax claimed her. Mikael followed her with a harsh groan, his hips snapping in jerky movements as he released his seed inside her.
His body slumped over top of hers, but he caught himself on his forearms before he could crush her beneath his weight. Their breaths were ragged and their chests heaved for air, but Mikael couldn’t keep from nuzzling the graceful column of her neck and sneaking his tongue out for a taste of the salty moisture beaded there. Her hands were trailing lazily along his back with no destination in mind, simply enjoying the journey of discovering each line and muscle under her fingertips.
“Did I harm you with my passion, Katsuko?” he whispered in her ear, his tone anxious.
Fighting Chance Page 9