by Leslie Chase
Panting and moaning, Gillian couldn't form words. Instead, she pleaded with her eyes, looking up at him. That was futile, too. He was enjoying driving her wild, and she could see from the look in his eyes that the desire she'd woken in him wouldn't be argued with.
His fingers trailed down her body, teasing, and Gillian swallowed as she felt him near her waist. Zardan's touch was slow, gentle, but she could feel the power in his hands.
With a powerful jerk, he tugged her undersuit down over her hips. Gillian whimpered again, squirming her legs free of the confining fabric. She was acutely aware that all she was wearing now were her panties.
Zardan's grin widened, and the burning need in his gaze as he looked her over again was almost too much. Gillian knew that, if her hands were free, she'd be covering herself now. Instead, she was bared before his hungry eyes, vulnerable, and struggling.
And loving every second of it.
With his surprisingly gentle touch, Zardan traced two fingers across the thin fabric of her panties. The pressure was just enough to make her crave more, but pinned to the wall as she was she couldn't press herself to him like she wanted. All she could do was take the teasing caress as he lowered his lips to hers, kissing as he stroked her.
His lips left hers, and he moved down to her neck, kissing and then biting gently. His sharp teeth scraped across Gillian's skin and she let out a little noise of need and desire, her whole body shaking. The chuckle that got from him vibrated through her, and she couldn't take it anymore. It was too much, and anyway, she couldn't let him have it all his own way.
Twisting, Gillian managed to bring her head down to Zardan's neck and bite down. The musky scent of him was so strong it filled her senses as her teeth sank into him and now it was Zardan's turn to cry out in surprise and joy. His body convulsed, wings beating, and his fingers pressed hard against her pussy as he tensed. That contact sent a wave of blinding pleasure through Gillian, shaking her to her core.
A swift tug from his fingers tore her panties away and he pulled her against him, his patience evaporating in the fire of his need for her. Good, Gillian thought, and then there was no more time for words. His fingers parted her pussy lips, sliding into her as he roared, and the sensation was unbelievably powerful.
His other hand released her wrists, coming down to grab her hair and pull her face to his. Gillian reached around him, squeezing his ass and pulling him to her as they both shook with need. But he was still wearing his pants, and that wouldn't do. With quick, fumbling fingers, she managed to pull them down, freeing his cock.
As big as it had felt before, now that it was no longer covered it seemed immense. Her hand gripped him, stroking his length, and Gillian could hardly imagine what something like that would feel like inside her.
But in that moment, she wanted nothing more than to find out.
The texture was strange, and she felt ridges along his shaft as she stroked him. Trying to imagine the sensation of that sliding in and out of her made her wetter than ever. His fingers stroked her, taking his cue from the rhythm she set, rough fingers gentler than she would have believed. But when he found her clit and circled it, the shout his touch wrung from her filled the room.
"Please," Gillian said. She wasn't sure exactly what she was asking for, but Zardan understood. Lifting her easily, he laid her down on the desk, letting her guide his cock to her pussy as he kissed his way down her body. His teeth grazed across Gillian's skin and she arched her back as he sucked one of her nipples into his mouth. Pulling at him, she tried to urge him on, to get him to take her, to end the torturous wait. But he wouldn't be hurried, and the anticipation built inside Gillian until she thought she was going to burst from it.
The head of his cock pressed against her pussy, and Gillian's breath caught. So close! So damnably, teasingly close.
"I need you," she moaned, a tremor running through her at the admission. Biting her lip, she whimpered, refusing to beg. It wasn't easy, but she was determined.
And Zardan seemed determined to test her resolve. His rough tongue danced across her nipple as he made her wait. She could feel his need for her, but his iron self-control was as hard as his cock and she knew he wouldn't give in. He wouldn't break first.
Neither will I, she tried to tell herself. Wrapping her legs around him, she pulled him closer, but he was too strong to control. She felt him throb against her, knew that he was as eager to sheath himself inside her as she was to have him fill her aching void. But still he made her wait.
Panting, shuddering, on the verge of giving in and pleading for him to take her, she reached around him to scratch the sensitive skin beside his wings. That was the last straw, the limit of what he could take, and with a wordless roar he thrust hard into her. One smooth stroke buried him inside her, filling her and making her cry out as well.
It was almost painful, but not quite. Or perhaps the endless pleasure drowned out the pain, because Gillian had never felt anything so wonderful in her life. A wave of pleasure washed over her, setting her nerves on fire with passion and joy as it filled every part of her body.
For a moment, they were still, holding each other, almost unwilling to breathe in case it broke the beautiful moment. Then, with slow and deliberate care, Zardan pulled back. Gillian whimpered at the empty sensation inside her as he withdrew. His alien cock nearly left her before he looked her in the eyes and thrust again.
The desk groaned under them as his thrust drove home, and Gillian cried out again. Each time he drew back, he thrust harder, and the desk creaked in the rhythm of their lovemaking as the rocked together.
Gillian's body tensed as he pushed her closer and closer to the edge, her fingers digging into the soft skin beside Zardan's wings. She could feel him swell inside her, growing even bigger as he fucked her faster, his control slipping away as they moved. It was as though Gillian could feel the fire in his heart rekindle, their bodies merging, pleasure filling both of them at once.
Feeling the waves of pleasure intensify, Gillian clutched at him. Her whole body tensed, and she squeezed tight around him as she came with a panting, wordless cry of joy. For a moment her whole world was on fire with an inferno of ecstasy, and there was no division between the two of them.
Her body tightening around him pulled Zardan with her into the throes of passion, and he cried out as he let go of the last vestiges of control. Pounding with a furious passion, he held her tight against him and Gillian felt another orgasm build almost at once. Her body shook and she wasn't sure that she could survive another burst of pleasure like that.
But if I can't, what a way to go!
Zardan's final thrust was too much for the desk, and with a final tortured creak it gave way beneath Gillian. The two of them tumbled to the floor, lost in the pleasure of the moment as Zardan came, pushing Gillian over the edge once more. For a long, endless moment, the pair clung to each other, and Gillian could barely think. All her senses were full of Zardan, his scent and the feel of his skin and the sound of his breath.
Eventually, they stirred. Zardan lifted himself off her with a happy groan, and Gillian managed to open her eyes. His face looked relaxed for the first time she'd seen him, and the sadness in his eyes had retreated. They almost sparkled as he smiled down at her.
Taking a deep breath, she managed a shaky smile in return, sitting up carefully. Her body ached all over and she was sure that the experience had left her with bruises she'd feel soon enough. But it was a pleasant ache. One that she wouldn't mind feeling again. Often.
Just the thought made her blush, and Zardan chuckled as though he was reading her mind. Maybe he is, Gillian thought whimsically. Certainly they'd seemed to be close to telepathy a few minutes earlier.
"That was incredible," she whispered, reaching up to stroke his cheek. He took her hand and kissed the palm, nodding in agreement.
"You are incredible," he said. "I knew that we'd be amazing together, but I had no idea..."
He trailed off and sat back against the
wall, pulling Gillian to him. She snuggled into him, holding tight as they lay amongst the wreckage their lovemaking had left. His deep chuckle vibrated through her and Gillian looked up, wondering what he found so funny.
"That desk was over a thousand years old," Zardan explained, laughing. After a moment Gillian joined in, holding him tightly.
16
Zardan
The feeling of Gillian giggling in his lap was a revelation to Zardan. He'd never expected to feel so simply happy again. In fact, he wasn't sure that he'd ever felt this way before. But now, with his wonderful, beautiful mate cradled against him, he felt none of the pain that he'd been carrying since he woke from the Great Sleep.
Maybe she's right, and this is fate, he thought. I was meant for her, that much I know. If I'd died along with Charida and the rest, I'd never have known her.
Thinking of his family, though, drew the darkness back in around him. He tried to hold on to the moment of quiet peace for as long as he could, but it slipped away nonetheless.
With a sigh, he lifted Gillian's face for a kiss and then stood. She squirmed against him, a delightfully distracting sensation when they were both naked. For a moment he considered forgetting their commitments in the outside world.
But some things wouldn't wait.
Putting her down gently, he stepped away. The little disappointed noise Gillian made got another smile from him, but he could see in her eyes that she understood.
"What now?" she asked, her fingers twitching as though she were fighting the urge to touch him. "We know what the bank is after, I guess, but what do we do about it?"
"I'm not sure," Zardan admitted, frowning and picking up his pants. "But whatever we do, it starts by getting back to the farm. The airmakers are working here, but I don't think anything else is and we're going to need something to eat."
Gillian nodded quickly at that — obviously she'd worked up as much of an appetite as he had. But as she started to pull on her clothes, she didn't look any happier than he was to leave their little sanctuary from the realities that threatened them.
Shadows flickered across her eyes as she stepped into her undersuit and zipped it up. Zardan frowned at that, wishing he could keep all sadness from touching her life. But that wasn't possible, at least not now, not yet. He could stand between her and harm, but he couldn't guarantee that none would reach her. Perhaps once they'd dealt with the immediate crisis that would change.
Heh. It seems I'm thinking about the future. That was a little unexpected, but then, he hadn't really had anything to look forward to. Now he had something to hope for and that changed everything.
"You're smiling," Gillian said, her voice almost accusatory. He realized that she hadn't had much of a chance to see that.
"With luck you'll get used to it," Zardan said as he picked up the rest of his clothes and got ready for the journey back.
"I think I might, at that." Gillian's answering smile lit up her face, and Zardan's heart swelled with happiness at the sight. It almost made him forget the danger they were both in. Almost.
The journey back was strange, and a little awkward. Once they left the shelter of the crashed ship, communication was difficult and touch impossible. Gillian's fragile human skin had to be protected by the thick layers of her suit, and the icy chill bit deep into Zardan as he led the way back out of the fissure towards the farm.
But there was still something different about this walk. Something comforting and comfortable about walking by Gillian's side. When he stole a look at Gillian, Zardan could see a smile on her face, half-hidden by the visor of her helmet, and knew that she felt it too. The connection between them, so long kept at bay, was finally out in the open.
Now all we have to do is live long enough to enjoy it, he thought. That chilled his good mood a little. He could make it sound easy, but they were outnumbered and far from any help. And he had to remember that he was still injured from his first fight with Karaos and his shifters.
The closer they got to the farm, the gloomier Zardan felt. It wasn't that he minded an uneven fight, but with his mate's life on the line it was a lot harder to embrace the glory of the odds.
Things were a lot easier when I didn't care if I lived or died, he admitted to himself. Having something to live for complicated the issue.
Once they were at the farm they cycled quickly through the airlock and the warm embrace of the hab dome's air took some of the chill out of his bones. It didn't measure up to the warmth of the Grace of Herendar, but it was a start. Back in her home environment, Gillian's face showed a curious mix of emotions. There was a relief at being safely home, but she didn't look entirely happy and the worried glances Zardan caught her shooting him made him wince. What had seemed so simple back on the Grace of Herendar looked a good deal more complex out in the world. Hoping to reassure his mate, Zardan pulled her into a firm embrace, but he could feel her tense up in his arms.
"Finally!" Harry bounced into the room before Zardan could speak. The young human skidded to a stop, looking at the two of them and then grinning. "What kept you so long?"
There was a twinkle in his eye that made Zardan certain the boy had some idea, and Gillian pulled back from his embrace, her face heating. The glare she shot her brother was something to see, but Harry shrugged it off without worry.
"We were investigating," Zardan told him in a low growl. In his experience, most humans would back down from that sound. Harry wasn't most humans, though, and he grinned up at Zardan.
"Sure you were," Harry said. "While the two of you were gone, I tried to see if there was any word from Dad."
"And?" Gillian's voice was caught between hope and fear.
"I can't get into the comms network," Harry said, humor draining from his voice. "I mean, the radio's working, but all I get are error messages. No answer from Olympus Colony at all."
"What?" Gillian frowned, her embarrassment disappearing now that she had a problem to focus on. "That doesn't make any sense. Let me see."
Harry passed her the tablet he carried, and Zardan looked over her shoulder at the unfamiliar interface. Most of it didn't mean anything to him, but the angry red box that flashed up was clear.
NO CONNECTION FOUND
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SERVICE PROVIDER
"How?" Gillian said, dismissing the notification with a frustrated noise. "How are we meant to contact our provider if there's no connection?"
"Maybe the weather knocked out a relay?" Harry asked, scratching his head.
"Dad wasn't stupid when he set this up," Gillian responded. "We're out in the middle of nowhere here, he made sure that we connect to three separate relays. If one of them went down we'd get a warning, and there's no way all three could fail at once."
Zardan felt his jaw tighten and resisted the urge to grab the tablet from her hands. That would be pointless, he'd only have to ask her how to use it — he had no practice with human technology.
"Can you look up where the connection fails?" he asked, turning to look out of the window. He almost expected to see dragons flying over the horizon, and it wouldn't be impossible. Stopping them from calling for help would make sense as the first phase of an attack.
"What difference does that make?" Harry said, joining him. Zardan started to answer, and then realized what he was doing. No need to frighten the pup, he told himself. Harry might be ferocious for a human child, but telling him about an incoming attack he could do nothing about would only frighten him.
A glance back over his shoulder told him that Gillian had worked out what was going on: she had the closed, calm expression of someone trying not to show their fear. Working quickly, she tapped away at the tablet.
"I think we're getting through as far as Fuller," she said eventually. "There's still no answer, though. Just the error message."
Fuller Station. Where he'd first seen the other dragons, and the only other human settlement near enough to reach. That made some sense. And, thinking back to the skyships stopping off there, had
he seen Danforth's Trevoir among them? Maybe. He cursed himself for not paying more attention, but he hadn't expected to care what humans were nearby.
"They're jamming us, then," he said. "I suppose that makes sense, if they're worried that we're going to figure out what they're looking for out here. If I got word to Emperor Verikan and claimed this land, and the Grace of Herendar, as mine — that would make things harder for them, at the very least."
"But it's not your land," Gillian said, firmly. "It's ours. I'm not letting you claim my family's livelihood out from under us any more than I'd let Danforth snatch it."
They looked at each other and Zardan realized that there was still a lot to be settled between them. For now, though, it didn't matter. The danger they were facing was far more urgent.
That didn't stop the cold angry look Gillian gave him from hurting, but he did his best not to show it. His job was to keep her safe, and if he made her mad at him while he did that, well, he would simply have to deal with that. Any situation where she was alive to be angry was better than if she wasn't.
Harry looked from one to the other of them again and made an exasperated noise. "Oh for God's sake, you two, stop glaring at each other and tell me what's happening."
Zardan managed to laugh at that. "We don't know, exactly," he said. "But someone's blocking your communications, and that is never a good sign. I think that it might mean that our enemies control Fuller Station."
Harry frowned. "They couldn't, could they?"
"It's small, the bank is rich, and the dragons are dangerous," Zardan said, shrugging. "If the humans pay off those they can, and the dragons frighten the rest, it's possible. They could. That doesn't mean that they have, but it's possible."
Gillian tried something else with the tablet and then threw it down onto a table with a disgusted look. "I can make a connection to the network happen, but I keep getting that error message. The only other trick I've got is to broadcast an emergency signal, but then we'd just be hoping that someone hears us."