Unique Ink

by Cyndi Friberg

  Roxie returned to her body gradually. Her leg slipped down from his shoulder as her other leg buckled. She ended up straddling his thighs, her face on a level with his. He kissed her, pushing the taste of her pleasure into her mouth. Her core twitched with little aftershocks as their tongues tangled and slid.

  “Not. Enough. Room.” He only forced one word out at a time, unable to be without her kiss long enough to form the entire sentence.

  She reached back and triggered the drain then pushed back onto her trembling legs. “We can move to the bedroom, but I am going to return the favor before we go crazy again.”

  He chuckled, a deep rumbly sound. “We’ll see.”

  After climbing from the tub, she held a towel out toward him then found another one for herself. Her hair would be a tangled mess unless she took time to comb it out, but she didn’t care. He’d watched her come over and over. Finally, it was his turn to lose control.

  They were more or less dry by the time they crossed to the bed. Determined to have her way, she urged him to sit on the edge of the bed. Then she knelt between his legs and wrapped her hand around his shaft. “I’ve wanted to do this since the first time you kissed me.”

  He put his hands on the bed and moved his legs father apart. “I’m all yours.”

  “Yes you are.” She let the claim resonate as she took him in her mouth. Their gazes held until the angle made it impossible, then she focused on pleasuring him. He remained passive longer than she expected, letting her explore him as thoroughly as he’d explored her.

  Her lips formed a snug ring as she slid her mouth up and down his cock. She cupped his balls in her other hand, fascinated by the weight and the heat of his body. He grew harder and thicker as she worked him and the emotions surging across their link left her dizzy and restless. She wanted to feel him moving inside her, stretching her to capacity as his big body pressed her down into the bed. But she didn’t want to stop until she shattered his control. She needed his willing surrender.

  With a predatory growl, he lifted her, freeing his cock from her mouth. “If you want to watch me come, you’ll have to keep your eyes open.” He tossed her to the middle of the bed and knelt between her legs. Then he caught the underside of her knees and opened her wide.

  Roxie pushed his hands away and held her legs for him, offering her body in blatant invitation. “Please,” she whispered.

  “I mean to.” He positioned himself at her entrance then arched over her, capturing her gaze with his. Then he pushed inward slowly, filling her inch by wonderful inch. She stared into his eyes as heat and hunger blazed within her mind. He paused for half a second with his entire length buried inside her then kissed her with aching tenderness. “No matter what happens in the next few days, I’ll be with you, part of you.”

  Before she could respond to the claim, his mouth returned to hers in a breath-stealing, mind-numbing kiss. He rocked into her, steady thrusts that rubbed her in all the right places. Desperately needing to touch him, she released her legs. Then her hands wandered over his straining muscles, grasping and squeezing as he claimed her body and heart.

  Nothing had ever felt so perfect, nothing so intense. She lifted into each of his downward thrusts, compounding the impact. His rhythm sped as his need escalated. He tore his mouth from hers, unable to maintain the kiss as his thrusts grew more forceful.

  She watched his face, awed by the consuming desire he felt for her. And her emotions were just as demanding. She reached for him with her arms and legs, her soul flowing across their link to meld with his. They breathed as one, moved as one, their beings completely in tune.

  “Now.”

  His harsh command combined with the burst of pleasure flooding across their link. Sensations detonated deep inside her, stealing her breath with their shocking intensity. She arched off the bed, taking everything he had to give. Their hearts beat as one and their spasms of pleasure synchronized. They clung to each other, shuddering over and over as they flowed through the stages of release.

  Roxie recovered first and waited for passion’s haze to leave his eyes. “That was…well worth the wait.”

  He rolled to his side, taking her with him. Then he pulled her leg high onto his hip and pressed their bodies back together. “I never want to leave this bed, or the warmth of your body.”

  She wiggled closer, tucking her head under his chin. “You’ll hear no arguments from me. We can order pizza and Chinese. There’s even a deli that delivers. Of course one of us will have to answer the door.”

  He chuckled, his fingers gently rubbing her back. “Sounds like you’re hungry.”

  “Getting there, but I’m not ready for you to move. It feels too good to have you there, where you belong.”

  Tilting her face up, he kissed her slowly, tenderly. “I’m not going anywhere.” Suddenly he nipped her lower lip and laughed. “Couldn’t even if I wanted to. We’re tethered together.”

  He rolled again, bringing her on top of him. She folded her legs and settled her weight on her knees. They kissed and kissed, their hands moving freely over each other. She felt him gradually harden inside her and tightened her inner muscles, encouraging the response. He slipped his hands between their bodies and teased her nipples so she squeezed his cock again and again.

  “Are you trying to kill me?” He grasped her hips and arched into her core.

  “No.” She pushed against his chest, sitting up so she could move more freely. “I closed my eyes before. I still want to watch you come.”

  He laughed as he bucked up into her. “Good luck with that.”

  * * * * *

  Long hours later Roxie was jarred from a contented sleep by Elias’ sudden movements. He rolled out of bed and fired an energy pulse at the shadowy intruder.

  “I’m on your side, asshole!” Flynn flipped on the light after twisting to narrowly avoid the blast. “We don’t have much time and I need to… For gods’ sake, put your pants on.” He snatched Elias’ jeans off the floor by the bathroom door and threw them to him. His impatient gaze switched to Roxie and one corner of his mouth twitched. “Now you are more than welcome to stay just like that.”

  She scrambled out of bed and donned Elias’ T-shirt then wiggled into her panties. “Why are you here?”

  “You know why I’m here.” He looked at Elias again and asked, “Can you get a message to Lor before I take her to Sevrin.”

  “Tell us where the lab is and there’s no reason for either of you to go back,” Elias countered, looking flushed and furious.

  “I don’t know where it is and she’s never going to tell me, so the Mystics better be ready for this.”

  “Where are you taking her?” Elias demanded.

  “To the Team South house. She won’t be there long, so I hope someone is already in position over there.”

  Tell him we’re ready. Lor’s voice eased into her mind.

  She started to convey the message, but Flynn waved his hand dismissively. “I heard. Now come here.”

  Despite all the preparations and the unseen support, fear rushed through Roxie and she couldn’t move. She knew Elias would be teleported with her and she knew everything possible was being done to make sure they came out of this alive, but her feet were glued to the carpet and her heart pumped away at twice its normal speed.

  “I’m not going to hurt you.” When she remained immobile, he made an impatient sound and went to her. His arms encircled her and her gaze flew to Elias.

  Elias mouthed the words “I love you” as everything around her blurred. For a moment his shape blended with the twisting colors, then the proximity bond kicked in and he was pulled back into focus.

  “What the—” Flynn looked over his shoulder then growled deep in his throat. “That was stupid. Lor just got his pet human killed.”

  They materialized in the living room of a large, luxurious house. Roxie stumbled back as Flynn released her, but her attention shifted immediately to Nazerel. He stood several paces away, surrounded by his
team of hunters. They were all tall, lean and lethal, and each one of them was staring at her.

  “Too bad she didn’t sleep naked,” someone muttered, his appreciative gaze moving over her bare legs.

  Then Elias materialized and the hunters sprang into action. They pounced on Elias like a pack of wolves desperate for a long denied meal. Nazerel watched the attack with dispassionate amusement, obviously more interested in Roxie than Elias.

  “Don’t hurt him,” Sevrin shouted, but the men didn’t seem to notice.

  “Enough!” Nazerel’s order was immediately obeyed. The hunters released Elias as if he’d been electrified, leaving him panting and bloodied on the floor. Elias climbed back to his feet and wiped his split lip on the back of his hand. Rather than address the human, Nazerel looked at Flynn with obvious scorn. “You didn’t notice you had another passenger?”

  “I noticed. There was just nothing I could do about it. They’re tied together by some sort of link.” Flynn moved to Sevrin’s side, ignoring everyone else. “We’re going to have to take him with us. I can’t sever the bond.”

  “Let me try.” Nazerel took a step toward Roxie and instantly Elias stood in front of her. Already bruises were forming on his shoulders and back, but he was ready for more punishment, ready to risk any danger, in an effort to protect her. Though foolish, his determination was humbling and sweet. “I can end your life without touching you, human. Now move aside.”

  “Leave him alone,” Sevrin snapped. “We don’t have time for this.”

  “It will just take a minute.” Nazerel reached for Elias.

  Rather than recoil, Elias lunged, driving Nazerel back a step. Then Elias whipped the suppression collar out of his pocket and snapped it against the side of Nazerel’s neck. The band unwound, neatly coiling around Nazerel’s throat until the ends connected with a foreboding click.

  “What the fuck is this thing?” Nazerel tugged at the offending band as his gaze murdered Elias.

  “Oh dear.” The humor in Sevrin’s tone brought Nazerel whirling toward her.

  “This isn’t funny!”

  “I disagree, but we don’t have time to argue the point.”

  “Get it off me.” He clawed at the band, leaving welts on his own flesh. “Now!”

  With an exasperated sigh, Sevrin motioned Flynn toward Roxie. “Start breaking her fingers until the human releases the collar.”

  Elias shielded her again, arms outstretched. “I’m not the owner and neither is Roxie. We can’t unlock it.”

  “Then who can?” Nazerel shouted, calming enough to resume his tug-of-war with the band.

  “Quite a conundrum,” Sevrin muttered. “Unfortunately, I don’t have time to explore it right now. Come.” She motioned toward Elias and Roxie.

  “They aren’t leaving until I find out who can take this thing off me.” Nazerel blocked their path to the front door.

  “Nazerel, we’ve got company,” one of his men cautioned.

  “Shit!” He spun on his heel and rushed to the front window where his man had spotted the possible intruders. “Two cargo vans and an SUV. Yeah, that’s subtle.”

  Sevrin’s semi-amused expression faded and she looked at Flynn. “You said she wasn’t bugged. How the hell did they find us so fast?”

  “I have no idea.” He motioned toward Elias. “He must have signaled them somehow. I haven’t scanned him.”

  “Scan him now!” Her agitated gaze shifted from Elias to Roxie and back as she waited for Flynn’s diagnosis. “Well?”

  “Nothing,” he insisted. “They’re both clean.”

  “Then how do you explain our visitors?” Nazerel challenged.

  “Persistent recon,” Flynn shot back. “They’ve been shadowing you for months.”

  “And there’s a lot more than six people out there,” Nazerel snarled, then he glared at Sevrin. “Why didn’t you warn us that Lor had sent for reinforcements?”

  “I don’t think he has,” Sevrin insisted. “I think he hired some locals somewhere along the way.” She motioned toward Elias. “Case in point. He might be screwing Roxie, but he’s obviously military.”

  “I’m not concerned with humans, military or otherwise,” Nazerel sneered. Even collared and surrounded by a larger force, he was impossibly arrogant.

  “Glad to hear it. Distract them and make damn sure I’m not followed.” Sevrin grasped Roxie’s arm and headed across the room, Elias close behind.

  Flynn started to follow Sevrin, but Nazerel fisted the back of his shirt. “We’re about to defend our home. Are you a member of Team South or not?”

  Jerking his shirt out of Nazerel’s grasp, Flynn glanced at Sevrin then said, “I am.”

  “Good. Grab a weapon.”

  Sevrin took Roxie through the house and out a side door. Two of the men joined them as Sevrin hurried along the side of the house. Roxie didn’t think they were Shadow Assassins, more like Sevrin’s guards. They’d stood apart from the hunters, a group unto themselves.

  “Where are you taking us? What’s this about?” Roxie felt obligated to ask. A complete lack of interest would have seemed strange.

  “You’ll find out soon enough.”

  “I didn’t tell them anything. Why did you send Flynn after me?”

  Sevrin ignored her questions until they reached a dark SUV, not unlike the one waiting to confront the hunters. She pulled open the side door and motioned toward the interior. “Get in. Boys in the way back.” She held Roxie out of the way as one of her men urged Elias into the third-row seat and then climbed in behind him. “Now you.”

  Reluctantly, Roxie climbed in and sat on the bench seat in the middle of the SUV. Sevrin’s other guard rounded the front of the vehicle and slipped in behind the steering wheel. Then Sevrin joined Roxie on the middle seat. Sevrin pulled the door closed and motioned for the driver to get moving.

  The front door to the team house opened and five of the hunters filed out. They were little more than silhouettes in the surrounding darkness, so Roxie wasn’t sure if Nazerel or Flynn was among them. She half expected gunfire or pulse blasts to follow, but they simply positioned themselves around the unwanted vehicles and made it impossible for them to move.

  Roxie had no way of knowing if the confrontation turned physical. The SUV she was in turned a corner and she could no longer see what was going on in front of the Team South house.

  “What do you want with me,” Roxie tried again. If she weren’t fully aware of what was going on behind the scenes, she would be terrified right now. Of course, knowing that Sevrin wouldn’t kill her, but intended to barter her to a Rodyte warrior was only slightly less traumatizing.

  Before Sevrin could respond, Elias grasped the arm of the man guarding him. “What is that?”

  The sharp question drew Roxie’s attention to the object in the guard’s hand. It was a long, slender cylinder, and he had his thumb angled over one end, likely covering some sort of trigger. The guard twisted, Elias countered, and the wrestling match was on. Elias punched the man squarely in the face, but the guard remained focused on his task. Ignoring Elias’ violent struggles, the guard forced his hand close enough to Elias’ body to use whatever was in his hand. Roxie heard a soft click and Elias gasped, jerking back violently.

  “What the hell was in that thing?” He shoved the guard away with both hands and one of his feet. The man slammed into the opposite wall of the SUV.

  “It’s just a sedative,” Sevrin told him. “It was meant for Flynn, but it shouldn’t hurt you. Relax. If you fight it, you’ll throw up and then go under anyway.” Sevrin turned back to Roxie, her gaze gleaming in the shadowy interior of the SUV. “Care to explain how your online lover, who supposedly knows nothing about any of this, came to be linked to you by a Mystic bond?”

  “They were afraid you’d come back for me.” Roxie smirked at her. “Can’t imagine why.”

  “But why saddle you with a human?”

  “They’re running short of Mystics right now.” Elias was a
lready starting to sound drugged. He blinked repeatedly and still couldn’t keep his eyelids from drooping. “Send sex-starved Mystics to guard human females and they have a way of ending up with mates.”

  Sevrin looked out the window without outwardly reacting to his statements. They’d left the subdivision while Roxie was watching Elias struggle with the guard, but she had no idea which direction they traveled. They were on a well-maintained two-lane street. There were no sidewalks or traffic signals, so it was likely a lesser-used state highway.

  “Any hint of a tail?” Sevrin looked at the guard beside Elias.

  “No, mistress. All’s clear as far as I can see.”

  Roxie glanced around again. The guard was right. They had the road to themselves. When Roxie shifted her gaze back to Sevrin she was holding an injector like the guard had used on Elias.

  “Your turn.”

  There was no point in resisting. The sooner they arrived at Sevrin’s secret lab, the sooner this nightmare would be over. Roxie braced for the sting then waited silently for oblivion to overtake her.

  * * * * *

  “I don’t like this,” Sevrin muttered as Roxie slumped against the window. “See if anyone will answer the radio. I need an update before we head home.”

  The driver picked up the two-way radio that had been nestled in one of the cup holders. “TSH come in. This is mobile 3 requesting an update.”

  “Little busy right now,” someone said with obvious impatience. The microphone picked up shouts and muffled crashes along with the hunter’s voice.

  Sevrin leaned forward and snatched the radio out of the driver’s hand. “How many Mystics are at your location?” She was usually careful not to say anything over the radio that might draw unwanted attention, but she was too anxious right now to worry about codenames.

  “All of them,” the speaker snapped.

  “Give me a number.”