Across the fire from her, Drago’s features grew harder, craggier in the firelight. “It’s the desert.”
She snorted. He’d been ill-tempered ever since they’d made love at the pool. With every terse response, her heart sank further. At this rate, she’d never convince him to release her. “Geez, you’re grumpy. What did I do earn this?”
Drago’s jaw tensed. “Why should I believe you aren’t like every other woman on this planet?”
Calandra’s gaze swung to his face. Was he reconsidering? “Because it’s true. I don’t want to be taken care of.” She raised her chin. “I can look after myself.”
If anything, Drago’s dark gaze hardened. “We’ll be leaving at midnight. You’d better get some rest.”
She exhaled. Don’t push him now—he’s wavering! “Yeah, can’t have me looking like a hag at the auction, can we? Might lose your commission.” She sounded like a bitch, but her frustration was winning the war over her emotions.
Drago raised the wine bag to his lips and squirted red liquid into his mouth.
Calandra licked her lips. He’d taste heavenly just about now.
He lowered the bag. “What were you incarcerated for?”
The question startled her. Calandra rarely allowed herself to travel that painful road. “Manslaughter,” she replied curtly, hoping he’d take the hint and drop the subject.
“Tell me about it.” Apparently, he wasn’t very intuitive.
“Is this something you need for your report?”
His dark gaze didn’t waver from her face. “No. I’m just curious how a woman like you could wind up in a badass place like the New Attica. It’s a maximum security ship.”
“A woman like me?”
“Yes. You’re soft and womanly. Built for loving and bearing children. You don’t seem tough enough to make it in a place like that.”
Her heart twisted. Once upon a time, she’d wanted those “womanly” things for herself. “I’m plenty tough. I was a guard in the prison—selected because I could whip most of the convicts’ asses.”
His knowing glance told her he was thinking how easily he’d overpowered her.
She narrowed her eyes in warning. “You got lucky.”
“Poor Calandra. The place must have done a number on you.”
Unable to meet his stare, she glanced away. “You’re wrong. I did a number on myself.”
“So what happened?”
Calandra blinked at the moisture that flooded her eyes. She’d run from those memories for too long. “I was driving. Had a little too much to drink. I lost control of my hovercar.”
“You hit someone?”
She shook her head. “No. My sister was in the car, sitting beside me. When I hit the tree, she went thought the windshield. I couldn’t get out to help her.” Calandra sniffed, and then cleared her throat. “They told me she died on impact. God, I hope so.”
She hadn’t heard him move, but suddenly he was beside her, his arms wrapping around her. Calandra resisted the urge to melt within his embrace. She didn’t deserve his comfort.
“Still, it seems rather harsh…” The hair at her temples stirred with each word. “…them sending you to that particular prison.”
Calandra’s breath caught on a sob. “They were making an example of me. And I didn’t fight it.”
“Your family didn’t fight for you?”
“She was all the family I had.” The dam burst and tears streaked down her face.
Drago pressed her head into the curve of his neck.
Greedy for the stolen comfort, Calandra relaxed within the circle of his arms. As she wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand, she asked, “What about you? How did you come to Arturia? You’re from Earth too, aren’t you?”
“Yes, but that was a long time ago. Funny as it may sound, I was a Dominion soldier.”
Startled, she pulled away to look into his face. “You’re kidding, right? The corps motto is ‘once a soldier always a soldier’.”
“That’s usually the way it works.”
“What happened to you?”
His arms fell away from her. “It didn’t work for me.” And his tone told her he didn’t want to talk about it anymore.
With questions swirling in her mind, Calandra decided to press. Something in his past shaped his opinion of women, maybe this was it. “Look, it’s not fair. I got all naked.”
His brows rose.
“Well, I told you my story. It’s only right you should share yours.”
Not looking the least bit pleased, he blew out a gust of air and glared at her. “Like I said, I was a soldier. I’d reached the rank of Over-sergeant in the Insurgents Corps.”
Calandra stiffened. Insurgent teams had a wicked reputation for their no-nonsense, often violent, enforcement of Dominion policies.
Drago’s mouth curved in a mirthless smile. “Yeah. I was one of them, and damn good at my job. I was trained in guerilla and urban tactics and had several campaigns under my belt. I had my own team.”
His gaze left her face and he stared at the fire, his brows drawing together in a frown. “We had a mission to clean out a group of radical anarchists from a planet the Dominion wanted to transform into a mining cooperative. Several dignitaries from the mining consortium were with us aboard the ship. A chance for Dominion Enforcement to prove to them how well we could secure a world.
“Our intelligence indicated that there was a single, enclave. From our recon photos we put together a battle plan. It was pretty routine—a sweep to capture anarchists. We had orders to kill if they resisted.
“On the ground, we soon discovered the anarchists were nothing more than a farming community—with a communal house and outbuildings—and a school.
“We investigated using stealth tactics. The people hadn’t a clue we were watching. I transmitted our findings to my commander still aboard the ship and requested permission to make contact. I expected our mission would relocate the civilians.” His jaw tightened and anger flushed his cheeks.
Calandra knew what was coming and the dread knotted her stomach. His remorse lay heavy in his voice and the slump of his shoulders, but she waited silently for him to resume the telling, knowing instinctively that he needed to lay the wound bare before he could heal.
“The order was given to eradicate the squatters.” His gaze rose to hers. “I had trained to be a soldier since I was a boy—was conditioned to accept orders without question. But that day, I refused. Before I knew it, another team was on the ground.” His words grew clipped. “I was arrested. The mission was completed. And I was charged with treason.”
“Treason is punishable with death,” she said, gently encouraging him to continue. “How did you escape punishment?”
“Word got out among the Corps. I still had friends. It was suggested to the court that my death would provide a martyr to future enemies of the Dominion. In the end, they stripped me of Dominion citizenship and released me on Arturia—as far from Earth as they could manage—without anything I’d worked to accumulate over the years.”
That explained his single-minded drive to turn a profit—but she still didn’t understand what had shaped his opinion of women.
“Drago, for what it’s worth from an ex-con,” she said, knowing her sympathy shone from her eyes and that he didn’ want it, “you did the right thing.”
He snorted. “Yeah.”
Knowing she’d pressed as far as she would get for the evening, Calandra rose. “I guess we should turn in.”
“Your bed’s already prepared. You go ahead.”
“You’re not joining me?” Her heart skipped a beat. Tonight was her last night to make him change his mind.
“I wouldn’t sleep.”
“Who said anything about sleeping?” Going for broke, she turned on her heels and walked toward the tent, exaggerating the sway of her hips.
When she reached the canvas lean-to, she looked over her shoulder. He hadn’t moved. She bit her lip, and
then glanced toward the tent where Kaspar and Gilbert slept. “Guess I’ll have to look for company elsewhere.”
Drago’s gaze narrowed and he rose to his feet. As he stomped toward her, Calandra felt a frisson of alarm and thought perhaps she’d gone too far. She’d goaded a wounded bear.
When he was almost upon her, she ducked beneath the flap of the tent. He followed, stalking her until her back met the canvas at the far side of the tent.
“I was kidding, all right?”
Drago’s hard-eyed gaze swept over her. “You’d better not be wearing that damned reclamation suit.”
She didn’t move, but the hard edge of his voice produced a thrill that shook her to the core, producing a trickle of come that slithered down her thighs. He’s mine now! “I’m not wearing a thing.”
“Take the robe off,” he said, his voice roughening to a growl.
Her nipples tightened instantly.
“Now!”
Calandra untied the knot at the neck of her kahfet, then inched the fabric up her legs. Her gaze darted to his face. How far do I push before he explodes? Oh, and how she wanted his explosive fire.
His nostrils flared and she wondered if he could smell her arousal.
She gathered more of the material and pulled it up to her waist, exposing the triangle of hair at the apex of her thighs. She pressed her legs together and wriggled as she lifted the kahfet to her breasts.
Hot color stained his cheeks, and his chest rose and fell rapidly. “Woman!”
That was all the warning she got, before his hands grasped her bare hips and pulled her toward the cradle of his thighs. His erection, still clothed in his breeches, pressed against her belly.
Instinctively her hips curled to fit her mound more tightly against his cock. Her nipples scraped the kahfet, and she wriggled to pull it over her head, but the fabric tangled with her arms. She was blinded and bound. “Help me!”
Drago’s belly pulsed with his laughter. “I don’t think so, you’re at my mercy now.”
“Oooh!” She fought, but the kahfet twisted more tightly around her arms. “Let me touch you! Free me!”
Instead, his shoulder butted against her belly and she was lifted off her feet. She kicked, but he swatted her bare bottom. “None of that now. You don’t want to maim me. Not when you’re about to get what you asked for.”
“Who says I don’t want to maim? Let me loose! Ah—”
He flipped her and she landed on a layer of blankets. Breathless, she twisted her legs to roll off the bed, not ready to let him win the game. But he was quicker than she, and his hands grasped her ankles.
Panting and helpless now, she waited for his next move. She gasped when warmliquid spilled onto her belly, and she recognized the aroma of the wine they’d shared at dinner. His hands pushed her legs apart, and the narrow pallet dipped between them. Then his warm, raspy tongue lapped at the wine, causing her abdomen to quiver.
She didn’t wait for him to urge her to raise her knees. Up they rose, and then splayed wide—an invitation he couldn’t miss.
His hands skimmed beneath her buttocks to raise them. He was right where she’d wanted him all along.
A gust of warm breath blew over her pussy, opened wide for his assault. Instead of his tongue, his nose, cheeks, and chin rubbed around her cunt, his two-day old beard scraping deliciously across her tender flesh.
She squirmed trying to lure him to her aching clit. “Your sense of direction is abysmal.”
“And you’ve the patience of a gnat.” His tongue speared into her vagina.
“Ooh! That’s better.”
“That was just an appetizer.” His tongue stabbed next at her belly button, then licked upward to the underside of her breasts, his torso resting heavily between her legs.
Disappointed he’d decided to tease her, she nonetheless arched her back, hoping to lure him to an achingly turgid nipple. “You’re missing the point.”
He bit underside of the mound. “You’re not in charge this time.”
“You’re a very nasty man.”
“Baby, you don’t know the half of it.” Finally, his mouth latched onto a nipple, and he suctioned, drawing the tip between his teeth to torture it.
A red-hot flame of desire shot from her breast to her groin. “The other one’s feeling neglected.”
He released her nipple. “Like I said before, you aren’t in charge.” Suddenly his weight lifted from her.
“No. Don’t stop.” Calandra’s hips rose to follow him, but his hands were on her ankles again. “Don’t you dare start over.”
“Don’t give me any ideas.”
She wished she could see his face. “Are you teaching me a lesson?”
“Are you learning anything?”
“I don’t know, but if I’m quiet will you fuck me?”
“Give the girl a star.”
Calandra bit her lip and waited.
His hands guided her ankles up until they met the top of his hard shoulders. Then they smoothed down her legs and circled beneath her buttocks, lifting them into the air. Calandra waited, anticipating the thrust of his cock into her already drenched pussy. She pressed her lips tightly together to suppress the scream that was rising to the back of her throat.
“Good girl,” Drago said, his voice soft and soothing. But still he didn’t enter her. Instead, his hands squeezed her buttocks.
Sweat broke on her forehead and chest, but still she held her tongue while silently swearing at the bastard. This had better be worth the wait or you’ll be sorry!
The smooth broad head of his cock butted against her cunt, then withdrew.
Calandra shook her head. The sorry son-of-a-bitch!
His cock poked at her again, sinking an inch inside her before pulling free. “Baby, you’re so wet. Aching for it, are you?”
No fucking kidding! Her shoulders writhed and she felt the fabric loosen.
Another dive into her cunt, and this time he circled his hips. Her pussy made a sucking sound when he pulled out.
Her hands sought the hem of the kahfet and she started to pull it upwards past her mouth, her nose, then and her eyes. Her gaze found him, but he was staring at her pussy as if it held the secrets to the universe. Then he lunged forward, sheathing himself to the hilt inside her.
Calandra screamed, and his eyes rose to her face. Her arms were still entangled, but she no longer cared. He withdrew and rammed into her again. She unclasped her ankles from where they had risen to clutch the back of his neck, and let them fall open, her legs straight, her toes pointed, giving him her trust and full access to the cradle of her sex.
Drago’s hands held her in place as he pumped his hips, grinding into her at the end of each thrust. So deep inside her she swore she’d be able to taste his come at the back of her throat.
He pistoned, faster and faster, until Calandra forgot the ban against making noise and whimpered with each stroke. “Oooh! I’m close! I’m gonna come!”
Drago’s features hardened, reddening with his approaching orgasm. His mouth stretched into a grimace. “I’m there! Come with me!”
A strangled scream tore from her throat as the first wave broke. Distantly, she heard his shout, but the pounding continued as her vagina convulsed and squeezed, until the pulsing rhythm slowed. Drago’s hips stroked inward one last time before coming to rest inside her.
She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him toward her until he lay across her, his chest heaving. A last tug at the fabric and her hands were free. She rubbed them in circles on his back offering comfort after the storm.
As his breath evened, Calandra relaxed as well. In only two nights and one day, she’d managed to fall irrevocably in love with the man. Her dream of making it making it on her own in New Australia didn’t seem as urgent or fulfilling now.
Neither was her old fear as compelling. If a woman had a man like Drago, self-reliant and strong, she needn’t worry about him depending on her. If she screwed up again, she wouldn’t hurt
him.
But how would she make him see they belonged together.
Chapter Five
‡
“So, are you gonna talk now?” Mary leaned as close to the yellow-toothed man as she could stand. His breath reeked of sour ale and poor dental hygiene.
“I told you, I don’t know nothin’.” In the meager light of the Arturian moons, his wild gaze sought an escape from his current predicament—tied to a drainpipe in a deserted alley—and buck-naked.
But in this part of Aghora, no one would come to his rescue, no matter how loud he screamed.
Mary squeezed her hand, tightening her grip around his bared balls. “Are you real sure about that?”
“Perhaps a more refined approach will achieve our goals, love,” Darak said dryly.
Mary grunted in disgust, not bothering to look back at her lover. So far Darak hadn’t been any help. “You really think I should go easy with this maggot on humanity?” She squeezed much harder now and smiled. The smelly man squealed with pain. She tried not to think about how hard she’d have to scrub her hands after touching his sweaty nads.
Luring him away from his table at the Pirate’s Cove had been disgustingly simple. One flirty glance and a come-hither crook of her finger, and she bet he’d almost come in his breeches. As soon as they’d entered the alley, he’d dropped trou in under a second flat, ready to give her what he thought she wanted. Too bad getting him to answer a few simple questions hadn’t been as easy.
She released his balls and straightened, her smile disappearing. “Enough with trying to be nice. Darak, hand me the electro-stun.”
Darak’s muffled laughter told Mary he was enjoying this a little too much. She shot him a searing glance and held out her hand.
With the lift of one eyebrow, Darak surrendered his weapon. Silently he asked with his eyes, Do you really want to take it this far?
Mary’s lips thinned with determination. Her friend’s life was a stake—she’d take this fight to the edge of the known universe.
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