Star-Crossed

by Cyndi Friberg

  Easing away, he framed her face between his palms and kissed each feature in turn. “Open your mouth.” She didn’t hesitate and he explored every silken recess as she shared his breath. Her tongue ventured beyond his lips and he sucked it deeply into his mouth, savoring her soft whimpers and muffled cries. Long moments passed as they kissed. He fought the urge to press against her, to wrap her legs around his waist and bury himself to the hilt.

  He stepped back, separating their bodies. She protested with a throaty moan. “Move your legs apart. I want to touch you.” The water sloshed as she adjusted her stance, making room for his hand between her thighs. He bent toward one breast as he cupped her mound. His lips closed around her nipple and his middle finger parted her folds. The water was warm. Her body was hot, slick, silky -- hot!

  She canted her hips, making it easier for his questing fingers to locate her sensual triggers. The years rolled away. He remembered the feel of her nipple pebbled against his tongue. His heart leapt, then dived into his stomach when he found her opening. He slowly pushed two fingers into her snug passage. There, he wanted to be deep inside her.

  “Please,” she gasped, “I need you too badly to wait.”

  Her plaintive tone nearly pushed him over the edge. He raised his face and met her passion darkened gaze. “Then, don’t wait. Come for me. Right now.” He slid his fingers in and out, rubbing her clit with his thumb at the apex of each stroke. She tossed her head and arched her back, drawing him deeper. Her inner muscles fluttered. He firmly circled her clit, savoring each ripple as it signaled her release.

  Dro Tar clutched the edge of the spa as Evan slowly withdrew his fingers. She felt weightless, yet hollow. His clever fingers would never be an adequate substitute for what she really wanted. Orgasms were delightful, she’d never pass one up, but she craved the press of his body over hers and his fullness deep inside her.

  He lifted her to the deck surrounding the oversized tub. Her bottom connected with the cool tiles and she started violently. “That’s cold.”

  “I’ll warm you up.” He pushed her legs up and back, bending her knees and spreading her thighs.

  “There’s a perfectly good bedroom right through there.” She tried to keep the quiver from her voice and failed. She needed him thrusting into her hard and fast, not --

  “I’ll fill you when I’m ready and not before.” He caught both her nipples and squeezed. Pleasure spiked into pain and she gasped. “Do you understand?” His harsh tone fanned the embers of her desire. Why did her body burn when he commanded her? If it were anyone else, she’d kick their ass. Maintaining a firm pressure with one hand, he traced her slit with the other. “Say ‘I understand.’” He took her clit between his thumb and forefinger, his intention obvious.

  “I understand.”

  “Good.” He rewarded her with a gentle caress and released her aching nipple. “Now, I want to taste you, but you will wait until I’m inside you to come.”

  She whimpered. Just the thought of his mouth on her made her core clench and her clit throb. How in the world would she stave off an orgasm? Kneeling in the water, he slipped his hands under her bottom and raised her toward his face. She heard his deep inhalation and trembled. He was like a wild animal scenting his mate. Elemental. Inevitable.

  His tongue touched her clit, flicking over the ultrasensitive bud before descending to explore her folds. He lifted her further, covering her entire mound with his open mouth. Over and over, he licked, darted and nibbled, until she squirmed against him. An orgasm hovered just out of reach, while she arched into his tantalizing caress.

  “Please.” Her legs shook and her arms trembled. Lights danced before her eyes. He stood suddenly, hooking her legs over his arms and filling her completely with one forceful thrust. She cried out, the unexpected penetration triggering her orgasm. Wave after scalding wave crashed down upon her. She ground herself against him until the last spasm passed.

  With a soft chuckle he pulled back, nearly out of her. “I guess that is all I required.” He drove forward. His balls pressed against her behind. “I am inside you, aren’t I?” She tightened her inner muscles in silent agreement, too overwhelmed to speak. Full, complete, she bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out. She had needed him for so long. “Wrap your legs around me.” His voice broke with tension and emotion, revealing the depth of his response.

  She locked her legs around his waist and he scooped her up against his chest, climbing out of the spa. Each movement drove his shaft deeper, accented the fabulous pressure. She clutched his back with her arms and legs, clinging to him as he crossed the room.

  He placed her sideways across the bed and knelt between her thighs, somehow managing to remain inside her. His mouth found hers as he drew his hips back, then his tongue surged past her lips with his next inward stroke. She unhooked her ankles and drew her legs up high against his sides, allowing him a greater range of motion. Interlacing their fingers, he pressed her hands to the bed and aggressively renewed his claim.

  Each forceful thrust rocked her, sending sensations ricocheting out of control. She returned his demanding kiss, intrigued by the taste of her own passion. Why had she been so stubborn? Why had they waited so long? She caressed his shaft with firm rhythmic squeezes and saturated his mind with affection.

  His fingers tightened around hers and his hips sped. She arched and twisted as the intensity soared.

  “Now!” He commanded against her parted lips and her body immediately obeyed. The distinct pulsations of her passage echoed his shuddering release. They trembled and moaned, lost in the sensual storm.

  Chapter Nine

  After a relaxing shower, they dressed in matching bathrobes and returned to the suite’s main room. Evan brushed his lips over hers, then focused on the journal entries. Dro Tar sat in one of the upholstered chairs watching him work. Echoes of their passion reverberated through her senses. Every touch, every fiery kiss was emblazoned on her mind. There was something magical about their lovemaking, almost indefinable. Raw power and tenderness, overwhelming pleasure and subtle intimacy, somehow she felt all that and more.

  A dreamy smile curved the corners of her mouth as she studied Evan’s profile. There had to be something she could do to help. Passivity was not in her nature.

  “Why don’t you turn on the television,” he suggested without looking up from the small screen. He must have sensed her surge of restlessness. “I can tune out the sound.”

  “Even if I turn on an adult movie?”

  He chuckled, but his gaze remained fixed on the journal.

  “I’m starving.” She crossed her legs and wiggled back into the chair’s deep cushions. “Mind blowing sex might charge your batteries, but it makes me hungry.”

  “Have something delivered to the room.” He glanced up, his expression suddenly fierce. “You’re not going anywhere without me.”

  Her initial spike of annoyance melted beneath the smoldering protectiveness in his gaze. They were going to have to lay down some ground rules. She’d been independent for a very long time. “I thought you said you’d sense it if we have visitors.”

  “I’ll sense any Mystic that enters the city, but Ontarians aren’t the only race capable of inter-dimensional travel.” He made a bland gesture toward the table. “If you let me concentrate for a little while, we’ll go downstairs and purchase something for you to eat.”

  His unintentional innuendo sent heat curling through her body. She pictured herself on her knees between his wide spread thighs as he thrust into her mouth. “Maybe what I want to eat is sitting right over there.”

  “Am I going to have to bind you to that chair and gag you?” Though he threw his hands up in exasperation, his tone was playful.

  “The binding part could be fun, but gagging me would be a tragic waste of a willing mouth.”

  “Come here.”

  Her nipples tingled and she licked her lips, the heat settling between her thighs. “I thought you’d never ask.” She stood and cro
ssed the room. Her bathrobe gaped, revealing the upper swell of her breasts.

  He pulled her onto his lap and paused for a slow, deep kiss. “If you help me figure this out you can have my undivided attention.” With one arm wrapped loosely around her waist, he motioned toward the display. “You were with Vee during his two most recent visits to Earth. Did anything happen on either of those missions that wasn’t reported to the Joint Council?”

  Surrendering to his single-mindedness, she thought back over the missions. “Vee was hurt badly the first time around. I don’t think he ever made it off Trey’s ship.”

  “And the second?” A firm rap on the door postponed her answer. She scrambled off his lap and headed for the closet, while he stood and adjusted his bathrobe.

  “I didn’t order room service. Wait until I get my pistol.”

  He smiled and cocked one eyebrow. “Do you always shoot uninvited guests?” Crossing to the door, he gazed through the peephole and said in English, “May I help you?”

  She moved up behind him as the intruder explained, “We had a call from the people occupying the room directly below yours. Water is leaking through the ceiling. I need to check your amenities.”

  “One moment.” Evan turned to her and switched back to Ontarian. “He’s alone and wearing a uniform. We were rather -- careless in the spa.”

  Tucking her weapon into the pocket of her bathrobe, she hesitated another moment. “Something isn’t right. He said amenities. What sort of maintenance worker checks amenities?”

  “Shall I send him away?”

  She grinned. “I’d rather shoot him.”

  Evan unlocked the door and allowed the employee into the room.

  “I am sorry about the interruption.” He tugged on the bill of his baseball cap as he passed Dro Tar. There was nothing suspicious about his manner or dress, but she watched him closely, her instincts refusing to quiet. He knelt at one end of the spa and set his took kit beside him. “I will finish as quickly as possible.” He spoke with precise care as if he were choosing each individual word. After sliding the small access panel to the side, he reached for his tool kit.

  His features subtly fluctuated, confirming her suspicion. He was wearing a holomask. She charged the intruder, kicking him squarely in the chest and shoving his tool kit out of reach. The man rolled and sprang to his feet as she landed hard on her hip.

  Evan grabbed him from behind. The intruder neatly flipped Evan over his shoulder and lunged for his tool kit again. Dro Tar dove, grasping one of the man’s ankles before he could escape. Evan dragged the imposter to his knees and slung him into the chair Dro Tar had occupied a short time before. A hazy film materialized, covering the man from neck to knees, immobilizing him.

  Rubbing her bruised hip, Dro Tar moved behind the chair and deactivated the holomask. The image flickered, then dissolved, revealing Grat Farlay’s face. A silver band encircled his head and a small projector hung from the strap around his neck.

  “I don’t believe this.” She sneered. Anger kicked through the momentary shock and she rounded the chair. “You son of a bitch.”

  “Who is he?” Evan stepped up beside her.

  “My soon-to-be ex-partner.” She kicked the chair, jarring Grat’s head backward. “I suppose beating you senseless would be pointless, but it would sure as hell make me feel better. I thought you were retired. How did the Mystics find you?”

  “They followed Tal to you.” His eyes blazed with defiance despite his helplessness. “They have a hunter tracking Gine. What was I supposed to do?”

  His unrepentant tone only infuriated her more. Grat was the closest thing to a brother that she had ever had. Knowing he had betrayed her to protect his real family was small consolation. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Evan. “He couldn’t have gotten here without a Mystic. Why didn’t your alarm go off?”

  “I don’t know.” His gaze narrowed and Grat began to squirm. “The web will constrict until I disperse it, so I suggest you answer quickly. Who sent you?”

  “You know damn well who sent me. Why does Malos want you dead bad enough to threaten my brother?” Grat countered.

  Evan made no perceptible movement, but the web stabilized. “How did you find me?”

  “That’s what I do.” Grat sounded more annoyed than frightened.

  Dro Tar opened his tool kit and snorted. “He’s got all sorts of goodies in here, Mystic energy scanner, audio magnifier, thermo-sensors, and a variety of weapons.”

  “What were your exact objectives?” Evan asked.

  Grat glared at him. “Locate my wayward partner, retrieve the journal, and dispose of you.”

  Turning from the tool kit, she headed back toward Evan. Grat jerked his head to the side and bit down hard on a small object in his mouth. Recognition popped right along with the capsule. Dro Tar dove, knocking Grat, chair and all, over onto his side. She scuttled backward like a crab, avoiding the poisonous cloud Grat exhaled.

  Evan leapt over the toppled chair and formed a protective shield around them. “Will the vapor kill him?” he asked as Grat began to cough.

  “Unfortunately not. You inject yourself with an antitoxin before you use one of the capsules.”

  “Gine ... I must ...” His voice was barely understandable, and tears flowed freely from his rapidly swelling eyes. “... signal within three days.”

  Despite her anger, fear gave her heart a mighty squeeze. “Something’s wrong. The puff shouldn’t have harmed him.”

  “I can’t disperse the shield until the vapor settles.”

  “And I can’t stand here and watch him die.”

  Evan hesitated for a moment. The creature writhing on the carpet didn’t deserve Dro Tar’s pity. “I’ll see what I can do.” He stepped through the shield and heard a yelp as she attempted to follow. Drawing energy into his center with singular concentration, he sent a cleansing pulse across the room. He inhaled hesitantly, scanning the air as it passed over his olfactory receptors.

  “I’m not amused,” Dro Tar grumbled. “Let me out.”

  Satisfied that the vapor was neutralized, he dissolved the shield surrounding her and she rushed to his side. He released Grat from the webbing and studied his ashen face. The man’s breathing was shallow and fast, his lips turning blue.

  “Why didn’t you take the antitoxin?” She knelt beside her business partner, anger and compassion equally apparent in her expressive eyes.

  “Didn’t think it’d come to this.” His chest rattled and he moaned. “With me gone ... no reason to hurt Gine.”

  Evan wasn’t convinced, but Dro Tar’s attention was focused entirely on Grat.

  “You stupid jerk. Why didn’t you ...” She took his hand and tears escaped with the sweep of her long lashes. His final breath released in a sustained sigh. She reached over and closed his eyes, shaking her head in silent denial. Evan stood behind her, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders. “If he’d really wanted to kill you, you’d be dead. He was just going through the motions.”

  He tried to find comfort in her assurance, but Grat’s determination had certainly seemed real. “We’ll make sure his brother is protected.”

  She pushed to her feet and turned to face him. “Malos is going to pay. He’s going to pay for trying to hurt you and he’s going to pay for using Grat as his weapon. We have to figure out what he’s trying to hide.”

  “I think our holiday will have to wait.” He wiped her tears away with his thumbs, then caressed her cheek with the back of his knuckles. “We need to speak with Lord Drakkin.”

  “I agree. As soon as Malos realizes Grat failed, he’ll send someone more committed to the task.” She nodded toward the bedroom and the utility room beyond. “I’m going to go wash my face and get dressed. Can Grat be gone when I get back?”

  “I’ll take care of it.”

  As soon as she closed the door, he sent a dispersal pulse into Grat’s body. The corpse exploded in a burst of ash. Evan trapped the particles with dispa
ssionate precision and disposed of the entire mass with a powerful cleansing pulse. Dro Tar obviously had feelings for this male, but Evan knew him only as an assassin.

  He gathered his clothing and went into the bedroom. After donning the rumpled garments, he began collecting their belongings.

  Dro Tar rushed out of the utility room still pulling on her shirt. “Sat! Vee said he could eliminate sat from his vocabulary.”

  “Does that have some significance?”

  “It’s a military code word. Why would Vee use a military code word?”

  “It’s not an abbreviation for satisfactory?”

  “It can be, but it’s also used to indicate that a message is being transmitted under duress.” Her cheeks glowed with a rosy flush as she looked around the room with obvious excitement. “Where is the blasted thing?”

  He pulled the journal from his pocket and activated the display. Finding the last entry, he read, “After tomorrow, I will be able to erase sat from my vocabulary. Such a simple change, yet the ramifications will be staggering.”

  “Right after that, he talked about sending a message to Drakkin. It must have distracted me before. This has to be it. Search for the word sat.”

  Evan motioned toward the closet. “Continue packing while I run the search. I want to leave for Bilarri immediately.”

  “Are there other entries?” She dragged her suitcase out of the closet and tossed it on the bed.

  “There are seven, all addressed to Lord Drakkin.”

  “What do they say?”

  “It’s none of your business, if they’re addressed to me.” Lord Drakkin instantaneously materialized. No crack of thunder, no flash of light, he just appeared.

  Evan’s heart missed a beat and he inclined his head. The stealth with which the Bilarrian could teleport had always fascinated him. “Sir.”

  “Were your ears ringing or what?” Dro Tar asked. “We were about to come see you.”

  Raising his head, Evan watched Lord Drakkin’s reaction to her careless words. Mystics were taught to offer the members of the Symposium the utmost respect. Lord Drakkin tilted his head, the red ring in his eyes glowing. Did he find her nonchalance amusing or was he angry?