“Your mother hid the twins on Earth to protect them from the House of Joon. The House of Aune and the House of Joon were at the heart of the Great Conflict.”
“Sounds like Star-Crossed.”
He nodded. “The Ontarian version is far more complicated and even more tragic. Sacrifice didn’t result in peace as it did in the Shakespearian fable. When your mother was murdered, the Great Conflict escalated into civil war.”
“I’m sorry.” She didn’t know what else to say. The plot of Star-Crossed was more real to her than the Great Conflict. These people had lived and died without her ever knowing them.
“Your sister Charlotte is the current High Queen.”
“Is the House of Aune still at war with the House of Joon?”
“They have managed to secure a tenuous peace. The Joint High Council rules Ontariese now. All six of the great houses are represented on the council.”
“That’s good.” She crossed her arms over her chest, sexual awareness making her feel tense and restless. Hundreds of people stared at her every night in a costume that clearly outlined her body, yet she hadn’t felt naked until Drakkin looked at her. “At least the war has ended.”
He smiled and closed the small gap between them. “I’ve overwhelmed you and that wasn’t my intention. You’ve missed over a hundred years of your planet’s development. I shouldn’t have tried to explain it all in a day.”
“What happens now?”
“That’s largely up to you.” He brushed her cheek with the backs of his fingers. “You are not my prisoner. I’m here to teach you, to help you control your Mystic abilities.”
“I don’t have any ...” She’d heard Faujer’s dream and teleported to Earth. That amounted to Mystic abilities whether she was ready to accept it or not. “It was a fluke.”
If you say so.
“I say so.”
He chuckled and her eyes widened. “You didn’t say that out loud, did you?”
I sent my thoughts directly to your mind. Now, respond telepathically. Don’t think. Just send the first thought that comes to your mind.
Will you kiss me if I get it right? She yelped as his hands framed her face. “I didn’t mean that. I just said --”
His lips covered hers. It wasn’t really a kiss. He just silenced her with his mouth. Our lessons could be very interesting if this is your chosen means of reward. His tongue traced her bottom lip, his breath mingling with hers. I’ve wanted to taste you for days.
Days? He delved into her mouth, grazing the top of her teeth and stroking her tongue. She clutched his upper arms and curled her tongue around his, encouraging him to deepen the kiss. How long were you watching me before you appeared in my dressing room?
He broke away and stepped back, his hands lingering on her shoulders. “I shouldn’t have kissed you. If I’m to be your mentor, this is inappropriate.”
“Then, I want another mentor.” She wasn’t sure where the boldness came from. There had been few choices in her life. She’d accepted what came her way and made the best of each situation. This was different. She’d spent the past ten months with Drakkin, watching him, wanting him, longing for the passion they’d shared in her vision.
“Oh, Aria.” He sighed and wrapped his arms around her, tucking her head beneath his chin.
She savored the simple pleasure of being held by him. His arms were strong, his body warm. Nothing had ever felt so right.
“Tell me more about the day you teleported.” Deep and coaxing, his voice caressed her as tangibly as the hand stroking her back.
Heat suffused her face and a slow, melting ache erupted low in her belly. Images from the vision replayed in her mind, teasing her, arousing her. “I told you already. Why are the details important?”
He eased her to arms length, his gaze softly glowing. “I’m not sure they are, but I can’t be sure unless you explain exactly what happened. Is there some reason you don’t want me to know?”
“What happened that night was rather personal.”
“Was the vision triggered while you were having sex?”
She swallowed, then tentatively licked her lips. How could she explain what had triggered the vision without admitting her only lover had been a selfish jerk? “I was in the shower after Faujer had finished with me.”
“After he finished with you? That’s not a phrase most people would choose to describe making love or even having sex. You told me Faujer never hurt you. Did you want to have sex with him?”
Twisting out of his grasp, she crossed her arms over her chest and moved several steps away. “I thought my mother was a space pet. I grew up watching her barter her body for credits. Faujer saved me from being raped by one of her customers. He challenged the man for the right ... Space pets are expected to make themselves available to the entire crew. At least with Faujer, it was only one man.”
“You’ve never been with a man because you wanted him, because you felt an emotional connection and wanted to express --”
“No! All right? I saw Faujer as the lesser of two evils. He climbed on top of me, took his pleasure, and left me feeling dirty and used. I was in the shower that night imagining what it would be like to have a man consider my pleasure as well as his own. My fantasy took on a life of its own, and suddenly I wasn’t with Faujer.”
Who were you with? The question hung unspoken between them. She wasn’t sure if she intercepted his thought or if she read the question in his eyes.
“I know this is embarrassing,” his tone was gentle, cautious, “but I have to know. Did your fantasy -- did you have an orgasm during your fantasy?”
She raked her fingers through her hair and looked into his eyes. Why should she be embarrassed? Anyone would have responded as she did to such powerful stimuli. “Yes. I was still tingling from the orgasm when I walked back into the bedroom and heard the conversation going on inside Faujer’s head.”
“And then you teleported?” She nodded. His gaze swept her from head to toe before settling on her face. “I’d convinced myself it wasn’t possible, but there’s something you need to know. Your coloring is distinctive. The pearlescent sheen to your skin and the streaks of fire in your hair are generally found in females called the jumanna.”
“What does that mean?”
“The word means Fire Pearl and jumanna magic is unique. A Fire Pearl gathers and disperses energy during sexual acts.”
Aria laughed. “Then there’s no way I’m a jumanna. Sex for me has been anything but magical.”
“I’m sorry Faujer was a bastard, but it’s possible your gift hasn’t been fully awakened. Your first surge of Mystic power was accompanied by sexual release. When I combine that fact with your unique coloring, I’m left to wonder about the nature of your gift.”
“You want me to see if I can make it -- surge again?”
He flashed a sexy smile. “Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of seeing if we could make it surge together.”
Fantasies were one thing. Could she really ... This is what you’ve wanted since he popped into your dressing room. He didn’t react to the careless thought, so she blew out a ragged sigh. “I thought you weren’t allowed to touch me like that.”
“If you are truly a jumanna, touching you ‘like that’ is inevitable.”
His words both excited and disappointed her. “Is that the only reason you want to touch me?”
He crossed to her in two long strides and cupped her cheek with his palm. “It’s the only way I can reconcile my obligation to Vee with my feelings for you. If we discover you don’t possess this gift, I’ll locate another mentor. I don’t think I can resist touching you.”
She closed her eyes and rubbed her cheek against his hand. For almost a year, she’d hidden away, hating that she was different, longing for someone to look at her and smile. His thumb brushed her lower lip and he pressed a kiss against her brow.
“Look,” he whispered.
Opening her eyes, she found the top of the tent gone.
Or had he made it transparent? Brilliant stars twinkled in a velvet black sky and a cool breeze washed over her body. He scooped her up in his arms and laid her on the mound of furs. Her breath hitched, then released in a sigh. She was mesmerized by the panorama.
“It’s amazing. I’ve never seen so many stars. Are the moons always so bright?”
He spread out beside her, slipping one arm under her neck. “Only in the desert does the sky reveal her true beauty. I told you the desert guarded many secrets.”
She smiled, relaxing into the softness. Bathed in moonlight, his features transfixed her, made her bold. “Show me more.”
His head lowered slowly. Her heart beat faster the closer he came. The night wind bore his scent. Her lips tingled in anticipation.
“Close your eyes.” He kissed her lids, ensuring her obedience. Avoiding her parted lips, he feathered kisses across her features. “You’re so incredibly beautiful. I’m almost afraid to touch you.” His throaty chuckle sounded before he added, “Almost.”
His mouth covered hers and Aria buried her fingers in his hair. Desire swirled within her, hot, tingly sensations that made her arch and moan. She met the first brush of his tongue with an enthusiastic response. He chuckled and retreated, pressing her down into the furs.
“As enjoyable as this is for both of us, it is an exercise. You need to concentrate, focus inward, search for any increase in your Mystic energy.”
She nodded, uncertain if she could do what he asked. She’d wanted him for months. How was she supposed to think of anything else? He kissed her again, using only his lips. His hand wandered from her neck to her shoulders and briefly skimmed her breasts. She trembled, her nipples instantly peaking.
His mouth pulled away long enough for him to tug his tunic off over his head. She caressed his chest, his shoulders and arms, ravenous for the feel of his warm flesh. His eyes gleamed in the starlight, the red rings softly glowing. He rose to his knees, drawing her up with him. “Raise your arms.” She pulled her gown off and tossed it to the tent floor with a mischievous smile. “I wanted to do that,” he grumbled.
“I wanted this more.” She pressed her breasts against his naked chest and wrapped her arms around him. Coiled strength and suppressed power, his body fascinated her. She rubbed against him like a cat, eager for attention. “You’re not finished.” She eased her fingertips inside the waistband of his pants.
“Not tonight.” He moved her hand to his chest, separating their bodies. “Your entire life has been cast into disarray. I’d like nothing more than to make love to you, but not until you’ve had time to adjust to all the changes.”
Her aching body resented his nobility, while her mind appreciated the consideration. She was far too ambivalent to make a rational decision. “Then why do I need to be naked?” With a toss of her head, she sent her hair cascading over her breasts.
“Because I need to touch you.” He lowered her to the furs and pressed against her side, fanning her hair out around her. She wiggled into the softness, acutely aware of her nakedness. “Relax. Look at the stars and let your senses guide you.” He stroked her arms, gently moving her hands upward until her fingers sank into the fur above her head. She wanted to touch him, to taste him, and feel him moving deep inside her. “You’ll have all that and more, just not tonight. Now pay attention to your body. Trust your instincts.”
He’d effortlessly read her thoughts. She swallowed hard and pressed her lips together, unsettled by her vulnerability. Would she always be so transparent?
One of his hands cupped her breast as his lips closed around the other, drawing firmly on the sensitive crest. Relax. She was supposed to look at the sky. Vast, endlessly black, like his eyes. Her anxious breathing rubbed her breast against his hand. His fingers rolled her nipple, sending darts of sensation into her abdomen. The night wind was cool, so why did she feel so hot?
Bending her knee, he positioned her foot against the fur and caressed his way back up her inner thigh. He cupped her mound for a moment, then draped her other leg over the bend of his knees. Her thighs parted, her back arched, and all she could see was stars. Her belly quivered as his fingers began their sensual dance. He stroked her skin, exploring her body with careful touches and soothing caresses. Faujer would never forgo his pleasure to concentrate on hers. Drakkin wasn’t Faujer. Drakkin ... His fingers parted her feminine folds, pausing as the night wind accented her heat. The firm suction of his mouth matched the persistent throbbing between her thighs. She needed more than these teasing touches. She needed ...
Feel the slide of my fingers. You’re so soft, so wonderfully hot. Accept my presence in your mind. Let the pleasure build.
She felt the gentle movement of his fingers, up and down, around and around. He pushed into her mind and her core throbbed rebelliously. She wanted him there, inside her.
I am inside you. Share yourself with me.
Her fingers tangled in the fur as he focused on her clit. The firm circular motion made her body shake. She bit her bottom lip to keep from screaming down the stars. He moved through her mind, scanning, stimulating. She opened for him, surrendered to him, body and mind. Tighter and tighter the pleasure wound, building beneath his fingertips. She tossed her head and he nipped her breast, holding her in place.
Energy sizzled along her nerve endings. Her nipples tingled, her core clenched. Her being melded with Drakkin, sinking into him, saturating him. She arched her back, increasing the pressure of his fingers. Colors danced before her eyes, flashes of light and muddled images.
Pleasure burst and the image focused, forcing the breath from her lungs. Reality paused as the vision took over. A dark-haired woman perched on the edge of the vanity in Aria’s dressing room. Her back pressed against the mirror as she held her knees, brazenly offering herself to her lover. “Now.” She panted. “Fill me, now.”
The man laughed and Aria stiffened. “It will seldom be as easy as it was in the corridor.” She knew that voice! How could Faujer be in her dressing room on Earth? He rubbed against the woman, teasing her without pushing inside.
The vision released and sensations swept over Aria. She absorbed each scalding wave with a hoarse little cry. Drakkin’s touch gentled. His lips moved against her damp skin, part soothing whisper, part tender kiss.
“Did you see them?” She panted, her body humming with newfound energy.
“Yes, but the vision was yours. You are undoubtedly a jumanna.” She rolled to her side and he wrapped her in his arms.
“They were in my dressing room. How did he find it so quickly? For that matter, how did he get to Earth?”
“You recognized the man?”
“That was Faujer,” she said with a shudder.
“The woman is a Mystic. Her name is Noll dar Joon.”
“As in the mortal enemies of the House of Aune?”
He nodded, brushing her damp hair back from her face. “I created a temporal shift when I brought you here. We will remain out of sync with the rest of our dimension until I release the shift. You’re safe. They can’t find us here.”
“I want to believe it’s that simple, but how did Faujer know where to look? This doesn’t make sense. Who is Noll dar Joon?”
Chapter Six
With one lingering look at Aria’s passion flushed body, Drakkin rose from the furs. Her nipples were indeed scarlet, as were her feminine folds. The scent of her arousal clung to his fingers and filled his head with alternate endings for this situation.
“I must meditate,” he glanced about for his tunic, “but I won’t leave you unprotected.”
“You said we were safe here, that the Rodytes can’t reach us.” She crawled to the edge of the bed and found her discarded gown.
“I have many questions. I’m sure you do, too.” Donning the tunic, he went on. “Very few can navigate a temporal shift. However, I know little about Noll dar Joon. My purpose is not only to keep you safe, but to teach you how to protect yourself. If I hope to succeed, I must access the Wisdom of
the Ages.”
“Can’t you meditate here?”
He smiled, wanting nothing more than to crawl back into bed with her. “You’re a bit too distracting. Indric will guard you while I meditate.”
“Who is Indric?” Her brow furrowed as she wiggled into the gown. “Do you trust him?”
“He’s the brother of my second wife, and I trust him with my life.”
“Do you trust him with a jumanna?” She worried her bottom lip, uncertainty clear in her eyes. “I feel really strange.”
“Strange how?” He took her hand and helped her up from the furs.
“You awakened something inside me, I can’t quite explain. I feel restless and ... achy.”
“I’ll take no longer than absolutely necessary.” He pulled her into his arms for a quick hug. Pushing her fingers into his hair, she rubbed against him suggestively. Maybe the meditation could wait. Would bringing her to another orgasm ease her desire or build the intensity? He needed more information. “I have to learn about the jumanna and find out how your Ontarian blood will affect your abilities. Will you be all right for a little while?”
Stepping out of his embrace, she crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ll be fine.”
He glanced at the bed and heaved an audible sigh. “It might be best if I restrained your hands, just until we know what we’re dealing with.”
“I can control my desire. Don’t be ridiculous.” Even as she spoke the objection, her gaze narrowed and descended along his body.
Sweeping her up in his arms, he deposited her on the mound of furs. “This is just until I return.” He closed leather cuffs around her wrists and tethered her to a metal loop attached to the tent frame.
She stared back at him in stunned silence for a moment, then indignation lit her gaze. Color crawled up her neck and bloomed across her cheekbones. “What other toys do you have stashed in this tent? What’s the Bilarrian word for pet?” She tugged against the tether and glared at him.
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