Taio choked on a laugh. Protector. King Xochis was no protector.
“What is so funny?” Ship asked.
“If you would have been present for the entire meeting, you would know what I’m laughing about.”
“I was, and I still don’t find Saia’s situation humorous.”
“You were here? Why didn’t you help me out?”
“There was no need for me to involve myself in your family discussion.”
Taio rolled his eyes. “When has that ever stopped you before?”
“The point is, I don’t have a culture or rules that bind me. I am myself…separate. If I were a part of your culture, I suppose I would be bound to the governing rules.”
“But you are not.”
“No.”
“So if you don’t agree with a rule or two, you wouldn’t be obligated to follow them.”
“Correct.”
“I don’t want her to bond with Ranuit Pi any more than you do, but what you’ve done has created a mess.”
“Probably.”
Taio scrunched his face. “Is that all you have to say?”
“Possibly.”
“For the love of all things great!” Taio bellowed.
“I apologize for causing you stress. JB will take care of her.”
Taio shook his head, trying to tamp down his anger. “Unacceptable. You will return her to me. I will take care of her.”
“By the rules of your culture, your father is responsible for her, not you.”
“I’ll work to change that.”
“You are her brother. Do you intend to keep her in your household forever?”
“No, not forever. Just until she is old enough to bond.”
“She has passed the bonding age.”
“Then I will choose a male worthy of her love.”
“Mm-hm. I believe she has given her love to another.”
Taio snorted. “That human? She is enthralled with him, like many of the other females here. JB has a way with the females. He has somehow gotten Saia caught in his whim.”
“She loves him.”
“Only because she has been sheltered all her life. She doesn’t know any better.”
“You would take her from her father and do much the same.”
“Ship, you and I have been friends for a very long time. If you ever compare me to my father again, that friendship will end.”
“Tsk, and who would help you keep Eva in line?”
“I am serious. I am not my father. I want only the best for Saia. When the time comes, she will bond for love. I would never contract her to bond for monetary or political gain.”
“You would not listen to her wishes. She wishes to be with JB.”
“When I was her age, I wished to be with Mariettai Kinu. I was young and I was a fool.”
“I remember that time, and I won’t argue with you. You were a fool, but I don’t sense the same in Saia. Her body systems all point to love, while yours pointed to lust.”
“Great Ancients, Ship! Return her to me now!”
“I am afraid that I cannot force her to return against her will.”
“Her will?” Taio yelled. “She’s just a child. She doesn’t know what she wants.”
“You’re looking at her through the eyes of a protective brother. She’s not a child anymore.”
Taio slammed his fist on the desk. A crack formed in the wood. “I will find her with or without your help. And when I do, I will keep her away from Ranuit Pi and my father.”
“How will you keep her away from JB?”
He thrust his hands through his hair and leaned on the desk. “I don’t have an answer for that—yet.”
Chapter Nineteen
Eva placed a hand on the queen’s back and rubbed gently, trying to soothe the racking that began with the tears. “Fainia, Taio will find her.”
After the announcement that Saia and JB had fled together, Eva had gone straight to Fainia’s apartment. She’d found Fainia by herself in the living area, crying inconsolably.
“I wish he wouldn’t.”
“Why?”
“Saia is better off wherever she is. If she returns, Olo will harm her.”
“Taio won’t let that happen.”
Fainia laughed, making a sound so deep that Eva couldn’t believe it came from the queen. “Like he has stopped Olo all those other times?”
Eva pulled back. “What do you mean?”
Fainia used her sleeve to wipe her eyes. “Eva, Olo has been beating Saia and me since she turned two birth cycles old.”
The words seemed to strike Eva like a whip. “Why haven’t you told Taio?”
The tears Fainia wiped away were quickly replaced with fresh ones. “What could Taio do to stop him?” she whispered in a hoarse tone.
“He could…he could…” Eva looked around, trying to find the words.
“He could do nothing short of starting a war, bringing ruin, destruction, death and pain to our great worlds.” Fainia shook her head. “Saia and I both knew what would happen if Taio found out and we both decided to let this be our burden to carry.”
“I can’t imagine what the two of you have been through.” Eva began to cry herself, at just the thought of Olo putting his hands on two vulnerable females.
“We’ve been through a lot, but Olo didn’t accomplish what he set out to do. He thought he could break us down, but he’s only made us stronger. Before the beatings, I would never have thought to help my child escape her obligation. Now…” He eyes narrowed with defiance. “I’d do it over and over again.”
Eva stood. “Taio must know.”
Fainia stopped her with a hand. “Eva, Saia is gone. There’s no need for Taio to know anything now.”
“Saia may have gotten away from Olo, but you haven’t.” Eva shook her head. “I can’t let you go back to Drazlan—Taio won’t let you go back.”
Fainia tugged on her hand, pulling Eva back to her seat. “Don’t worry about me, child. Someone who isn’t bound by the rules of my world is helping me figure out a solution. I have no plans to return to Drazlan with Olo.”
Eva frowned. The only person who did what he wanted at all times was… “Ship?”
Fainia shrugged nonchalantly.
Eva closed her eyes, digesting everything Fainia had told her. It must have been hell for them both, but if anyone could help them, it was Ship.
“Everything will work out as it should. Saia is gone, and soon I will be too. I’m happy for her. She has found her true love. I won’t deny her that—I can’t. I know the feeling of losing a true love. I lost mine.”
Eva opened her eyes to look at Fainia. “Before King Xochis?”
“Yes, Xochis was not my first choice. I was in love with another.” She smiled. Her entire demeanor brightened. “A handsome warrior. He was everything that I envisioned in a mate. Strong. Fearless.”
“What happened?”
She balled her fists and scowled. “The king wanted me for himself. There was…is no denying the king. He wanted me, and just like that,” the snap of her fingers rang throughout the room, “my father signed the bonding contract.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“My love begged my father to change his mind. When it was clear he wouldn’t, he begged me to run away with him. I was too afraid of the king’s reach and what he would do to my family.”
“So you stayed,” Eva said.
Fainia nodded. “Yes, there was nothing my love could do. I’ve regretted that decision my entire life.”
“What happened to him?”
She sighed. “He finally bonded with another. It broke my heart in two, but he had to move on. I didn’t place the blame on him.” She stood and offered Eva a hand. Eva took it and let Fainia lead her to the balcony. “I wasn’t allowed to forget about what I’d lost.”
Eva settled into a plush lounge chair. “What do you mean?”
Fainia sat gracefully on the chair next to hers. “I had hoped to forge
t him. I intended to make the best of my new life with Olo. But Olo…” She let out a small grunt. “He couldn’t let it go, the fact that my heart belonged to someone else. He hired my true love as his personal advisor.” She shook her head. “I can’t even explain how painful it was to be so near the one I loved, but pretend he meant nothing to me anymore. It was like a wound Olo continued to pick.”
The king was worse than Eva had even imagined. But she didn’t put it past him. “That’s cruel.”
“Olo has never been in love.” She turned and smiled at Eva. “It does not die and wither away. The feelings I had for my true love never left. I was happy and proud of the life he’d built for himself. He eventually had a son, and that made him the happiest I’d ever seen him. I was content to watch from afar.” Her eyes became distant with remembrance. “Until his mate died. After that…”
“After that what?”
Fainia blinked rapidly and leaned back into her chair. “It doesn’t matter. He is no more. He died a warrior’s death.”
Eva didn’t press her but could guess what Fainia wouldn’t say. After his wife died, Fainia and her true love continued their relationship.
“I am so happy Taio has found you.”
“Thank you. I’m happy he found me too. Otherwise I could’ve ended up in a brothel or as some other kind of slave.”
“I don’t believe I ever told you how proud I am of you.”
She turned to look at Fainia. “Proud of me? Why?”
“It is very admirable what you are doing for your species. I hear that Alexion and Taraj Hazuto have also begun to create their human sanctuary on Holis.”
“Yes, they have. I’m scheduled to visit with them after Saia’s bonding cere— I mean, after the new moon.”
Fainia let the mention of Saia’s bonding ceremony slip. “Holis has a very tolerable climate. I am sure the human females will enjoy their world.”
“They’re opening Holis to both males and females, which is an added bonus. They’ve agreed to take only five thousand, but I’m positive once humans assimilate into their culture, they’ll agree to open their planet to more.” She was sure of it.
Fainia shielded her eyes and looked up into the sky. “Drazlan looks so peaceful from here.”
Eva followed her gaze. To her, it had always seemed looming. There was nothing inviting about the brown planet. Pictures of Earth taken from space showed a blue planet that screamed “Welcome,” but Drazlan… She repressed a shudder.
“You know, Eva,” Fainia started. “Before Olo became King of Drazlan it was such a wonderful place to live. I’ve been to other planets but nothing matched Drazlan.”
“I haven’t been there. Taio wouldn’t allow it.”
Fainia let out a heavy breath and then turned to Eva. “I know. It was to protect you. I’m going to miss it my home.”
Eva placed her hand over Fainia’s “You’ll be able to return one day.”
Fainia smiled. “Yes, once Olo is dead.”
* * * * *
Justin pointed to the cluster of bright lights in the darkened sky above. “What’s that one called?”
She rolled from her comfortable place on his chest onto her back and adjusted her head on his arm. “That is the Quertig Complex.”
They were lying on a blanket that Justin had spread on the ground in the backyard. The night air was hot but bearable since the suns had gone down. It was calm and still, except for the howls from animals that broke through the silence every now and then.
She wasn’t scared for her safety, not anymore. Justin would protect her to no end. She understood that now—his very soul told her so.
“Huh, I’ve been there. It looks nice from afar—all blue and pink.” He chuckled. “We’ve had quite a few adventures there.”
Saia sighed. “I wish I’d traveled to as many places as you have.”
He gave her a squeeze. “You will soon enough. As soon as we can we’ll visit all the places that you’ve read about in the research files. I promise.”
“Do you ever think about going back to Earth?”
“I think about it all the time. But from what we’ve heard, Earth has been completely taken over. Mostly everyone there has been sold off. Anyone still left would be slaves, mining for the Loconuist.” He blew out a hard breath. “It’ll never be the same again.”
She placed her arm around his chest. “I’m sorry that has happened to your world. Eva told me how beautiful and unique it was. I wish I could have seen it.”
He quieted in thought as he leisurely stroked her hair. She relaxed under each soft pass of his hand. She inhaled deeply, enjoying his smell mingled with the aroma of the various flowers around them.
Eva told her Earth had many gardens, grand and small. She imagined her and Justin’s new dwelling would be surrounded by plants, flowers, trees and even water. She smiled. Yes, she would live in a garden by a pond. Her and Justin, happy together.
“Has any species ever taken their planet back from the Loconuist?”
She shook her head and he stiffened. She stroked his jawline. “Usually once the Loconuist have been there that long, it is not worth fighting for. The Loconuist destroy the planet’s natural resources, strip it clean. They are very fast and methodical in their quest to conquer worlds.”
“Who do they usually leave behind? Males, females?”
“Usually just the males. They are more able to do the manual labor required. The females would have been sold off.”
“Oh,” he said quietly. “There’s probably no chance Tina is still on Earth then.”
“Have you tried to look for her?”
“No. I was captive on a Loconuist ship, then a Galontaer slave, then a pirate—and we didn’t stay on any planets too long. She could be in any number of galaxies. But I’m—we’re going to find her. I don’t care if we have to travel to the far reaches of the universe.”
“Eva is looking for her friend Ally. She believes there is still hope.”
“Eva lost Ally in this galaxy. At least she has a starting point. I don’t know where my sister might be. I could go crazy trying to find her.”
“I prayed to the Ancients that she is alive and well.”
He placed a light kiss on top of her head. “Thank you. I pray for her every night. But my heart doesn’t hurt for her. I mean, I miss her, but I feel she’s okay.”
“Then we will keep praying.”
“Yeah, I just hope she’s somewhere giving them hell.”
“If she’s anything like you, I’m sure she is.”
“Princess, are you saying that I’m a hell-raiser?”
“Well, you were a space pirate. Now look at you.”
“What have I done now?”
“You’ve taken a princess—a pretty one, I might add—and you’ve run away with her. Tsk, your bad habits will never change.”
“You’ve left out one thing.”
“What is that?”
“Debauching. You’ve left out that I’ve debauched the princess.”
“Oh yes, I did leave that out.”
“And you’ve left out that I plan to do it many more times.”
She held back a giggle. “Do you?”
“And you’ve left out that you enjoy it.”
“Do I?”
Justin pulled her fully on top of him. Her legs straddled his waist. “Ah, yes.”
“How can you be so sure?” Her nipples hardened as they pressed against his chest.
He trailed a hand down the side of her torso and when he reached her hip, she gave him access to her pussy. He took full advantage by sinking his finger into her wetness. “This tells me that you do.”
Saia inhaled sharply and arched her back. “There could be another cause for that,” she said in a strained voice.
His fingers slipped in and out of her, massaging her entrance. “And that would be…?”
Her mind clouded with pleasure. “That I enjoy…enjoy, um, lying underneath the stars on a warm night.�
�
“Hmmm, if lying underneath the stars causes you to get this wet, then we have to do it more often,” he said in a smooth and sexy voice.
“I agree. Um, we…we should…do this…” Pleasure spiked up her tailbone as he teased her. “More often.”
“Do you know what else you should do more often?”
“What?” she asked breathlessly.
“Spread your legs and let me lick your pussy until you scream my name.”
Her pussy convulsed. “Ah, yes, I believe I could do that more often.”
“Good.”
“But right now…I need to feel…” Reaching down, she felt for his cock and wrapped her hand around his thickness.
He hissed as she tightened her grip and pulled him up. She positioned herself over him, pressing his cock against her opening. His hands went to her waist, holding on as she sat. Searing heat filled her as he breached her body.
His nails sank into her skin. She rose until she felt he would fall out, and then sat again.
Justin groaned.
She rose once more, this time slower. She reveled in the way his cock caressed her walls and how she involuntarily tightened around him.
“This is too good,” he moaned.
She bit her lip and slammed down. They both yelled out in unison.
JB palmed her ass and squeezed her cheeks together. He pulled her up then pushed her down. She felt every sensual stroke in her core. “Yes!” she screamed.
She let him guide her pace, pulling and pushing. Her breasts bounced freely. She grabbed them and massaged. Her body was on fire.
His finger found its way to her backside. Anticipation began to build as he trailed it to her dark entrance. He rubbed around it lightly.
Her head fell back, the ends of her hair tickling her butt.
Every time she descended, his finger penetrated a little more until, finally, she could feel him fully inside her.
Her sphincter held on to his finger. The sensation was so new—so good. She relaxed, letting him move gently within her. But not for long. “More,” she moaned as she clenched her pussy. There was something naughty about this. How he was making her feel.
And she loved it.
She rode his cock and his fingers, letting them fill her up completely. Her body responded in a way she never knew it could. Every nerve felt alive with pleasure.
Dangerously His: 4 (Loving Dangerously) Page 17