Solar Flare

by Autumn Dawn

  He quirked a brow and grinned.

  “For a wife. For life,” she stressed. “It’s a very long time.”

  “You think too much,” he said, and kissed her.

  She could hardly complain, since she’d practically handed him an invitation. She had missed this, though. Smart man that he was, maybe he’d known she would.

  It didn’t take long before she gave up thinking and just enjoyed. It was pleasant, and she realized with surprise that he was being careful with her. This kiss was definitely not the blinding kind, more a slow, banked heat.

  She realized with dismay that she missed the other kind.

  Even so, she was wobbly when he finally let her breathe. She rested her head on his chest, dizzy. “So you haven’t changed your mind,” she said, reassured. When had she required his touch to be sure?

  He nuzzled her hair. “No change. Ready to bed me yet?”

  She pulled back. “No!” but her voice shook with laughter. His playfulness was so new, it often snuck up on her.

  He toyed with her hair, keeping her secure with his other arm around her waist. “Just a thought. And just so you know, I’m ready to share the Jade Ceremony with you whenever you ask.”

  This time she drew completely away, surprised by the gravity of his statement. “That’s the Kiuyian wedding ceremony!”

  “I know.”

  She drew a deep breath and looked away. She’d never shared that with M’acht. At the time she’d thought it was easier to see a judge, and he’d never objected. It had certainly made it easier for him to divorce her later. If they’d shared a Jade Ceremony, that would not have been possible. Had he thought of that at the time? He’d been so desperate to decry his heritage….

  “Take your time. It’s no rush,” Azor said, further distancing himself from her memories of her first, hasty marriage. “We have all the time in the world.”

  He made it hard to breathe. There was permanence, and honor, in what he offered. Part of her wanted to leap on his offer right then, but fear still had control over her. It wouldn’t hurt to wait, would it? To be sure?

  He took her hand and placed a kiss in her palm. “No answers allowed today. Why don’t you come and play a game with me? I promise there’ll be no mathematics involved.”

  Rather dazed, she let him lead her around the couch and accepted a controller. He proceeded to beat her for the next five games. Neither of them cared.

  When she got back to her room, she turned on her email and stared at the blinking message in front of her. Ensign Trevor had responded. He was willing to allow her to dock at a spaceport that was less out of her way than his world. He had a friend there, an official who could confirm her identify and vouch for her during a pinbeam conversation. It was his best offer.

  She studied their route again and nodded thoughtfully. It would require only a two-day delay of their schedule, which she considered acceptable. Of course she would have to make up something to tell Xera, and Azor would need to know the truth. Hopefully he wouldn’t be too provoking about it.

  She thought about the offer he’d made that afternoon and had to smile. Well, he couldn’t be too stuffy, could he? He’d want to stay in her good graces. It was a nice feeling having something to hold over a man like him.

  CHAPTER 13

  Her confident feelings didn’t guarantee his approval, however, and Azor was not happy with her desired destination.

  “I’ve been there. It’s a hellhole,” he said flatly. “I don’t appreciate him steering you toward a place like that.” They were in the galley, and he’d been looking through recipes on the computer, probably trying to think of something interesting to make for dinner. He turned the machine off now, no longer interested in food.

  “He tried to talk me out of it,” she said, “and he was even more unhappy when I offered to travel to his planet instead. He said they’re having problems with pirates, thieves from a neighboring star system. It’s not a good time to travel there.”

  His eyes glinted green. “I see no reason why we should leave our present course. Let him send you the information. You’re interfering in your sister’s life as it is. It’s not worth endangering yourself to collect gossip when you can talk to Xera in person soon.”

  “It’s important to me,” she said, an edge to her voice. She took a breath to calm her temper. “I want to know the truth.”

  He stared down at her, looking every bit as intimidating and cold as the first time she’d seen him. It clued her in on just how much he hated this idea. She couldn’t hold his gaze for longer than a few seconds at a time. He was that intimidating.

  At long last, he said, “This will be your one deviation from the schedule. Are we agreed?”

  She knew he would hold her to it. “Yes.”

  By the chill in his face, he was still very displeased. He began to pace. “There are other things. You won’t be able to go as your normal self. We need to blend in. If you look different than the natives, you’ll just be begging for a kidnapping by slavers.”

  She shifted uneasily. Azor wasn’t the kind to exaggerate. If he thought they were going into that kind of trouble, then he was granting her a major concession. She paid close attention to what he was saying.

  “You’ll go as my woman. That will help keep the poachers off you. You’ll have to let me do the talking.” He looked down at her severely. “Can you do that?”

  She raised a brow and waved him on. She’d give him what he asked, of course, but she didn’t appreciate his tone. She wasn’t under his command.

  His expression softened slightly at her unspoken chiding. “I’m not interested in seeing you hurt. I’m used to planning tactical, but not with you. If I act like myself, you’ll have to excuse me.”

  She had to smile at that. This was a side of him she hadn’t seen in a while, but it didn’t mean it had ceased to exist. She could live with it. “I do appreciate this. I am listening.” She knew how to be magnanimous when a business deal was going her way. This was no different.

  Her easy acceptance seemed to make him unhappy. “I don’t like doing this with you.” His gesture took in the situation, the conversation, possibly even his attitude.

  “You’re being protective. I get that. I also believe you think we can get in and out with out too much trouble, despite the risks. I have a feeling you’d find a way around this if you didn’t.” She smiled slightly. “I can believe you’d be all kinds of ruthless to protect your assets.” She used the technical term Blue sometimes used when he talked about his old job. Assets were things or people of importance to him.

  Azor’s face showed no emotion when he looked at her, which meant he felt very strongly, indeed. “Yes.”

  She rose from her chair and took his hand. It was unresponsive. “I promise to be careful.”

  Azor walked away without comment. She couldn’t keep a promise like that.

  He knew better than to allow a civilian into a situation like this.

  Instinct made him want to grab the woman and lock her in his room, out of danger—from everything but him, of course. His race wasn’t so different from the Scorpio she decried, though they’d adapted to her culture to survive. He was only one generation removed from taking captive women to wife, himself. Ryven’s actions seemed reasonable to him in light of Xera’s situation and the vast distance between their families. Brandy conveniently overlooked the fact that Ryven had saved her sister from a bad situation. He’d given her status, a home, children, and most importantly, he made Xera happy.

  He did not believe the thin excuse that Brandy clung to—Xera would have found a way to fight back, to tell her family if she was unhappy. She’d had a chance to escape with the GE, in fact, and had fought her way back to Ryven instead. That took devotion.

  Brandy wanted to have her family back the way it was. She failed to see that even if Xera returned, things would never return to the way they were. Gem had her family, Xera had hers. He thought a family was what Brandy was really lookin
g for. She just didn’t think she could have it, so she tried to repair what she thought was broken.

  She was going to be disappointed when she found she had no glue to mend the pieces she wanted to gather together.

  He didn’t know why she thought she couldn’t have a family of her own, unless it was her failure with M’acht. Regardless, if Azor wanted to make one with her, he’d have to keep her happy for just a little longer. When he finally had a lawful claim to her, then he could put his foot down.

  He worked his jaw to loosen the tight muscles there. He was starting to think it might be a good thing to remain in Scorpio space after he wed her. They seemed to have more leniency in controlling their females.

  Making love to her would help, but she wasn’t ready for it yet. He planned to work diligently to get her ready, and screw the restrictions he’d placed on himself. Restraint just got him into situations like this, where he was unable to distract her with an exhaustive round of bed play. He was tired of being nice.

  Ignoring the Guok, who was absorbed in his ever-present game, he sat down in his chair on the bridge and pulled up information on the space station she wanted to visit, both civilian and classified. It paid to know whom to avoid.

  They were scheduled to begin cold sleep in a few hours. He could delay it, but doubted it would be a good idea. She’d find a way to meddle when she was awake, and he wasn’t certain his temper would hold. His desire for her was making him short-tempered over this new situation she’d gotten into. It would almost guarantee an argument, and if he couldn’t burn off the energy of that the way he wanted to, then it would lead to more tension.

  He could hide it well, but like most Kiuyians, he tended to de-evolve when pressure hit. People thought he was cold, but that was just an illusion. For Brandy’s sake, he thought it was best to—literally—put his feelings on ice.

  Brandy stared sightlessly over the mug of tea she held in her hands, lost in thought. Azor’s rather easy acceptance of her change in plans was reassuring. Though he obviously didn’t like it, he could have fought a lot harder. It made her want to give him something in return.

  She drew a slow breath and asked herself if she trusted him, and how much. By accepting his escort, both on the journey and for this excursion, she’d shown that she trusted him with her life. He’d taken great pains to show that she could trust him with her feelings, too.

  Brandy wanted him. She wasn’t certain what was holding her back; she wasn’t a great one for examining her emotions. Maybe if she had someone to talk to, things would be clearer. Unfortunately, that was hard to do via email. She preferred to talk with her sisters face to face.

  Besides, Gem had her own concerns right now and was too eager to see Brandy settled to be objective. Xera might be a better choice, but they had yet to reestablish that kind of connection. She also worried about privacy. Over the vast distance of space, how could she be sure their conversation would be confidential?

  The physical connection, though, was a choice only she could make. Unfortunately, the men she’d met before Azor who had desired her hadn’t wanted anything lasting. As a result, she’d gotten in the habit of spurning men. It was difficult to drop her guard now with Azor.

  She drew another careful breath, aware that something had to change. Unless she told him to back off and meant it, he’d continue seducing her. One day, probably soon, she’d just give in. She could say later that the feelings had carried her away, but really, her decision began now. What was she willing to do?

  She couldn’t envision them being married. He was a cop, and after everything she’d done wrong in her life, she couldn’t see a happy ending for herself. She didn’t deserve him.

  Okay, so she couldn’t have him forever, but she could lighten the present darkness a little. She didn’t have to be lonely now. It was going to hurt later, but she was used to pain.

  She was already ruined. There was nothing he could do to make it worse.

  Brandy eyed the lid of the cold sleep pod as she lay back on the liquid filled pad inside. Azor stood above her, one hand on the lid. Some people reacted oddly when they first got in the chamber, and he was standing by, just in case.

  “This feels really weird. I feel like the sacrificial virgin, except that you’re no priest and I’m no….” she trailed off, embarrassed with her babbling. What was she doing? Was that a misguided attempt at flirtation? Well, she’d never been good at it. She attempted a smile. “Maybe I should have taken something to relax me a little.”

  He smiled wolfishly. “I could help with that.”

  She felt hot blood rise in her cheeks. “Maybe you should,” she said boldly, and wasn’t surprised to see his eyes light. He’d been in a dangerous mood since he’d agreed to escort her on her mission

  She’d made her decision. It was time she stopped playing the virtuous maid. If she’d been that, she’d still be on Polaris. In all likelihood, she’d never have caught his eye, either. Azor was a man who liked his girls bad.

  She sat up to meet him. There was nothing icy about his kiss, unless she counted the chills that ran over her skin. He tasted good, smelled better, and she loved the possessiveness his recent temper threw into the mix.

  He growled at her response, and the hand on the back of her head firmed. His kiss deepened, grew more aggressive, and he started to lift her out of the pod.

  She jerked back, panting. For a moment she forgot her resolutions. Reflex made her snap, “Down, man! I’m not your rag doll.”

  He tensed, seemed disinclined to let that pass unchallenged. “You invited me.”

  “To kiss.” She stared at him rather desperately, torn between what she knew was proper behavior and what she’d resolved to become. Fear and desire were confusing her. Kissing him was like drinking lightning. Her insides felt seared.

  He must have read the confusion on her face. His expression grew cunning. “You’re bored with kisses.” His hand slid around to gently flatten her breast. He rotated. “How about something more interesting?” he whispered.

  Brandy gasped and grabbed his wrist, but didn’t have the will to lift it. All her blood seemed to have rushed from her head. She wanted to lie down. She would, if she wasn’t sure he would follow her. Much as she wanted this, doing these things with him was scary. It felt new. At least with M’acht, she’d known what to expect.

  He didn’t give her time to voice the objection her lips formed. He kissed her again, artful, knowing. He dominated her.

  Azor seemed to know his way around a panic attack. His chosen method was very, very good at distracting her. One by one, her tight muscles relaxed. A wash of drugging pleasure made her whimper. As the desire built, it bathed her in heat that made her forget her reservations.

  Yeah, she wanted this.

  Dizzy, she let him guide her back. It was easy, and the pod was wide enough for two. His hand slid from her breasts to the waistband of her pants. She gasped as his hand slid inside. It was too big, he didn’t have enough room, but he was able to barely touch the part that craved him most. She arched, her throat closed around a strangled cry. They started tugging at her pants….

  And the lid of the pod slid closed. There was a quick hiss of gas, and then it was lights out.

  The assassin smirked, his round face tense with the unfamiliar expression. Guoka weren’t much given to smirking.

  It amused him to interrupt their mating games. He was stuck on this stupid ship for the next few months with precious little to do and only bland Guok food to eat. They’d be lucky if he didn’t eat them just to alleviate the boredom.

  He turned sourly away and stumped off to the kitchen. What he wouldn’t give for some meat!

  Brandy woke up awkwardly. Though the pad had adjusted to support them, it was still uncomfortable. It seemed as if she had just closed her eyes. She was chilled, and a little foggy on why Azor was curled around her.

  The pod’s lid slid open, and Azor sluggishly rose up on one arm. He stared at her blearily for a moment, t
hen frowned. “We were making love.”

  She averted her eyes, embarrassed. “We didn’t really. We just…played.”

  He continued to stare. “You invited me.”

  Rather irritable, possibly a side effect of the fast she’d endured in cold sleep, she pushed up from the pad. “I want to get up.”

  He sat up on the edge of the pod and swung his legs over the slight lip. “The pod wouldn’t have closed by itself. Someone had to activate it.”

  She kept her eyes away from his face. “Maybe we accidentally pushed a button. You know, the controls are inside, too.”

  “No. I was paying attention.”

  That made her self-conscious. She certainly hadn’t noticed anything else going on. She didn’t know whether to be offended or attribute his attentiveness to experience. He was far too confident for her to have been his first woman.

  The knowledge made her feel ashamed. It really hadn’t been anything special. She didn’t have what it took to captivate a man.

  He caught her arm as she tried to slide out. He tilted his head as he studied her. “You’re embarrassed.”

  She didn’t want to talk about it. “It’s no big deal, right? Let me out.”

  His hand loosened, and he caressed her arm. “Is it so horrible to let your future husband seduce you?”

  She drew a harsh breath. “We haven’t made that agreement yet.”

  “Haven’t we? You’re on my ship, alone…except for a Guok that I may have to take apart. I need to find him.” He hopped out of the pod.

  This time she grabbed his arm. “We don’t have an agreement, Azor. I haven’t promised you anything.” She didn’t think she could hold him, especially now. How could it have been good for him? When he'd touched her, it might have felt as if he’d become her world, but it hadn’t been as strong for him. If they’d really been a good match, he should have been just as dazed.

  He turned and slowly reached out to stroke her hair. He took the time to study her expression before he spoke. “I’m inferring an unspoken agreement based on both our expectations of how this should work. What else would you like me to call this but an engagement?”