Spear's Search

by N. J. Walters

  “What if I’d rather kiss you?”

  Was this a game to him? Fury bubbled up from deep within her. Only Spear could reach that seething place inside her. Like a dam bursting, all the anger she’d carried around her entire life erupted. She attacked, without thought or planning.

  Sass spun around, leading with her right leg, her foot almost grazing his chin before he jerked back. Her knives were in her hands. Giving a battle cry, she leaped forward.

  He defended easily, striking her inner arms to keep her blades from finding a home. Not that they would in that damn battlesuit he wore.

  She was panting heavily, avoiding the inevitable.

  And she’d given her word.

  On a roar of pure anguish, she slammed her knives downward. The tips dug into the metal floor. She’d never see her family again.

  Strong arms wrapped around her. She didn’t fight when he yanked her against his chest.

  “Just do it.” The waiting was the worst part.

  “Sass, I’m not going to hurt you.” Pure male exasperation rang in his voice. That gave her pause.

  “I didn’t ask him for my life. I’m a loose end,” she reminded him.

  “No, you’re not.”

  Why wasn’t he listening? “You can’t defy your king. He’ll send assassins after you.” She gripped his shirt in her fists and shook him. Or at least tried to. The man weighed a ton, all of it solid muscle.

  “Ah, Sass. Don’t you know I’d defy an entire world for you?” On that momentous announcement, he slammed his mouth down on hers.

  Heat blasted through her, warming her, driving out the chill from her bones.

  She dragged her mouth from his. “We still have to destroy Artemis for the king before we run.”

  His dark brows lowered and he tilted his head slightly. “Why would we run?”

  Was the man dense or was he toying with her? “I think the king will notice if I’m still running around the universe. He’ll know you defied him.”

  “He didn’t tell me to kill you.”

  “It’s unspoken.” As these things often were.

  He opened his mouth to keep arguing, but she was done. Going up on her toes, she palmed the back of his head and pulled him toward her. When their lips met, everything else faded away, leaving only pleasure in its wake.

  All that anger and uncertainty was still bubbling around inside her and needed an outlet. And here he was, all hot and gorgeous and handy.

  He was willing to defy a king for her.

  Her chest ached as her heart expanded and threatened to explode. In her entire life, no one had ever valued her as much. He’d put his life on the line for her.

  She was breathing heavily when she pulled away again. “You’ll never be able to go home again.”

  “Sass.”

  Not wanting to think or talk any longer, she kissed him again. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she jumped and twined her legs around his hips. He was hard against her mound.

  His tongue thrust into her mouth, a growl of pleasure vibrating through him and into her.

  This was what she wanted, what she needed.

  There’d been so much death tonight. For the first time, it was mingled with hope. For herself and her family. If she was a better person, she wouldn’t put Spear at risk. She’d told the king she wouldn’t ask for her life, and she wasn’t. Spear was giving it to her.

  The cost would eventually need to be paid by them both, but in the meantime, they’d be together. It was enough. She’d always fought alone, but now, he was with her.

  “Let me explain.” His voice was hoarse as he left a trail of hot kisses along her jaw before nipping at her neck.

  “Later.” She dragged at the opening of his shirt. “I need you naked.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Yes,” she agreed, even though she knew he’d simply been swearing. “Let’s fuck.”

  As he strode from the control room, he tossed some instruction out to the ship, but she was too busy nuzzling the thick column of his neck to pay attention. Even sweaty, there was an underlying spicy musk to the man that was captivating.

  Her back hit the mattress and his full weight pressed down on her. Her legs still wound around his hips, she arched up, rubbing her mound against the hard ridge in his pants.

  “You’re going to drive me mad.” He reared back and yanked off his boots and shucked his pants. “Get naked.”

  She’d much rather watch him but didn’t want to wait to be skin to skin. As he stripped off his battlesuit, she rid herself of her boots and pants. His eyes burned with lust as he watched her finish stripping away her clothing and weapons.

  They were both naked, just a man and a woman who needed each other. There was no room for their jobs or politics here.

  “Your arm?” His gaze narrowed on the bruise forming where she’d been clipped by a blaster strike.

  “It’s fine. Nothing broken and minimal damage. It was only a graze, and the numbness has worn off.” She’d had much worse and no way was she stopping now.

  Every muscle in his body was cut, as though he’d been sculpted by the gods themselves. His biceps rippled, his pecs were harder than stone, and his abs were chiseled. His cock sprang up from a nest of dark curls, thick and long.

  Her core pulsed with hunger. She opened her arms and he came to her.

  There was much to discuss and to decide on, but that would come later. They deserved these few moments of solitude, without the rest of the universe intruding.

  He placed one knee on the bunk and leaned toward her. Taking advantage of him being slightly off-balance, she grabbed his shoulders and threw her weight to the side. He could have stopped her but rolled with it until he was flat on his back with her straddling him. When he started to speak, she pressed one finger to his lips and shook her head. In retaliation, he nipped at it and sucked it into his mouth.

  The caress sent a spiral of heat over her hand, up her arm, and down to her nipples, which tightened.

  She reluctantly withdrew her finger and ran her hands over his impossibly wide shoulders. They’d had sex before, but she’d never taken the time to really touch him. She wanted to learn his body, to know what he liked, what turned him on.

  His biceps hardened as she stroked them and his abs went taut.

  She’d been around fit men her entire life. Had trained with them and lived alongside them. None of them could compare to Spear.

  His flesh was always so warm. She trailed her fingers along the curve of his pecs, from one flat nipple to the other, teasing the nubs until they were taut.

  He was breathing heavily now, but so was she.

  His gaze never left her as she explored. His cock nudged her, insistent it get attention. But she wouldn’t be rushed. Not this time. For she was realistic. Time was not on their side. There might never be another opportunity for her to take her time.

  She slid off his chest and studied his lower half. His legs were long and heavily muscled. As she stroked her hands over them, she couldn’t stop looking at his erection. The head of his shaft flared slightly and was darker than the rest.

  “I love looking at you.” Her words were loud in the otherwise silence.

  He swallowed heavily, his eyelids lowering slightly. His lips were compressed together, likely to keep from speaking. His fingers were fisted in the covers, his knuckles white.

  This dangerous man, this assassin, could easily have seized control and taken what he’d wanted. She’d give it to him without question. But he was letting her lead, letting her have her way.

  I love him.

  It should have been impossible. They were enemies when they’d met. Two killers with opposing agendas. Yet here they were.

  The universe was a strange place. Was it fate or luck? A bit of both or neither?

  Gifts had been far and few in her life and had always come with strings.

  But not this one.

  None of this was easy for him, but he was doing it anyway. For h
er.

  Her lungs constricted and her heart pounded in her chest. The world began to fade. Would she pass out?

  Just as quickly, a soothing balm washed through her, strengthening her.

  She loved him. While she might never say the words aloud, she wanted to show him.

  Wrapping her hand around his shaft, she lowered her head.

  ****

  He should stop her, make her listen while he explained that she wasn’t going to die. He’d told her, but she’d refused to believe. Her mind set on her own logic.

  But he wasn’t stupid.

  No way was he going to stop her now, not when her mouth was so close to the head of his cock, the warmth of her breath feathered over it.

  Assassin she might be, forgotten child with no past, but he’d never met a woman with a bigger heart. She was loyal all the way to her bones and could teach warriors the meaning of honor.

  He wanted that fierceness, that passion for himself. He wanted her loyalty, her heart, and her honor. It was only fair since she already had his.

  Her hand wasn’t smooth and soft, but calloused and slightly rough as she stroked up and down. When her tongue flicked out to stroke across the crown of his shaft, his hips shot off the bed, almost knocking her back.

  Her laughter sank into him, filling the emptiness that had existed for far too long. He hadn’t admitted even to himself that he’d feared he’d never marry. How could he take a woman as a wife who had no idea who he truly was, a woman he could never show his true self?

  Sass knew it all.

  She parted her lips and sucked the entire tip into her mouth. Wet heat surrounded him. “Sass.” His voice was rough. He reached down and tangled his fingers in her hair.

  “Mmm.” She sucked again, teasing the ridge around the crown with the tip of her tongue.

  His eyes squeezed shut and he gritted his teeth to keep from coming. When she straddled one of his thighs and pressed her molten core against it, he almost lost it. He hadn’t touched her at all, but she was wet and ready.

  “Sass.” He couldn’t manage anything but her name. For a man whose entire existence had been about discipline, he had a shocking lack of it around her.

  It should worry him, but he didn’t care.

  Something inside him snapped into place and hardened to a certainty, the likes of which he’d never known.

  Sass was his to love and honor and protect. He would have no other woman but her. She was it for him. He would protect her with every drop of blood in his veins and power in his body.

  She might not know what she was to him, but his father did. He’d not only seen it but given his approval.

  You have done well.

  His father hadn’t been speaking of the mission but of her. Like him, his father admired a woman of strength, one who understood loyalty and honor.

  She lowered her head, taking him even deeper. His eyes shot open, and he barely swallowed a roar.

  “Take me inside you.” He didn’t want to come in her mouth, sweet as that would be. He needed to be joined to her in the most intimate way possible.

  She released his cock with a wet pop and smiled her siren smile. “You sure about that?” She licked her lips, tempting him to change his mind.

  Reaching down, he dragged her upward, desperately trying to align their bodies so he could get inside.

  “Guess you are sure.” Her laughter morphed into a moan when he pressed the head of his cock inside her slick channel. She sat up then, taking all of him in. His entire body seemed to exhale as their connection was made.

  Hands resting on his chest, bare breasts rising and falling with each deep breath she took, they stared at each other.

  Spear trailed his fingers over her cheeks, enjoying the way her eyes closed and her skin flushed. He continued down until he was cupping her breasts. They fit neatly in the palms of his hands, the nipples hard. He stroked and teased the nubs before skimming the sleek muscles of her abs, down her stomach to where they were joined.

  She began to move then, rocking her hips, rising up slightly before falling back down. He let her set the pace, even though it was killing him. His balls were trying to take refuge in his body.

  He pushed one hand lower, finding her clit with his thumb and rubbing. Her inner muscles squeezed his cock so hard he almost came.

  “Spear.”

  He’d never tire of hearing her say his name in just that way, tinged with desire and desperation.

  “Take what you need.” He thrust his hips upward with every downward one she made. Their slick bodies slid easily. She rode him to release, his fingers helping to speed her along the way.

  She threw back her head, breasts thrust out as she came. On a roar, he rolled them over so he was on top, never losing contact. He fucked her hard and fast, desperate to lose himself in her.

  His balls clenched. His release shot upward and out. He buried his face in the curve of her neck as pure ecstasy swamped him.

  This was different than before. They were committed to each other now.

  He levered himself up, groaning as her channel tightened around him. “You’re mine.” He wanted no uncertainty in her mind about that. He rocked his hips several more times, thrusting deep, laying claim.

  Her hair was stuck to her skin, her face damp and flushed, her lips rosy. Doubt flickered in her eyes, but it cleared and she nodded.

  Satisfied he’d made his point, he collapsed beside her, finally withdrawing as he did. Facedown, he lay beside her, both of them breathing heavily.

  Contentment filled him. It was something only she gave him. No other ever had or ever could. Even his parents and brothers couldn’t understand him the way she did. She knew what it was like to take a life, not in the midst of a battle in a war, but deliberately and in a calculated manner. It was necessary, and he had no regrets, but it had set him apart, even in his own tight-knit family.

  When she stirred, he wrapped his arm around her to anchor her to his side. Snuggling closer, she leaned over and kissed his shoulder. He raised his head to find her watching him, not quite smiling, but close.

  As much as he wanted to stay in the moment, they’d already taken time they couldn’t afford.

  “I know,” she told him. And she did. She understood what was at stake. When she slid out of bed, he let her go, enjoying the back view as she strode naked to the bathing chamber. As soon as the door shut behind her, he surged out of bed. After gathering his battlesuit and clean clothes, he made his way to the second, smaller cabin, refreshed himself, and dressed.

  He returned to his room to find Sass dressed and straightening the covers on the bed. Going directly to her, he snaked an arm around her waist and kissed her. She returned the kiss with abandon before putting her hands on his chest and pushing him away.

  There was a new understanding between them. They were in this together.

  “What now?” she asked.

  He’d been thinking about that. “We need to know where Artemis is.”

  Sass nodded. “So I tell her I have the items.”

  “Yes. Contact her and let it play out. Once we know where we’re headed, we can make plans.”

  Giving him a nod, she drew out her communicator, took a deep breath, and engaged it.

  ****

  “Do you have it?”

  No are you okay or are you hurt. Just a demand. Artemis would never change.

  “I have the items. No thanks to you,” she added. She’d turned up the volume on the communicator so Spear could hear. Her body was still pulsing from her earlier orgasm, but her voice was steady.

  “Don’t take that tone with me.”

  “It was bad enough I had to survive the auction. All those interested parties killing off one another. Then I had to fend off one of yours.” She’d thought about how to play this. Keeping Artemis off-balance was a dangerous game, but it might give them an edge.

  “If you weren’t good enough to survive, you don’t deserve to win.”

  And th
ere it was—Artemis’s entire philosophy of life.

  “But I did win.” She let the calculation leak into her voice. Spear stood beside her, a steady presence, trusting her to handle this as she thought best. That strengthened her resolve.

  “It’s time for you to come in.” Her tone was clipped, edging on angry. “There are some people who have been waiting to hear from you.”

  There was a click and then, “Sass, are you okay?” Delphi’s worried voice was a balm for her soul. Her sister was still safe.

  “I’m fine. How’s Zaxe?” She needed to know they were both still safe and alive.

  “You know us. Hanging out and twiddling our thumbs.”

  Hanging out was code that they were being kept together, at least for now.

  Another click and Delphi was gone. “The continued health and well-being of your friends depend on your actions. Your continued health depends on your actions. I have many assassins.”

  As a warning, it wasn’t exactly subtle, but it was pure Artemis. “But none as good as me. I’m the one who managed to get Gravasian tech from a packed auction of people as desperate for it as you.” She sent a shrug of apology to Spear, who simply gave her a smug look. She’d have been dead without him, and the bastard knew it.

  “Where do I meet you?”

  “I’ll send Cleaver to rendezvous with you.”

  A knot formed in the pit of her stomach. “No, I’m not giving this tech up to a third party. It’s you or the Gravasians.”

  “Don’t you care about poor Zaxe and Delphi? I wonder what they’ll say when I tell them you abandoned them to their deaths.”

  Her fingers dug into the communicator. “Don’t play that kind of game with me, Artemis. Not now. Not about this. This tech is too valuable to trust to anyone else. I’m not giving you an excuse to kill them if Cleaver decides to run off with the tech on his own.”

  “Hmm, you may be right. Be on Kalaman in two days. By my estimation, we should all of us have just enough time to get there. Don’t be late.”

  The call ended and Sass tucked her communicator away. “How fast can we get to Kalaman?”