Ravager's Redemption (The Argadian Heart Book 3)

by Adrianna Dane

  He was tight and hard, as firm as any younger male she had ever taken as an Enforcer in pursuit of her assignment. Yet this was different. Now her emotions were dangerously engaged and there was nothing she could do to stop the waves of consuming lust that enveloped her.

  The commander lifted his head to look down at her. “You beg for this, do you not? You need it.” He shifted away from her and she felt bereft by the distance he created.

  Her panting increased as she struggled for composure. Panic ensued as she felt him pull free of her. “P-please,” she found herself begging.

  What did it matter? She was here to hold his attention. She might as well gain something from it, some ease of her heat.

  He grinned. It was a look of hard anticipation, an expectation of female entertainment. He leaned back against the desk and studied her as she stood trembling before him. Daelyn could only imagine the impression she made with her aura of sexual need and arousal more than evident, burning bright, pulsing as her body quivered.

  He folded his arms across his broad chest. “Dance for me.”

  She blinked. “Here? Now?”

  He nodded.

  “But there is no music.”

  “Improvise, female. When someone such as you comes to me, I expect to be fully entertained with your feminine allure. Show me why I should fuck you. Show me why I should not just give you to my men.”

  Daelyn had no choice but to do as he demanded. If she should manage to get out of this alive, never, ever was she taking another drug that would alter her mind and body the way this one did. At least when she had no emotion, there could be no arousal or no shame at what she was required to do.

  How had Eluria stood being a twilight companion for so many years? She’d been required to use the drug regularly in order to gain the trust of her companions and thereby information to help the rebellion.

  Never more than right now did she admire Eluria’s courage, her commitment to the rebellion and to Devon Andromeda. Never more than right now was she determined to do everything she could to facilitate their escape.

  So she began to dance in slow, undulating movements meant to entice the man waiting for his entertainment.

  Where this would all lead, she had no idea. She turned and lunged, lifted her tunic to display her legs, teasing the male, offering him just enough of a view to whet his appetite to see more.

  “Stop,” he commanded after what seemed like eons of time. She halted, out of breath and again stood before him. His gaze raked over her. “Remove the garment. I will see what you have hidden beneath the tantalizing covering.

  Grabbing the edges of the robe, she lifted it, inch by slow inch, revealing her flesh to him, offering him tiny samplings of what was concealed beneath the garment.

  In encounters in the past, when she’d been an Enforcer, it was she who dominated the encounters. This meeting was far different from those. She had come here of her own free will, but in order to succeed, she must submit to his demands.

  How had such an immoral man sired a fearless, honest female such as Eluria Zydon. Her mother must have been quite a strong force in her life not to have been warped by the presence of the commander.

  Finally, Daelyn dropped the robe to the floor at her feet. Long moments passed as the commander’s gaze roamed over her body.

  “Turn,” he said in a low, guttural voice, dripping with lust.

  She did as he asked, turning around in a complete circle, coming back to face him.

  “Stroke your breasts.”

  A part of her rebelled against the action. But the part controlled by the drug eagerly sought to comply with the commander’s demand.

  She brushed her hands across the top of each mound, over her hardened nipples, and cupped beneath them, displaying herself to him as he seemed to want.

  He rose from the corner of the desk to walk toward her.

  “Very nice,” he said, as he reached out to touch her.

  Suddenly the room was rocked by an explosion, followed quickly by a series of smaller ones. Zydon whipped his head around to glare at the door.

  Daelyn took the opportunity to kick out and landed a blow dead center to his most intimate region, driving him to his knees.

  Unfortunately, it did not last long. Before she could reach the door, he grabbed her arm and whirled her around, driving his fist into the side of her face.

  Her head snapped back as he shoved her against the wall.

  “Whore,” he bit out. “You will pay for this. It is her, is it not? She planned this whole thing. His fingers bit into her forearms and Daelyn saw her death in his eyes.

  She’d accepted her fate before she entered the compound. This was her payment for the wrongs she’d committed in the name of the Tribunal.

  Her face throbbed from the blow, yet she sneered up at him triumphantly. “She is more fit to lead than you shall ever be, Tribunal Leader. Your days are numbered.”

  His face turned a bright mottled red. She fought him as he dragged her across the room. He turned and struck a hard blow across her face, and another closed-fisted punch to her stomach drove her to her knees.

  Winded and unable to fight back, the commander dragged her across the floor and hauled her into a chair. She wiped at the blood on her face and looked up at him defiantly.

  “You and the rest of your brethren will not win. It is only a matter of time and you know it.”

  He turned away to pick up her robe and quickly shred it as he tied her to the chair. “She is a whore as her mother was before her. I should have known back then and gotten rid of her just like I did her mother.”

  He tied her hands to the arms of the chair and then tightly bound her ankles to each chair leg.

  “What do you mean?”

  He glanced up at her as he finished tying the last knot. “She is no child of mine. I could have put her to good use, but she thwarted me on that as well. When I get my hands on her, she will die a slow painful death.”

  Daelyn’s eyes widened in surprise. Eluria suffered for nothing. The man was not even her true sire. She couldn’t help but laugh. If only she could relate the truth to Eluria. “She is luckier than she thought. She will be pleased to learn she shares no blood with a murderer.”

  He glared at Daelyn with hate flooding his expression. “It will not be from you she learns it. I have no time for you now, but when I return, your death will be just as slow and painful as I plan for her—after I’ve had my pleasure of you.”

  Her smile turned just as lethal as his. “You think to live through this yourself? I think you underestimate Eluria Zydon and Devon Andromeda. Just as you have all of those you have abused over the years.”

  Tied as she was, there was no way she would be able to avoid what she saw in his eyes. He raised his fist and slammed it into the side of her face. Her head snapped back against the solid chair frame as stars burst before her eyes, followed by excruciating pain. Unable to defend herself against the action, and with the force of the blow, the chair tipped over onto its side and she landed on the floor. It was the savage kick to her stomach that sent her over the final hurdle, and thankfully, she knew no more.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Alekos paced restlessly across the deck of the ship, needing something to occupy his mind. Holding her naked body that close was more than a male should be required to tolerate.

  It had not taken much to get out of the compound, all the forces seeming to have been centered on tracking Eluria and Devon. The males accompanying him had known the location of the ship, and they made their way to its location without incident.

  With Devon at the helm, they lifted off, shot through the sky, and vaulted out of the atmosphere before Zydon’s forces were able to target them. Of course, several of the explosives were set near the munitions sites, which helped with slowing the pursuit.

  Now cloaked, it was possible to ease back and take a deep breath as they made their way back to Ednos.

  Unfortunately, it gave him too much time
to focus on the female. He still wanted to wring her neck for what she’d done on their earlier acquaintance. Yet, seeing her again had stirred something else inside him as well. He did not like it, not at all.

  Upon his arrival at the ship, Eluria had directed him to follow her with his unconscious burden and then, after he laid her on the bed, had shooed him from the cabin. That was fine with him, and he hurried back to the deck to assist where he might be of some use.

  He couldn’t help the feelings of anger surging through him when he looked down at her before he left. Her face was already discoloring from the beating she’d obviously taken, and dried blood clung to her flesh.

  At that moment she looked helpless, unlike the female Enforcer he remembered from so long ago. He wanted to touch her, to comfort her. And the emotion angered him.

  He pivoted and hurried out of the cabin before he did something he would regret.

  Several hours had passed since Alekos had left her there with Eluria to tend to her wounds. He still found it difficult to believe the ex-Enforcer now sided with the rebellion.

  Eluria returned to the deck. She and Devon studied the panel, watching for signs of any detection by the enemy.

  It felt odd for him to be here, to see his brother and Eluria together after so many years. It seemed strange to not be on his own ship, alone, as had been his way for so long.

  “How soon before we reach Ednos?” he asked, uneasy with his own thoughts.

  Alekos noted Devon’s possessive arm around Eluria’s waist, holding her close. The white hair still threw him and he tried to come to terms with the changes in his brother. It was difficult to believe that after so many years, Alekos was looking at his brother, alive, and well, with his emotions intact.

  Devon and Eluria both turned to look at him.

  “It will not be much longer. Luckily, we haven’t been detected.”

  “What about her?” He couldn’t say her name. “How is she?”

  Eluria studied him for a long time. “She’ll be all right. The bruises are superficial and she will heal. Fortunately, there are no broken bones.”

  He gritted his teeth. “Too bad we didn’t get him. He belongs with Odon, burning in Haydon.” Clorial Zydon had eluded them yet again. His demise would have to wait for another day. He saw the pain flash through Eluria’s expression. “I’m sorry, Eluria, I shouldn’t have said that.”

  Eluria shook her head and straightened her shoulders as though bracing against attack. “No, you’re right. It just pains me to think that it was my sire who assisted in causing so much heartache to so many people I love.”

  Devon pulled her closer in his embrace. “It isn’t your fault, na nivia.”

  She leaned against him. “I know, but I can’t help it. If I could undo everything he has done, I would.”

  “Forget it, Eluria,” Alekos said. “I shouldn’t have opened my big mouth. I’m not used to being around people, you know that. Certainly not family. And if it wasn’t for you, in more ways than one, I wouldn’t be here now, nor would Devon. Or for that matter, Kierra wouldn’t be safe on Ednos. We probably would all be dead.”

  She looked at him and a ghost of a smile crossed her lips. “I’m glad you are here with us, Alekos. It has been too long. Your mother and sister are waiting to welcome you home.”

  “Home seems like an odd word. I’ve been alone for so long.” Alekos inhaled deeply. “I don’t know how long I’ll be able to stay. I’m not the same as I was, you know that. I’ll be glad to spend time with my family, but I doubt it will be anything permanent. I’m too restless to settle. I’ll need a new ship and that will take some time.”

  “But you will remain for a while? You need to be with your family as much as they need you. We’ll find you a new ship. But then you must keep in better touch with all of us.”

  “I will try to do better.” He licked his lips as his thoughts turned elsewhere.

  Eluria nodded. He saw worry again pass across her face. “I am concerned about Daelyn.”

  All of Alekos’ senses went on alert. “Why? I thought you said her wounds were superficial?”

  “They are,” she agreed, “but it is the effects of the drug I am concerned about.”

  “What do you mean? What drug?”

  She shifted uncomfortably. “In order to get past the guards and convince them she was a twilighter, she ingested the pleasure drug.”

  “An enhancer? Why in Haydon would she do that?”

  “Without her own sexual radiance, they would have been suspicious of her reasons for being there. She did it to buy us time to gain your freedom.”

  “Haydon.”

  “Exactly. Unless she is able to find some physical release through intercourse with a male, the effects will linger for some time as the chemistry will not dissipate as it is meant to.”

  “Send one of the males to her to ease her discomfort.” Even as Alekos said it, he wished to recant the words. He wanted no other male touching her. What was the matter with him? Why did he constantly need to keep reminding himself he wanted none of the Enforcer female?

  Eluria shook her head. “She will not. I pleaded with her before I left her cabin. She has had no intimate contact with another since she was brought to Ednos, not since her emotions were unblocked.”

  “You are mistaken.”

  “No. She fears the emotions. She is not yet comfortable with them. I believe it’s one of the reasons her own radiance has not unveiled. Her fear overrules although she won’t admit it, even to herself.”

  “I’m surprised she agreed to ingest the drug if that was the case.”

  “She had no choice—not if we were to complete the mission successfully and free you both.”

  “Did she know it was not just Devon you came for?”

  Eluria nodded. “Of course. She knew you were in danger as well.”

  It surprised him that Daelyn would agree to play decoy in an attempt to save his life. What game did she play? First she tried to kill him and then she attempted to give up her life in an attempt to save him. It didn’t make sense.

  “Aw, Haydon.” He turned and headed toward the ladder leading to the lower deck.

  “Where are you going?” Devon called.

  He turned to look over his shoulder. “To do what needs doing,” was his exasperated response.

  * * *

  Daelyn paced her small cabin, afraid to leave it, embarrassed to have others see the manufactured red radiance that still clung to her, throbbing intensely, announcing her desperate need to everyone around her.

  She could not expose the evidence of the heated spasming of her shax, her womb contracting painfully, needing the contact of another body, needing to release. Pleasuring herself would not dim the effects of the drug—it required the presence of the male inside her body, and she refused to allow anyone to touch her in that intimate fashion. In plain words, she needed to be fucked. Badly.

  Wrapping her arms more tightly around her midriff, sweat broke out on her brow, and she continued to pace. She would simply need to find a way to handle this, even knowing the lingering effects could last for months without surcease.

  Yet, she would do it again if need be. The mission was successful and that is what mattered. Except that Clorial Zydon still lived. That miserable slitherer should be dead. Most assuredly. Not only for what he did to the people of Argadia, but for what he had done to Eluria and to the whole Andromeda family because of his appetite for power.

  In her mind she’d failed them all in that respect. She should have found a way to take him out. She was skilled as an Enforcer and could have terminated Zydon with her bare hands. Unfortunately, for some reason the drug clouded her mind to the extent she could not think straight, could not respond in the way she should have.

  Daelyn sucked in air and gripped her hands tighter to her body as waves of undulating need swamped through her again. Each time it seemed to become more insistent, more intense.

  Another one gripped her and she rea
ched out to grab the edge of the counter, holding tightly, arched with desire. The need to go find the first male on this ship she could, and fuck him there and then, just to ease the tension in her body rode her hard.

  She fought the demand with all the self-control she could muster. It’s why she refused to leave the cabin, to be tempted by the smell of the males, to the call of their body heat.

  The problem was there was only one male she wanted and that was an impossibility. Daelyn now knew that she had wanted him for years, even when she should not have desired him. To leave this cabin now tempted her own downfall. She would not beg him.

  How could he do other than hate her for what she’d done to him all those years ago? She deserved no reprieve, she deserved to be punished, to eternally want and desire in reparation for what she had done—or almost done.

  Guilt washed through Daelyn along with the unrequited desire she felt.

  Knowing she was altered by the Nanus process did not help. She should have fought harder from being inducted as an Enforcer. She should have run away or allowed them to kill her first.

  Instead she helped to wreak havoc, to do so without guilt or care or concern. No matter how often Eluria tried to assure her it was not her fault but that of the Tribunal, Daelyn knew it was by her hand Argadians had died and others had been enslaved…because of her abilities as an Enforcer.

  She deserved her predicament right now.

  She’d watched Eluria and Devon, obviously so much in love and dedicated to each other. What would that be like? To care so deeply for another. It frightened her to think about giving of herself to that degree.

  With her emotions intact Daelyn admitted she was afraid to fuck even on a purely recreational basis. What if she sealed with someone who cared nothing for her? What would that do to her? It was much better to remain alone even though she yearned for the type of relationship that Eluria and Devon enjoyed. And Kierra and Jarek. How did one know when they found that mate that was the other part of themselves?