Conquering His Mate (Mates of Zatari Book 2)

by Claire Conrad

  Fucking Mira of Zatari would be no trouble at all… assuming we both made it out of here alive. I watched her gaze flit to the corners where the scavengers gathered. Good. She was not a complete fool. The moment we stepped out of sight of the public market, we’d have to fight our way out of here.

  My body thrummed with eagerness at the prospect. Nothing like a good fight followed by a hard fuck to make a man happy.

  “Come, Mistress, and choose your gifts.” Nine held out a hand to her, which she ignored, choosing to walk past him toward the line of slaves awaiting a buyer’s attention.

  On the way, her hand grazed my arm and she wrapped her fingers around my wrist, pulling me along.

  Fire leapt from her touch to my skin and spread until my body ached. She frowned at Nine and nodded in the direction of the coins still sitting there, the devil’s temptation. Her voice was warm honey, sent heat pulsing through my veins. God, how powerful a weapon she would wield if ever she used that voice in earnest. “Are you trying to get me killed, Nine?”

  “No one dares steal from my master.” Nine was smug, his arms crossed over his chest.

  “And who is your master?” she asked.

  “Vilar.”

  Whirling to face him, her fiery green eyes narrowed to slits. “What?” Vilar was legendary, nearly a myth, a slaver so old, so cruel I couldn’t believe Mira hadn’t noticed his crest on the shoulder of Nine’s clothing. The double serpent symbol was seared into the bodyguards’ foreheads, as if they’d been held down and branded, treated no better than livestock.

  Nine ignored her shocked expression and paced in front of his cowering slaves. “Take your pick, Mistress. Any two. Gifts from the great and honorable Vilar.”

  Chapter Three

  Hunter

  Mira turned away from Nine, but spoke to me, mind-to-mind. Why did I agree to this? Terrible idea. I do not keep slaves.

  The air was heavy with smoke from the Fier plant and my body reacted to both the stimulant in the air and her scent. She was beautiful, lush. Soft. Perfect. I couldn’t resist. I closed my eyes and sent her images. I wanted to pull her tall, hard body forward, crush her breasts to my chest. The moment she opened her mouth to protest, I would claim it with my own.

  The fire that invaded my system at her earlier touch exploded through my bloodstream, relentless and hot.

  Her breathing quickened and she shuddered, unable to force me to leave her mind. I imagined kneading her ass with my hands and wished we were somewhere I could rip off her pants and thrust deep.

  I was in pain, so rock hard I wanted to throw her on the ground and pump into her. But we had a very dangerous audience. For some reason, that ratcheted me up even higher. Just looking at her made me want, lust, need. Her presence forced me to maintain an iron grip on my control.

  “You take two or not?” Nine’s demand broke the spell at the exact moment the cold metal of her dagger pressed menacingly into my abdomen, reminding me of the danger I faced, not from the space scum on this base, but from her.

  “You will behave yourself, slave, or I will cut off your cock.”

  I looked down into her upturned face and stared at her lips, imagined the body part in question surrounded by her mouth, her tongue stroking me as I filled her to the back of her throat, made her squirm and gasp for air. Aloud, I said nothing, but my lovely new owner would never carry out such a threat. If you cut it off, Mistress, I can’t shove it between your legs and make you scream.

  She shuddered, her eyes glazing with desire as the attraction between us and the Fier smoke in the air worked their magic on her body. Nine, however, was becoming impatient with our games. He raised his arm, brought it down hard across the cheek of the nearest kneeling woman.

  Every muscle in Mira’s body tensed, aching to start a brawl, to slice him open. Still hovering in her mind, I knew she was a hairsbreadth away from giving in to the urge…

  Choose two. We walk out of here alive, and we save them. It was no less than a command, but Mira was far from stupid. I’d already pushed things too far.

  Agreed. Lightly, her hand roamed up the planes of my chest and wrapped around my neck. I felt a small prick in my skin, then swayed on my feet as a momentary jolt of pain rocketed through my brain and stole my balance. The woman had injected me with something. Probably a sedative, or a mind control cocktail.

  Wicked.

  Yes, I am. No longer was her smile forced, and she was magnificent. I wanted to slap her and devour her at the same time. Neither was an option at the moment. We needed to get the hell out of here before whatever she’d given me took me down. Satisfaction purred behind the thought. You’ve got about twenty minutes.

  And then?

  Her fingernail scraped over my chest through my shirt and my muscles jerked in response. No more mind games, Hunter.

  Lifting my hand, I caressed her lower lip. I don’t need psychic power to spank your ass for this.

  She gasped, pulling away from me to inspect the slaves. But it was too late. I saw the heat in her eyes before she turned, felt the longing that flooded her. She needed me. I could see that now. Yes, she was a warrior, a leader of her people, but she was also alone. She needed a strong man with a hard cock and a firm hand to guide her, to ease her burden. The call of Fated Mates still hummed in my blood and I knew I was that man. Fucking her, spanking her, giving her what she needed would be my pleasure.

  Unsure of whether the antidote my brother’s mate, Octavia, had given me would work, I chose not to say more. If the antidote failed to work, my power would be dormant until the effects wore off. Even now, with the Fier smoke in my system, my mind was not as sharp, the amount of effort required to sense the intentions and thoughts of those around us was more difficult than it should be.

  Without my power, we’d be vulnerable. Mira was several paces away from me now, inspecting the two dozen slaves Nine had offered to soothe her royal anger. All around, greedy eyes followed her every move. The room reeked of lust and violence. Every man here coveted her and I could feel many eyes on my torso, taking my measure, assessing the threat.

  They had no idea how deadly I could be. The thought of my new mate falling prey to anyone on Lunar One left me cold. Quickly, with none of my usual stealth, I flung my consciousness toward her so I could see what she saw, hear what she heard, and know each thought the same moment she did.

  She turned to the slavers’ stage and quickly scanned the poor lost souls on display. Decisive, she weeded out the humans who were beyond saving and settled on a young pair who still resisted Fier Potion’s blinding call to fuck. They looked alike. Brother and sister perhaps. Young. Stolen from a refugee camp after their parents died. Neither had seen much more than eighteen years. I wasn’t sure how she knew the things she did, but I didn’t doubt she was correct.

  “Those two.”

  Reptile nodded and motioned for the guards to remove the two naked slaves from the line. “Done.”

  I shifted uncomfortably when she turned back to me. Soft and inviting, the cushiony invitation between her legs drew my attention every agonizing step she took. I felt like my cock had already swollen to three times the normal size. Try as I might, I couldn’t stop the room from spinning, or my power from flaring, threatening to burst out of my control.

  Reaching up, she used her dagger to poke me in the ribs. Nine chuckled at the display, but I didn’t resist her. Not here. Not now. There would be time later for a reckoning. I’d have her over my knee, her bare bottom bright red, before I fucked her, filled her with my seed.

  She would be mine, and she would learn respect. All I had to do was wait.

  She leaned in, lips caressing my cheek, and whispered, “You’ve had your fun. Let’s go.”

  * * *

  Mira

  Every pair of eyes in the market followed us as I pressed the tip of a dagger to Hunter’s ribs and we stepped off the slavers’ platform. The slaves I’d taken from Nine as my gift fell into step behind us like obedient pets. But
I could feel the stirrings of hope in their young minds. They had a new mistress, true, but anyplace in the galaxy had to be preferable to Slavers’ Bay. They could as easily have been bought by a sadist or a flesh merchant who would have used their bodies over and over again as playthings for an hour of someone else’s pleasure.

  They communicated with one another on a private telepathic channel I couldn’t break into, despite my recent flare of psychic ability, but I wouldn’t take chances with their safety. Already, the hair at the base of my neck rose in alarm. My instincts screaming that already, my party was being followed. Whoever it was, they would attack before we made it to the docks where guards loyal to Zatari kept a sense of order. Control here was a matter of economic importance. Trading could not occur if everyone feared losing their wares to pirates and thieves.

  But until we reached the docks, I had two new slaves to protect and Hunter to keep in line. Why was my new prisoner coming along so easily? Docile as a pet? Was all of this some kind of trap? It was possible. More than possible. “Why are you coming with me without a fight? Are you trying to steal my ship?”

  “Why would I need your cruiser, when I’ve got Octavia’s?” At his taunting laughter my hand clenched and a memory came back to me. Octavia. I’d left Zatari to find her. How had I ended up here? With this man? The hilt of my dagger nearly drew blood from between his ribs as I battled for self-control, my mind racing. Why did I have such violent reactions to this man? Normally I was calm and reserved, extremely logical and focused. He seemed to bring out the worst in me.

  No matter. Octavia’s missing cruiser was one more item I would take home.

  Behind us, tension gathered in the air like waves pounding surf, breaking against the rocks with a roar. There was no actual sound, more like a rumble of energy that meant they were gathering, coming after us.

  After me.

  My title and status would offer no more protection until we made it out of these tunnels alive. I was not afraid. I welcomed the fight.

  I whirled from Hunter to enfold the two young slaves in my arms and herd them on ahead, away from the battle I knew was coming. I removed a small gun from my boot and shoved it into the young girl’s hand. The master key to my cruiser I handed to her brother as I sent the directions to the docking area directly into the girl’s mind.

  “The ship will go on autopilot for two days. I’ll rendezvous with you then. No harm will come to you on my ship. I give you my word.” They would have food, water, and a safe place to sleep until I could catch up to them. And if I didn’t return, the ship would take them home when it ran out of fuel. Since Hunter claimed to have Octavia’s cruiser, we would take that one and meet them in space.

  “Thank you.” The girl looked up at me, tears gathering in her eyes.

  “Don’t cry. Run!” I ordered and the two slaves ran as though a hungry beast was nearly upon them.

  I turned to Hunter. He had Octavia’s ship. The woman I tracked. The woman I once called friend. “Where is Octavia?”

  “Exactly where she wants to be. With her Fated Mate.”

  Another memory stirred, a message from her. A man’s hand on her shoulders as she spoke to me of lies and coercion by our queen. Betrayal.

  “I don’t believe you.” And I didn’t. Couldn’t. The thought was too painful. That would mean everything Octavia had told me in the message she’d sent was true. I refused to believe my entire life was a lie when another explanation was much more logical. “Your brother brainwashed her, or is holding her captive somewhere.”

  “You’re wrong.” One of my special gifts was recognizing truth from lies. I’d always been able discern between the two and his answer sent a shiver of dread coursing down my spine. But I didn’t have the time or inclination to argue with him now.

  Four men, weapons drawn, followed, closing in on us from behind. I reeled from the psychic currents in the air and shoved Hunter around a corner into another metallic tunnel. Three of the men were high on stims, I could smell them from here. The acrid smoke that lingered in their hair and clothing, the sweat and stench of unwashed bodies permeated the corridor. The fourth man was the danger… he was completely sane, totally in control, and utterly evil.

  “Hurry,” I hissed at Hunter as we jogged down the exit corridor toward the shuttles in the docking bays. As we drew closer to a common area, every available space on the walls was covered with moving, three-dimensional advertisements for hot, steamy sex. All types. All species. It was disgusting, frightening… a shiver raced over my skin. Intriguing. A woman on the screen closest to me shouted out with her release and my core pulsed in reaction. I was so hot, so needy. This was not me. Not. Me.

  I stumbled and Hunter was there, his arms around me, the hard length of his body pressed to mine as I fought for air.

  “Don’t worry, beautiful, you’re mine now. I won’t let them touch you.”

  “I am not yours.” I studied him, but he seemed completely unconcerned about our situation. His eyes held warmth and amusement, as if he found me… adorable instead of fearsome. Was he high on the bot injection? Had he inhaled something strange before my arrival in the bay? Why was he rambling nonsense? And why, oh why, did he have to rub his scalding hot hand over my ass? “Get your hand off me, before I cut it off. We’re being followed.”

  “I know.” The smile in his voice was beyond irritating.

  “Then what are you doing?”

  “Making them believe we’re unaware of their presence.” Hunter rhythmically massaged my buttock, gliding his hand from the small of my back to my thigh, and back. Everywhere he touched, I burned.

  Hunter pushed my back to the wall. Hot and strong, his hands snaked around my waist and pinned me in place. Behind me on the moving screen, a couple writhed in the heat of mating. Their cries filled my ears, seduced my senses, and made me want to mimic their lust. Hunter rested his body against mine, ran his hand up my thigh, higher, to caress my breast. Fire streaked through me from his palm, darted to my core and forced a gasp from my throat. Never had anyone touched me this way, made me want…

  “I’m going to spank you, Mira. I’m going to spank you for injecting me with that mind control poison, and then I’m going to hold you down and fuck you, exactly the way you imagined.” The threat whispered over my skin, heated my flesh, and made me imagine his hot breath caressing every inch of me… his firm hand landing with a precise sting on my flesh, his lips following the line of my spine… naked.

  “What?” Goddess, it was hard to think with his hard thighs holding me pinned to the wall, scorching me through my pants…

  Trailing a path of silken fire across my collarbone with his lips, then up my neck, Hunter reverted to telepathy as our mutual enemies, still a hundred paces away, grew bolder, jostling each other and smiling in anticipation. Do you have a weapon?

  Yes. My daggers were sheathed safely at my sides. Thankful, I flexed my fingers around both hilts. Were it not for that task, I feared I wouldn’t be able to resist burying my hand in his thick hair, pulling his mouth to mine for a taste.

  When I give the command, use them.

  “I don’t follow orders.” I spoke at the precise moment I arched my body into his. Aggressive and hungry, I took his mouth with a savage need to taste him, to taste the forbidden.

  The very air hummed with awareness. I took it all in, absorbed every nuance of my body’s reaction, Hunter’s smell, the erotic thrill of sliding my tongue against his while the slavers closed in on us. I’d never felt more alive. This male challenged me, sought to dominate me. The thought was frightening, and there was nothing more exhilarating than fear.

  Beneath my cape, Hunter’s hands left my body in search of his own weapons. A dark cloud of anticipation flowed toward us from around the corner. A thought flared to life, but died before fully formed.

  Breaking the kiss, I hissed into his ear, “We can’t run.” I spun, pulled a dagger from its sheath, and faced our enemies. My throwing hand, I left empty. “If we run,
they’ll just hunt us down like dogs.”

  “True.” Hunter whispered the single word near the sensitive skin of my earlobe, leaving my flesh energized and begging for more, then moved out from behind me.

  A wave of malevolence struck as the full force of our attackers’ auras reached me. They were so ramped up, I expected our stalkers to be foaming at the mouth. Instead, I was somewhat surprised by the normal grime on their cheeks and half-dead look in their eyes. Three men in gray mercenary uniforms fanned out as best they could in the narrow corridor and closed in. When they were within ten long strides, I shoved Hunter away from me, and threw the small blade I kept hidden in the wrist of my uniform. My target dodged, taking the hit in the shoulder instead of the heart and didn’t go down. Beside me, Hunter was still, unmovable as an ancient oak. I didn’t have time to figure out what he was doing.

  Stepping in front of him to block any possible shots, I pulled my second dagger free. The thugs were armed, but coming at us like bulls instead of just taking us out with long-range hits. They had the weapons to kill us both. “Why aren’t they firing?”

  They want you alive. Infuriatingly calm and curious, Hunter’s voice shot into my consciousness.

  As much as I hated the thought, my own newly awakened senses confirmed his statement. Even now I could feel Hunter moving in their minds, gathering information. No wonder my ancestors had killed as many royals as possible in their rebellion.

  I figured I had about ten more minutes before the drug I’d injected Hunter with took him down. If he fell sooner, I’d be facing these four idiots alone. And four to one were odds I’d prefer to avoid.

  Unforgiving and painful, Hunter’s hands slammed down on my shoulders and stopped me from charging the enemy who were warily circling in front of us. He yanked me several steps back, away from our opponents. The mercenaries paced us like reflections in a mirror. They seek to capture you. You’ve already been bought at auction.